Editorial: Excitement building for Summer Stroll

Suddenly, it’s mid-summer, and the first Summer Stroll on Third Avenue is upon us.

This Bay Ridge tradition, now in its third year, is already a local favorite, bringing residents out onto the thoroughfare to enjoy the neighborhood and all it has to offer on four Friday nights in July and August, from 6 to 10 p.m., with local merchants eagerly joining in.

The event – for which businesses extend onto the sidewalk and local cultural groups provide a wide range of entertainment – functions both as a showcase for the avenue and an opportunity for friends, relatives and neighbors to meet and mingle on streets that, for a few hours, are closed to cars.

In effect, during Summer Stroll, a portion of Third Avenue becomes Bay Ridge’s town square, the ideal warm weather respite for this community, which prides itself on its small-town-in-the-big-city atmosphere, a homey quality that allows this neighborhood to stand out in an increasingly frenetic world.

Best of all, Summer Stroll is family-friendly, with attractions for people of all ages. Kids can do crafts and play games, while adults stop for a fine meal or a drink at a pop-up sidewalk café, where they can linger and watch the world pass by.

The benefits to both residents and businesses are crystal clear. For attendees, Summer Stroll means a pleasant evening in a beautiful neighborhood, savoring the sights, sounds and flavors that it offers.

For merchants, the event is an opportunity to strut their stuff in a time of year when business is slow, reconnecting with old customers and making new ones.

This year, the dates are July 18and 25, for the section of the avenue between Bay Ridge Avenue and 80^th Street, and August 8 and 15, for the strip between 80^th and 90^th Streets.

Come on down and join in the fun.