The Merchants of Third Avenue, a business group that represents storeowners on the Bay Ridge end of the avenue, is the main sponsor of Summer Stroll on 3rd, an event in which a half-mile stretch of the avenue is closed to vehicular traffic to allow pedestrians to stroll in the middle of the street and enjoy listening to live music, dining in outdoor cafes, and the ambiance of warm summer nights.

This year, Summer Stroll on 3rd will set up a concert stage on Third Avenue between 85th and 86th streets where artists from Regina Opera and groups like barbershop quartets will perform.

“We have a lot of people coming for this,” Amato told the Merchants.

In previous Summer Stroll on 3rd events, musicians performed at street level at locations all along the stroll route, not onstage.

Summer Stroll on 3rd, which is part of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Weekend Walks series of outdoor, pedestrian-friendly events across the city, will take place over four nights this summer: on July 17 and 24 on Third Avenue between 80th and 90th streets; and on Aug. 7 and 14 between Bay Ridge Avenue (69th Street) and 80th Street.

Robert Howe, president of the Merchants, said setting up a stage is a good idea. “It gives small, Bay Ridge groups a chance,” he said.

When Summer Stroll comes to the northern end of the avenue (from Bay Ridge Avenue to 80th Street) in August, the concert stage will be located between 74th Street and Bay Ridge Parkway (75th Street).

State Sen. Marty Golden (R-C-Bay Ridge-Southwest Brooklyn) and Councilmember Vincent Gentile (D-Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-parts of Bensonhurst) are also Summer Stroll on 3rd sponsors. The first stroll took place in 2012.

Victoria DiSalvo, director of community relations for Golden, is helping organizers map out the event.

“We’re trying to fill in some dead spots along the avenue,” she told the Merchants. “We’re reaching out to cultural groups.”

Amato said that there will be more marshals overseeing the event to make sure everyone is safe and that the stroll continues to have a family-friendly atmosphere.

“We will have a marshal for every two blocks,” she said.

In the past, Summer Stroll on 3rd has featured decorative street lighting that has given the avenue a look similar to a piazza in Venice. Howe said the plan is to have the lights again this year, but funding will be needed to keep the lights on.

“Summer Stroll is a great event. But it is not a free event,” he said. The street lighting costs approximately $10,000.

Samantha Lauro, who is in charge of securing financial sponsorships for Summer Stroll, said there are different levels of sponsorships, starting at $1,000.

Summer Stroll has come a long way since its first incarnation in 2012, according to Josephine Beckmann, district manager of Community Board 10.

“There were some concerns for the first one, but it has turned out to be a wonderful event,” she said. Prior to the first Summer Stroll, local residents expressed concerns over parking and noise issues.

Charles Otey, executive secretary of the Merchants, said much of the success of Summer Stroll can be attributed to Beckmann’s support.

“Without Josephine, Summer Stroll could have been a failure. She is our liaison with the city,” he said.

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