Because St. Patrick’s Day isn’t over until Bay Ridge says so.
Thousands of Ridgites showed their Irish pride during the neighborhood’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 22 — five days after the venerable saint’s holy day. The 22-year-old neighborhood institution still managed to wow new generations experiencing it for the first time, said one reveller who brought her 3-year-old to the march.
“I grew up in Bay Ridge but this was the first time we took him to the parade,” said Dawn Trentinella, referring to her toddler Frank. “He had more fun this year than the one in the city.”
The Italian-surnamed tot paraded his Irish side during the march.
“My dad rents him a kilt for the parade — he’s done it since [Frank] was born,” Trentinella said.
But the young Trentinella wasn’t the only kilt-clad carouser in the massive stroll, which stretched along Third Avenue from Marine Avenue to 67th Street.
Bagpipers from a bevy of city organizations and community groups blared airs Éire down the avenue, accompanied by high school marching bands, dancers from O’Malley Irish Dance Academy and a host of community groups.
Colonel Joseph Davidson, garrison commander of Fort Hamilton, acted as Grand Marshall — flanked by eight deputy marshals and the parade’s Labradoodle mascot, Seamus Butler.
The neighborhood is already planning it’s 2016 parade, which is slated for March 20.
