Visit Buffalo Niagara

Fair Fever!

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:43:09 -0400

Catch fair fever at the 171st Annual Erie County Fair! The Erie County Fair boasts itself as the largest independent county fair in North America averaging over 900,000 guests annually. The event will run August 11-22, 2010 and will feature $500,000 in free entertainment, over 2,500 animals, top name concerts, exciting motor events, mile long midway, great 'fair' food and more.

Summer Jazz at the Albright

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:42:46 -0400

Get your groove on at the Buffalo News Summer Jazz Series! Enjoy a FREE concert at the Albright Knox Art Gallery every Sunday at 2pm. Concerts take place on the back steps of the Art Gallery through August 8th.

Canal Carnival

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:53:27 -0400

Another major festival during the summer is Canal Fest of the Tonawandas. This event provides 8 days of entertainment for local citizens and visitors from Western New York and farther beginning July 18-25. Nightly entertainment and daily youth activities along the banks of the Old Erie Canal include a parade, golf tournament, Chalk-it-up Contest, Car Cruise, Memorial Run, Diaper Derby, Duck Race, Arts & Crafts, Boat Building Challenge, amusement rides, great food, lots of music and a closing fireworks display.

Garden Walk Buffalo is Coming!

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:52:23 -0400

Garden Walk Buffalo has become one of Western New York’s most anticipated summer happenings. 45,000 - 50,000 visitors experience this free, self-guided tour of more than 350 Buffalo gardens, as we show off our city’s beautiful homes and gardens! Two days only, July 24-25 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. You will leave refreshed, entertained, and inspired.

Wildlife and Renaissance Festival

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:51:39 -0400

Come join the Hawk Creek Team for the Wildlife and Renaissance Festival, a medieval spectacle that will take you, family, and friends on an enchanted adventure! Highlighted by Jarod Miller of Animal Exploration: come see his wonderful animals of the world for two daily shows and autograph sessions! Witness the aerial acrobatics of free flying birds during The Royal Tournament! Explore the center to find the truth about dragons; each child that becomes a Dragonologist will receive a free token to start their dragon collection (supplies limited)! Your medieval adventure would not be complete without Full Armored Jousting courtesy of Brother in Arms Jousting! This event takes place over two weekends: July 17-18, July 24-25 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Now That's Italian!

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:50:59 -0400

Everyone is welcome to attend the Sorrento Cheese Italian Heritage Festival on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo July 15-18. You will experience the sights, sounds, food and culture that make the Italian-American experience so very special. Festival favorites include: the best local entertainment, bocce tournament, Miss Italian Festival, Italian Idol Contest, cooking demonstrations, essay contest for scholarships, computers for genealogical research, Italian bilingual Mass, religious processions, amusements and crafts for kids all offer something for everyone’s enjoyment.

Star-Lit Shakespeare

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:00:21 -0400

Shakespeare in Delaware Park kicks off its 35th season June 17. This year’s performances are Much Ado About Nothing, June 17 to July 11, and Macbeth, featuring an all female cast, July 22 to August 15. The free shows run Tuesdays through Sundays and begin at 7:30 p.m.

World Class Strummers Come to Buffalo

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:57:30 -0400

Hear nine world-class classical guitarists from as far away as Russia and Thailand, as they compete in the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Competition during the week of May 31. The three finalists will perform with the Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on June 4.

Dinosaurs!

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:56:31 -0400

There’s only one thing better than dinosaurs…robotic dinosaurs! See a T-Rex, a Stegosaurus, a Pteranodon and more in action at the Buffalo Museum of Science, starting June 26!

19th Century Life in the 21st Century City

Thu, 20 May 2010 08:59:48 -0400

Bring out your overalls, because the Buffalo Zoo has a new exhibit – the Delta Sonic Heritage Farm! Kids will learn about the Erie Canal and farm life in the mid-1800s, while hanging out with some pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, turkeys and a mule.

Five Week Long Garden Party

Tue, 18 May 2010 15:24:54 -0400

This summer marks the first year for the National Buffalo Garden Festival, which runs from June 18 to July 25. Join us for 18 garden walks (including Garden Walk Buffalo – the largest event of its kind in the country), nationally-recognized speakers, workshops, a Front Yard Garden Contest, open gardens, bus tours and more!

