Day: October 1, 2024

The Third Avenue Festival in Bay Ridge outshone the weather on Sunday, Sept. 29.

Despite dreary, rainy weather, thousands of locals showed up to support the beloved street celebration, which stretched across 25 blocks and offered up music, games and a variety of vendors.

Organized by the Merchants of Third Avenue, the annual event — now in its 51st year — is considered a cornerstone of the Bay Ridge community. This year’s festival followed the 50th-anniversary celebration in 2023, marking yet another milestone in the event’s long-standing history.

Under umbrellas and pop-up tents, attendees enjoyed food from popular vendors, from classic festival treats like zeppoles and sausages to more unique offerings from local restaurants. Local bands and dancers performed on stages throughout the avenue, keeping spirits high.

Merchants of Third Avenue President Dan Texeira compared the neighborhood’s dedication to a famous scene from the film “Forrest Gump.”

“Although the weather didn’t cooperate for the most part, if you look at the pictures of the festival, thousands came out to enjoy friendship, food and shopping on Third Avenue,” he told Brooklyn Paper. “I likened this to Lieutenant Dan [Taylor] in Forrest Gump — residents and guests said, ‘You call this a storm!?’ and came out and enjoyed themselves.”

Each year, the Third Avenue festival serves as an unofficial start to the fall season in Bay Ridge, preceded by the annual Ragamuffin Parade the day before. This year’s parade saw equally gloomy weather, but costumed kiddos continued on, many participants racking up wins for their creative, handmade ensembles.