On the Avenue: Crowds enjoy spirited post-rain party on 3rd

A little rain never hurt anybody!

Granted, last Friday evening’s thunderstorms couldn’t have come at a worse time for tens of thousands of families who were looking forward to spending an evening “on the avenue” at the third installment of the Summer Stroll on 3rd (the downpour began right around 6 p.m.), but Bay Ridge proved it knows how to make the best of any situation. 

While many chose to wait out the rain at home before venturing out, the early crowd scurried into and filled the many bars and restaurants located within the stretch of Third Avenue blocks that remained closed to vehicular traffic.

I was among the early crowd myself, as I had just begun to stroll with my beautiful wife Monica when we quickly decided to duck into Malone’s Steakhouse for a bite. My brother Nicholas, who made the trip in from New Jersey, joined us for dinner and arrived just as the downpour began.

It turned out that we became inadvertent guests at the restaurant’s one-year anniversary party, which featured great music and delicious specials all night long. Kudos to the staff for creating such a festive atmosphere despite the terrible weather. It was the perfect way to wait out Mother Nature’s wrath.

By the time we had finished several incredible courses, the storm had passed and people had begun to flood the avenue (no pun intended) for what turned out to be a giant post-rain party. While many of the informational tables and children’s attractions had been packed up in advance of the rainfall, there were tons of people still enjoying food and drinks outside. Others were calmly strolling along as live acoustic music was being played at several spots from Marine Avenue to 82nd Street.

We bumped into Stroll Co-Coordinator Lisa Larkin, who told us, “It’s nice that people still came out. Obviously, we can’t control the weather, but everyone did the best they could to make it successful.”

This coming Friday, Aug. 9 will see the event return to the northern end of Third Avenue — 82nd Street to 68th Street — one final time. 

Be sure to follow the event’s official social media channels for exclusive content and updates: @SummerStrollon3rd on Facebook and Instagram, and @SummerStroll3rd on X.

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If you’re doing something noteworthy “on the avenue,” reach out to me at [email protected]!