Art in Allentown

Tue, 18 May 2010 15:23:59 -0400

Looking for handmade pottery, fine jewelry or that perfect landscape watercolor? You’re bound to find it at the Allentown Art Festival, June 12 and 13. Celebrating its 53rd year, the festival will feature more than 400 juried artists.

Only Two Weeks of Heatwaves Left!

Fri, 07 May 2010 16:00:14 -0400

There are only two weeks left to experience Heat Waves in a Swamp: the Paintings of Charles Burchfield at Buffalo's Burchfield Penney Art Center. This nationally acclaimed retrospective of Burchfield's work closes May 23.

Make a Baseball Pilgrimage to Buffalo

Wed, 05 May 2010 10:15:12 -0400

Baseball season is in full swing and the Buffalo Bisons are starting the season with the ultimate nod. USA TODAY highlights Buffalo’s Coca-Cola Field as one of the “10 great places for a baseball pilgrimage” in the minor leagues. For game schedule and other 2010 promotions, go to www.bisons.com

Mark Donnelly exhibit at Visitor Center

Wed, 05 May 2010 10:13:12 -0400

Mark Donnelly, acclaimed photographer of all things Buffalo, will have a showing of his work at the Buffalo Niagara Visitor Center Gallery from May 13th through June 30, 2010. The exhibit will feature photographs of Buffalo neighborhoods, culture and architectural treasures. The Gallery is located at 617 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203. Hours are Monday through Friday between 9 and 5pm and Saturdays between 10 and 2pm. For more information, please call 716-852-2356.

Get Inside Parkside

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:13:02 -0400

Buffalo’s Parkside neighborhood is home to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin D. Martin House, as well as a diverse range of house styles, including American Four Square, Victorian, Colonial Revival, Craftsman and Arts & Crafts. Get a peek inside the Martin House and 10 other homes on Sunday, May 16 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. as part of the 12th Annual Parkside Tour of Homes.

Spring Has Sprung!

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:34:22 -0500

What better way to celebrate the first day of spring on March 20th than to attend the opening of the Botanical Garden’s annual Spring Flower Show on the very day? The show will include thousands of colorful spring bulbs and plants. Come feast your eyes on and breathe in the fragrance of tulips, daffodils, hydrangeas, crocuses, primroses, and hyacinths. Admission to the flower show also includes a visit with the Easter Bunny on selected days and admission to Farmer Brown’s Petting Zoo where you can see baby chicks, lambs, rabbits, and goats. This year the Botanical Gardens will be open from 10 to 5 every day and on April 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, they’ll remain open until 8pm.

Wynton Marsalis at UB

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:13:22 -0500

The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis on Saturday, March 20 at 8 p.m. in the Mainstage Theatre, located at the Center for the Arts, North Campus. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra celebrates its latest CD release, Portrait in Seven Shades, with a 19-city U.S. tour

Allentown First Fridays exhibit

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:12:32 -0500

Studio Hart is proud to announce EXTENDED OUTLOOK, an exhibition of new work by Adele Henderson. The exhibition will be on view March 5 - April 1, 2010. An opening reception for the artist will be held 6-9 pm Friday, March 5 as part of the Allentown First Fridays Gallery Walk.

Sesame Street Visits Buffalo

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:37:20 -0500

Get to know what's under your skin at Sesame Street Presents: The Body at the Buffalo Museum of Science. This amazing educational exhibition teaches children how their bodies work and how to stay healthy as they hop, jump, run and dance their way through this hands-on Sesame Street adventure! Hurry! Oscar's Sneeze Machine is only in Buffalo February 27 - June 9.

Local Restaurant Week Returns

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:21:58 -0500

March 8th-14th is Restaurant Week in Western New York. This third biannual event allows restaurant-goers the opportunity to sample some of their old favorites or venture off to try some new establishments. More than 150 independently-owned local restaurants are scheduled to participate, each offering a prix fix menu for $20.10

Where IS that monkey?

