Bay Ridge Fifth Avenue BID dazzles nabe with trolley rides and tree lighting

Bay Ridge was alight with the spirit of the holidays on Saturday, December 9, as the nabe’s Fifth Avenue BID hosted its fifth annual holiday celebration, complete with trolley rides and a Christmas tree lighting.

The event kicked off at noon with a live deejay, holiday music, giveaways and more. The trolley rides, which operated between Fifth Avenue’s bus stops from 65th Street to 85th Street, offered a comforting respite from the cold, as well as a chance to meet Santa Claus and an elf.

“The snow was falling, so it did feel very festive,” said Bay Ridge Fifth Avenue BID Executive Director Amanda Zenteno. “It felt like we were right smack in the middle of the holiday season. When you see the little kids’ faces light up when they see Santa Claus, it’s really magical. It’s a really lovely time.”

The celebration also saw guest appearances by 43rd District Councilmember Vincent Gentile and State Senator Marty Golden.

“The reason we want to do these sorts of things is to highlight Fifth Avenue and all of the mom and pop shops and continue to make Fifth Avenue a real destination to go out and go shopping. These kinds of events brings the community down to Fifth Avenue and show that Bay Ridge is a really good place to live, work and shop,” explained Zenteno.

If you missed the celebration and still want to hitch a ride on the trolley, the BID will be hosting more rides on Saturday, December 16, beginning at noon.

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