Merchants of Third Avenue to honor Chip Cafiero

A lifelong Bay Ridge resident will be honored by the neighborhood he loves and has dedicated countless hours to.

The Merchants of Third Avenue (MOTA) is hosting a retirement celebration for civic leader Chip Cafiero at Greenhouse Cafe on May 15.

Cafiero, who turns 78 in May, has been an integral part of community organizations for decades, and is well known as the chairperson for the Third Avenue Festival.

“After nearly 50 incredible years of leadership, dedication, and community spirit, we celebrate the retirement of a true Bay Ridge legend — Chip Cafiero,” the organization said in a statement.

“From building NYC’s biggest block party to bringing neighbors, businesses, and friends

together year after year, Chip’s impact on 3rd Avenue is nothing short of extraordinary.”

MOTA is a merchant group, and a civic organization focused on “stabilizing our community and donating to and supporting other local community groups.” They also host parades for Norwegian Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, and Ragamuffin.

“I’m retiring from all the Third Avenue stuff,” Cafiero said. “I’m still doing the Fifth Avenue Festival and the 86th Street Festival for now. This year’s Memorial Day Parade will probably be the last time I do it, but everything else I’m done with. I didn’t do the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. I’m not doing the Third Avenue Festival. I’m pretty much retired from that. I’m just going to work three weekends and that’s it.”

Cafiero retired from teaching 24 years ago.

“I taught in the public school system for 34 years,” he said. “In my last 28 years, I worked at P.S. 163 in Bensonhurst. I started doing all these different things around the neighborhood. I did everything, between Concerts in the Park and Halloween and every holiday.”

He is a father of five, and has 11 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

“The Third Avenue Festival always fell on my two oldest sons’ birthdays, on the 28th of

September and the 1st of October so they got cheated out of their birthdays,” he said. “But

I’m making it up to them now.”

He said that he was humbled yet appreciative of the award.

“I really didn’t need it because the community honors me all the time,” he explained. “People are always thanking me. I retired mostly because the [merchants] are on their feet now. I work so hard all those years to keep the Merchants together and alive. Now they’re very much established and doing well and making

changes. I’m still very honored that they’re doing it. I’m getting calls from all types of friends and stuff like that. I’m not leaving Bay Ridge. I am taking more vacations.”

Cafiero has been recognized by the neighborhood before. In 2019, he was honored at the

BRAVO Volunteer Ambulance’s 45th anniversary dinner for his civic leadership.

“I’m sure I’m going to miss it all,” he said of his duties. “The money we made with the Third Avenue Festival kept the avenue alive. It raised  money so that they could keep functioning. The Summer Stroll too. I did that for years, but I turned it over to other people and they do fine.”

He said that it took months to plan for each event.

“For the Third Avenue Festival, you have to start planning December for September of the

next year,” he said. “My favorite event was the Halloween Walk. I stopped that a few years ago

as well. That was a tremendous event. It took 16 hours a day for 10 days. I was there to set it up. But it was a phenomenal event and was worth seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces.

“It was a great life. Now I’m just enjoying the rest of the world.”