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:29:32 -0500

See Curious George Live! at Shea's Performing Arts Center January 13th-17th. The irrepressible little monkey who has captured children's hearts for generations will jump into action when he takes the stage in the inaugural tour this season. With every swing and flip, George takes the audience through a fun-filled, entertaining story.

Rock and Roll Christmas Carols

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:07:33 -0500

For a more modern holiday experience, don’t miss the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, returning to HSBC Arena for its fifth straight year on December 30th. One of the most successful annual tours in the country, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra combines a full rock band, vocalists, a narrator, a stunning light show and orchestral string section. This progressive-rock show takes on classic Christmas carols with a new edge and is sure to provide a night of magical enchantment.

Burchfield Among the Best

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:24:48 -0500

The New Yorker magazine has named “Heat Waves in a Swamp: the Paintings of Charles Burchfield” as one of the best art exhibitions of 2009. The exhibit, organized by artist Robert Gober, is coming to Buffalo’s Burchfield Penney Art Center from March 6th through May May 23rd after a much acclaimed run at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. This is the first major retrospective of Burchfield’s work to be mounted in twenty years. After its appearance in Buffalo, the exhibition travels to the Whitney Museum in New York City in the summer of 2010.

Poetry of the Picture Man

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:24:04 -0500

The Poetry of Photographer Milton Rogovin, an exhibit of the photography and accompanying poetry of acclaimed social documentary photographer Milton Rogovin is on display at the Buffalo Visitor Center Gallery beginning December 4.

12 Days of Christmas in Buffalo

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:20:58 -0500

Come celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas in Buffalo! Festive theatre, holiday lights, boutique shopping, snazzy decorations, sleigh rides and holiday pops...all this fun snowballed into one season! You won't have cold feet about what to do in Buffalo this December!

The Roycroft Campus Today

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:56:19 -0500

An in-depth look at the historic Roycroft Campus. The Roycroft Campus is the only original Arts & Crafts campus in the country, built for that purpose that is still thriving today. Offering events, classes and tours, the campus is also home to a recently restored inn and restaurant.

Roycroft Renaissance Artisan Thomas Pafk

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:53:09 -0500

A century-old Roycroft tradition is still flourishing today. Thomas Pafk, a Roycroft Renaissance Master Artisan designs Arts & Crafts for the 21st Century. Each handcrafted wooden furniture piece is created individually, in true Roycroft tradition, taking as much time as necessary in the attempt to achieve perfection.

Buffalo: You’ll Eat It Up!

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:36:51 -0500

Food lovers rejoice, because while we are justifiably proud of our chicken wings, there is so much more to the Buffalo culinary scene than hot sauce and blue cheese dressing. Start with enormous ethnic diversity, add in a profusion of local farms and orchards and a microclimate in nearby Niagara County that is ideal for fruit and grape growing and what do you get? You get great restaurants, delicious local specialties, wine trails, farmers markets, gourmet food shops, cooking classes, and more. Join host Nelson Starr on a quick tour of Buffalo’s culinary wonderland.

TOP TEN NEIGHBORHOOD

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:16:16 -0400

The American Planning Association has named the Village of Kenmore one of the country’s 2009 top ten neighborhoods. With its “tree-lined streets and exceptional views of the Queen City’s skyline,” Kenmore also boasts a mile-long main street lined with small shops, boutiques and eateries—a true “pedestrian’s delight.” The Village shares this impressive title along with other notable cities across the country including New Orleans, Pasadena, California and Spokane, Washington/

The Return of the Rockettes

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:09:07 -0400

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the world-famous Rockettes will return to Buffalo for a leg-kicking good time on November 19th. This lively, one-night only performance will take place at the HSBC Arena and replicate the grandeur of Radio City Musical Hall on an entirely different scale. Audiences of all ages will delight at the unparalleled theatrical journey this timeless classic brings to the stage.

