The 42nd Annual Third Avenue Festival weathered a stormy forecast as thousands of Ridgeites, and even a few out-of-towners, flocked to Bay Ridge’s Third Avenue to cap off their weekends.
“I was worried it would be a washout but I ended up getting a sunburn,” said Ridge resident Justin Brannan of the event, which took place on Sunday, October 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and spanned 69th to 94th Street. “Seeing so many old faces and friends from the neighborhood is really what the Third Avenue festival is all about. That and fried Oreos.”
The occasion, Brannan said, is often one of homecoming.
“It always blows my mind that people travel from far away to come hang out on Third Avenue,” he said. “It’s like a big neighborhood reunion.”
Those that sauntered the strip this year were met by merchants, non-profit organizations, flea markets and even an on-site pet adoption, sponsored annually by Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis and Pet Lovers United as One. Kids enjoyed complimentary face painting, thrill rides and a meet-and-greet with Anna and Elsa of this Disney phenomenon “Frozen,” courtesy of Ben Bay Realty.
“In general, it was a great, great event,” said festival guru Chip Cafiero, a Bay Ridge native who’s been running the festival for 38 years. “Nobody believed me that I had a contact with God to get the weather in check.”
However hectic the threat of Hurricane Joaquin made Cafiero’s morning, he and his team were able to pull it all together – just as they always do.
“We managed to keep it all together with no arrests, no major problems and no injuries,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief that – despite a scary forecast – the streets were completely packed once the sun came out at about 2 p.m. “There was plenty of entertainment, plenty of food and everybody had a great time.”
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