Salty Dog raises funds for annual Memorial Day Parade

One of the oldest Memorial Day parades in the nation was in the spotlight on Sunday, April 26 as Ridgeites – young and old – gathered at The Salty Dog, 7509 Third Avenue, for an afternoon of fun and fundraising for the 148^th Annual Kings County Memorial Day Parade.

“It was great,” said the parade’s Executive Director Raymond Aalbue of the all-day affair. “For the past five years, the Bay Ridge and Brooklyn communities have really turned out for a good cause to support this parade whose mission is to remember all those who paid such a terrible price in service to our country.”

The annual fundraiser was organized by local luminary and musician Frankie Marra who started it in 2011 to make sure the parade kept on marching when government funding for the event was lost, putting its future in doubt.

“We can’t thank Frankie Marra [and his family] enough,” lauded Aalbue. “Frankie’s been doing this for five years – it’s really amazing.”

This year’s lineup featured performances by Blues Circus, Rock Farm, Canny Brothers, Sha Doobie and Frankie Marra and His Band.

To boot, Aalbue said, the Salty Dog has been a godsend.

“We appreciate the Salty Dog for allowing us to use their bar as our foxhole,” he said, stressing that this year’s parade – set to kick off at 78^th Street and Third Avenue on Monday, May 25 – will be bigger and better than ever. “It’s going to be a good one.”