I made it out to the Summer Stroll on Friday, July 24, and arrived early enough to walk around before Third Avenue became too crowded. This edition stretched from 82nd Street down to Marine Avenue, giving everyone plenty of room to wander, grab something to eat and enjoy one of those summer nights that makes Bay Ridge feel like a small town in the middle of the city.
You can watch a full, 4K POV walking video with no commentary of the stroll, just as I experienced it, arriving right around 6:30PM – walking from Marine Avenue down to 82nd Street.
As you can see, there was great live music throughout the route. The Salsa Rockers were performing outside Puertas, Zuíque played near The Kettle Black, and One 2 Many brought music to the growing crowd outside Chadwick’s. It’s the 4 events in Bay Ridge that I block off in my calendar a full-year in advance because there’s just so much fun to be had!
Restaurants and bars spill out into the street, you know you’re going to run into at least ONE person you haven’t see in a while, making for an amazing impromptu reunion, and there always seems to be something happening on every block.
Families also had plenty to do – with the return of the giant Incredibles bouncy house set up near 82nd Street, which was already getting plenty of attention early in the evening. As the night went on, the crowds continued to build and the entire stretch of Third Avenue took on a festive, block-party atmosphere.
The Summer Stroll is always a good reminder of what makes Bay Ridge special. You may head out planning to visit one restaurant or see one band, but you usually end up walking several extra blocks, stopping somewhere unexpected and running into at least a few people you know.
There are three more chances to enjoy the Summer Stroll this summer. The event moves to Third Avenue between 68th and 82nd streets on July 31 and August 14, while the August 7 stroll returns to the southern route between 82nd Street and Marine Avenue. Each stroll is scheduled to run from 6 to 10 p.m.
We will see you there!