Brooklyn has big presence at Greek Independence Parade

Many Brooklynites took part in the 87th annual New York City Greek Independence Day Parade, which kicked off at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, along Fifth Avenue from 61st to 74th Street.

This year’s march commemorated the 205th anniversary of Greece’s freedom from the Ottoman Empire. It also saluted the 250th anniversary of American independence. 

The grand marshals were John Catsimatidis, chairman of the Red Apple Group, and Nicholas Tsakos, founder and CEO of Tsakos Energy Navigation. 

The parade is hosted and coordinated by the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York. Among the Brooklyn bands we spotted were Bay Ridge’s Greek School of Plato, and Hellenic Classical Charter Schools, founded and headed by Bay Ridgeite Christina Tettonis, superintendent of schools, as well as fellow Bay Ridge attorney and Board Chairman Charles Capetanakis. Bay Ridge’s Holy Cross Cathedral and DKG School officials rode in a black open platform limousine with Community Board Chairman Sandy Vallas at the wheel. 

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For the 60th annual Bay Ridge Ragamuffin Parade, there won’t be a traditional “Person of the Year.” Instead the parade committee has voted to honor four highly regarded community organizations. They are: Bay Ridge Cares, Bay Ridge Center, El-Rose Foundation and Guild for Exceptional Children

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Famous “Blue Bloods” and “The Sopranos” TV and movie actor Steve Schirripa signed books at Bay Ridge’s BookMark Shoppe, 8415 Third Ave., on Saturday afternoon, April 25. He was debuting his new book, “WillieBoy Eats the World.” This guy is so incredibly popular, he drew a line a block and a half long of patrons who wanted to see him, get a picture with him and buy an autographed book.