Wright’s Buffalo Venture coming to the UB Anderson Gallery

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:56:49 -0400

Through more than 130 objects including drawings, photographs, models and original Wright furnishings, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo Venture will explore the rich story of Buffalo's Darwin and Isabelle Martin's patronage, from the Larkin Building—seminal to European modernism and Buffalo’s greatest architectural loss to unsung and unrealized works. The exhibition is coming to the University at Buffalo Anderson Gallery October 2 – December 30, will illustrate the depth and breadth of the Martins’ role in sustaining the work of America’s greatest 20th century architect. Visit www.ubartgalleries.org.

Buffalo Philharmonic Gala

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:57:26 -0400

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2009-10 classics season opens on Saturday, October 3, with a Bach concerto featuring the celebrated violinists Gil Shaham and his wife, Adele Anthony. After their concerto, the BPO is playing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 which will certainly capture the audience’s imagination. This special concert is the featured piece in the Orchestra’s “Opening Gala” which also includes dinner and cocktails before the performance. The orchestra performs in the world-class Kleinhan’s Music Hall, considered to be one of the top acoustical performance arts centers in North America. To learn more about the Opening Gala and the BPO, visit www.bpo.org.

Razzle Dazzle in Buffalo

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:57:53 -0400

CHICAGO, Broadway’s razzle-dazzle smash, opens the Shea’s Broadway Season. This triumphant hit musical is the recipient of six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy® and thousands of standing ovations. A sensational tale of sin, corruption and all that jazz, it’s no surprise that CHICAGO has wowed audiences from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa. And now it’s returning to Buffalo’s stunning European-style opera house in the heart of downtown Buffalo and the city’s vibrant Theater District. To purchase tickets or to see Shea’s Performing Arts Center 2009-2010 lineup, visit www.sheas.org.

Handmade in Buffalo

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:33:30 -0400

Outstanding craftsmanship is alive and well today in Buffalo and there are many opportunities available for you to visit an artisan’s studio, view them working and purchase/order a handcrafted item worthy of the highest standards of the Craftsman Movement. Check out our website for profiles of nine artisans working in wood, glass, clay, metal or printmaking whose work has garnered national (and in some cases international) attention. We invite you to visit them and make your experience of design excellence in our area more complete.

Music is Art

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:02:51 -0400

Music and art make a wonderful collision at the annual Music Is Art Festival on Saturday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on the grounds of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Themed "Monster Mashup," MiA Fest 2009 will showcase the talents of over 30 bands, 50 artists, photographers, DJs, dancers and other local not-for-profits, making this event the largest "mashup" of local culture in Western New York. Music Is Art is an organization created by Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls to explore and reshape music’s cultural, social, and educational impact on our community.

Chicken Wing History

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:58:07 -0400

In concert with the just-completed National Buffalo Wing Festival over Labor Day weekend (attended by 91,000 wing eaters), TIME Magazine gives a brief history of Buffalo’s most famous culinary creation – the chicken wing. To read this finger-licking story, click here.

WINGFEST WEEKEND

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:09:24 -0400

This weekend, September 5-6, the National Buffalo Wing Festival will be making it’s 8th annual appearance at Buffalo's Coca-Cola Field, tempting devotees of our contribution to snack-food history with over 100 different flavors of chicken wings from restaurants throughout the country. In addition to its many gustatory delights, the festival will have entertainment and contests, ranging from cooking demonstrations and wing-eating contests to quiz shows, the Electric Company and the Miss Buffalo Wing Pageant.

Buffalo Grabs 2 Spots in Esquire's Best Fast Food in America List

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:28:59 -0400

Two of Buffalo’s favorite fast food joints recently made it to Esquire Magazine’s "Best Fast Food in America: Esquire's Chef Survey." The men’s magazine surveyed chefs from around the country about their favorite fast food eateries and Buffalo’s Mighty Taco and Ted’s Hot Dogs made the list of 20 restaurants. Ted’s Hot Dogs has seven Western New York locations and one in Arizona. Mighty Taco has 16 stores in the Buffalo region. To see more about America’s favorite fast food places, visit www.esquire.com.

