‘Tis the season.
Just in time for a milestone Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Third Avenue has gone green.
Thanks entirely to the parade’s committee, shamrock lights have been strung along the strip, which will play host to the milestone 25th annual parade on Sunday, March 25.
“It’s our 25th anniversary of the parade and this was something that we had planned to give back to the Bay Ridge community for all the great years of participation in the parade and for coming out to all of our fundraisers,” said Parade Committee President Linda Gallagher-Lomanto. “It’s for Bay Ridge.”
The ultimate goal, she said, is to have even more lights in years to come.
“Unfortunately we can’t afford to have as many as the avenue has around Christmastime,” Gallagher-Lomanto said, “but our ultimate goal is that maybe families or businesses will see the lights and want to sponsor a strand in the future so that one day we can have all of Third Avenue decorated.”
Ideally, the prez said, she would love to see lights go up in memory of loved ones, or in honor of other locals.
“We think this is the start of something great,” she said.
“We want to thank the Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee for putting up the lights at their own cost,” said Merchants of Third Avenue President Bob Howe. “It makes the avenue look beautiful and I think lighting overall enhances the entire community.”
As for the parade, Howe said, he “can’t wait.”
“It’s a good day for Bay Ridge,” he said, “the first of many good days for 2018.”
The parade will step off at 1 p.m. at the corner of Marine and Third Avenues.
