17th of May Parade brings out Norwegian in everyone
Everyone was Norwegian in Bay Ridge on Sunday, even if they weren’t born Norwegian!
A special Scandinavian spirit took over the neighborhood as the 63rd Annual 17th of May Parade — also known as the Norwegian Day Parade — took place on Third Avenue.
There were plenty of marchers wearing Viking helmets, floats that resembled Viking ships and scores of participants waving Norwegian flags in the parade. The marchers included church groups, members of civic and political organizations, Sons of Norway lodges, cops, firefighters and even bagpipe bands.
“The community joins together to watch us celebrate Constitution Day. It is a day when everyone can ‘be Norwegian,’” Parade General Chairman Barbara Berntsen wrote in a message on the parade committee’s website.