SUMMER LOVE A FAIR

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:27:06 -0400

America's third largest county fair, the Erie County Fair, is open from August 12-23. Located at The Fairgrounds in Hamburg, NY, the 170th annual Fair features entertainment for the whole family, including rides, games, food, motor events, agricutural exhibits and performances by national artists, such as Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, Steve Miller Band, George Thorogood and Jonny Lang

Gushing About Garden Walk

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:19:51 -0400

After a weekend spent touring Buffalo’s GardenWalk and the streets of the beautiful Elmwood Village neighborhood, Stacey Hirvela, Senior Associate Garden Editor for Martha Stewart Living Magazine, told readers of the Martha Stewart Living Radio Blog that she was “completely in love with Buffalo.” Captivated by the more than 300 gardens on the walk, enchanted by the beautiful turn-of-the-century homes – including Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin Martin House – and dazzled by the restaurants she and her husband, Adam, visited, Stacey blogged about “one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve been involved with during my time with the magazine.” To read Stacey’s complete post, click here.

Affordable Airfare to Buffalo

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:27:20 -0400

Southwest Airlines offers tickets as low as $49 to and from Buffalo!

Buffalo is Southwest Airlines “Featured Destination” from August 4 – 11, 2009! Customers traveling to and from Buffalo can purchase discounted fares starting at $49 with a two-week advance purchase in select markets. Tickets are available for purchase through August 11, 2009 for travel through January 8, 2010. Save money on gas and skip the headache of driving by jumping on the next Southwest flight into Buffalo!

Southwest Airlines serves 64 cities, so if you’re traveling to the Queen City, great savings are in store until August 11th. To complement the discounted air fares, three Buffalo Niagara hotels are offering discounted rates on rooms – this information can be found on the Southwest Airlines website.

Tickets can be purchased at www.southwest.com

Ready Teddy

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:34:33 -0400

Extensive renovations to the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site are nearing completion. The Site has recently reopened to the public and introduce an all new guided tour experience and a multi-dimensional series of interactive approaches that will invite visitors to experience the site of Roosevelt’s inauguration as a dynamic tour through time. Audio, lighting techniques, and a “storytelling” approach will transport visitors back to the drama of September, 1901 following the assassination of President William McKinley.

The Visible Man (and Woman)

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:33:24 -0400

BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart, the international museum blockbuster seen by over 27 million people worldwide, will open for the first time in New York State at the Buffalo Museum of Science beginning July 9th for a limited engagement. Inspired by the latest advances in the fields of anatomy and cardiology, this innovative public exhibition offers insights on the human body and disease with a special focus on the heart, and features more than 200 authentic human specimens.

Rising to the Occasion

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:05:38 -0400

The Cleveland Plain Dealer recently raved about Buffalo’s preservation efforts in the saving and restoration of the region’s architectural gifts from the past generations. Plain Dealer Architectural Critic Steven Litt said that “Buffalo is rising to the occasion, big time” when it comes to saving treasures like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin D. Martin House Complex and Graycliff Estate, as well as The Roycroft Campus. The article also praises the artistic treasures residing at the Albright Knox Art Gallery and the new Burchfield Penney Arts Center.

The Bard in Buffalo

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:36:07 -0400

More than one million people have attended Shakespeare in Delaware Park since its inaugural season in 1976 – making it the second largest outdoor Shakespeare festival in the country. Nestled in the natural amphitheater behind the Albright-Knox Art Gallery that has come to be known as “Shakespeare Hill,” a grand Tudor-style stage is constructed each summer as the home for the Bard’s stories of passion, laughter and love. This year’s schedule features The Tempest from June 18th to July 12th and Julius Caesar from July 23rd to August 16th

The Buzz About Buffalo

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:40:50 -0400

The New York Times Summer Travel Magazine features an article that “surveys the global artistic landscape and picks the best of the best.” Guess who’s on the Times’ short list? Buffalo, no less. According to the tastemakers at the Times, Buffalo is “getting buzz as a center for creative types” and recommends that its readers visit the new Burchfield Penney Art Center, the Darwin D. Martin House Complex, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center.

Win the Ultimate Frank Lloyd Wright Weekend

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:13:23 -0400

BUFFALO, NY, May 29, 2009 –The Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau is giving Frank Lloyd Wright fans around the world the opportunity to “Win the Ultimate Frank Lloyd Wright Weekend in Buffalo.”

