Date set for Ragamuffin Parade

This year’s 60th annual Ragamuffin Parade is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. The parade committee also recently held its biannual election. The new board includes past incumbent President Allison Greaker, Vice President Marianne Fezza, Treasurer Kelli Kilbride and Secretary Esme Ellison. Other committee members include Shelia Doherty, Ted General, Ilene Sacco, Shirley Chin, Kathy O’Donnell and Danielle Raskin.

Since 1967, the Ragamuffin Parade has had 12 presidents. They include Cliff Scanlon, Edward McCaffery, Sandy Sansevero, Marie McDonald, Tim Drain, Dilia Schack, Gloria Melnick, Maureen Stramka, Colleen Golden, Rose Gangi, David Annarummo and Allison Greaker.

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Here’s a  list of major events that took place in Southwest Brooklyn during the year 2025.

A rash of looting at area stores by repetitive shoplifters.

A large scale of fare evaders continued to cause big losses to MTA NYC Transit buses and subways. 

Brooklyn’s 50th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, along Seventh Avenue and Prospect Park West in Park Slope on Sunday, March 16.

The 30th annual Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade along Third Avenue on Sunday, March 23.

The 73rd annual Norwegian-American 17th of May Parade along Third Avenue and Fifth Avenue to Leif Ericson Park on Sunday, May 18.

The 37th NYC Fleet Week Parade of Ships viewed from Fort Hamilton as they entered New York Harbor on Wednesday, May 21.

The 158th Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade on May 26 by the United Veterans of King County; the nation’s oldest large city parade! 

The Fort Hamilton Army Post celebrated its 200th anniversary on June 13.

The Society of Old Brooklynites held its 145th Anniversary Gala at the Bay Ridge Manor on June 22. 

The 118th Brooklyn Independence Day Parade along Fifth Avenue in Sunset Park on Sunday, June 30.

The 1st District of the US Marine Corps relocated its headquarters from Garden City, NY, to Fort Hamilton on July 17.

Fort Hamilton’s New York Harbor Defense Museum announced it’s on a possible closure list  on July 25.

The annual 9/11 vigil on the American Veterans Memorial Pier on Thursday, Sept. 11.

The 59th annual Ragamuffin Parade along Third Avenue in Bay Ridge on Saturday, Sept. 23.

The 43rd annual Brooklyn Columbus Day Parade along 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst on Saturday, Oct. 11.

The 54th New York City Marathon passed through Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Sunset Park on Sunday, Nov. 2.

The Bay Ridge Sesquicentennial Commemorative Wall Tablet was stolen (date unknown).

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The recent death of former Fort Hamilton Principal Alice Farkouh brought back a lot of fond memories. First off, a longtime good friend and for many years as a photojournalist and columnist, I covered several school and civic events she was involved with. After her retirement from Fort Hamilton, she later served as the president of the Fort Hamilton Alumni Association. In 1994 she was selected as the grand marshal of the annual children’s Ragamuffin Parade, and in 2004 I was nominated and  inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame along with Dr. Nikos Spanakos and Petro Spanakos. The next year I became active with the Alumni Association as their  publicity coordinator which included a short column titled “General Outpost” in the alumni  newsletter. My years of activity with the association have now spanned the last 20 years.