HAMILTON IN BUFFALO

Fri, 22 May 2009 09:24:44 -0400

The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is hosting the most ambitious exhibition ever assembled on Alexander Hamilton, the mysterious man on the $10 bill, the first Secretary of the Treasury, co-author of The Federalist papers, and advisor to George Washington. The exhibition, from the New York Historical Society, will be housed at the Central Library, 1 Lafayette Square, from May 1 - June 12, 2009.

Fish Fried in the Old First Ward

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:12:14 -0400

It's Saint Patrick's Day and Nelson gets lucky in Buffalo's Old First Ward...discovering the consummate Irish meal at Gene McCarthy's, Buffalo¹s best fish fry at Swannie House, and the real Buffalo St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Buffalo Events

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:45:07 -0400

A Chorus Line, the longest-running American Broadway Musical, comes to Shea's Performing Arts Center for eight performances May 5th-10th. The story of 17 Broadway dancers auditioning for a once in a lifetime opportunity, A Chorus Line is a musical for everyone who's ever had a dream and put it all on the line. Winner of nine Tony Awards, including "Best Musical," this musical sensation introduces the new generation of Broadway's best.

What's Hot, What's New

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 15:52:07 -0400

With recent recognition from the likes of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The New York Times and the American Planning Association, Buffalo is quietly establishing a reputation as an international center for architecture, design, and the arts. It is also being recognized for its delectable regional dishes and burgeoning food culture, as well as a nightlife scene that rocks until 4 a.m. Here's an insider's cheat sheet on what's new, hot and classic in Buffalo.

The Under-400-Mile Escape

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:27:50 -0400

Yet another major media outlet is noticing the exciting things going on in and around the City of Good Neighbors. Buffalo's new Burchfield Penney Art Center, Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin Martin House and the newly restored Erie Canal Harbor are featured in a New York Magazine article highlighting "seven cheap, exciting, nearby spring trips." Entitled "The Under-400-Mile Escape," the article goes on to say that Buffalo "is in the midst of a renaissance."

Wright Here, Wright Now

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:36:55 -0400

Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin Martin House Complex truly comes into its own as a tourist destination with the opening of architect Toshiko Mori's brilliant Greatbatch Pavilion on March 18th. This 8,000 square foot interpretive center will provide visitors to Wright's Prairie Style masterpiece with museum quality exhibits, interactive touch screens, and a state-of-the-art orientation film that artfully and eloquently tell the story of Buffalo businessman Darwin D. Martin and the young man from Chicago who would go on to become the greatest architect of the 20th Century.

Spring Flower Show

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:56:25 -0400

The Spring Flower Show will bloom at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens from March 28th-April 26th. Set foot in a 72 degree tropical wonderland and view azaleas, hyacinths, tulips and lilies just in time for the changing of the seasons. More than a century old, the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is one of the oldest public greenhouses in the country and houses hundreds of native and exotic plant species.

Distinctive Experience of the Month - St. Patrick's Day

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:21:47 -0400

St. Patrick's Day weekend in Buffalo draws thousands of people for two days worth of parades, parties and family activities. The weekend kicks off on Saturday, March 14th with the Old Neighborhood St. Patrick's Day Parade that retraces the original 1913 parade route through the historic streets of the Valley and Old First Ward neighborhoods, followed by an authentic Irish hooley with live Irish music and refreshments. The party continues on Sunday with the Buffalo St. Patrick's Day Parade that marches along Delaware Avenue with Irish dancers and performers. The free family post-parade party follows at Rotary Rink in Fountain Plaza with ice skating, clowns, and face painting. For the adults, grab a pint at the Chippewa Entertainment District as it opens its doors early that afternoon for a day's worth of fun.

New Restaurant Video reviews

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:09:39 -0500

Check out a new series of restaurant videos starring Buffalo rock-and-roller Nelson Starr. They’re from TrueBlueBuffalo.com, a new, online channel featuring video podcasts and episodic documentaries about Buffalo, New York, and produced by Buffalo filmmaker John Paget.

Garden Walk Buffalo video

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:18:52 -0500

Each year, more than 300 private gardens are opened on the last weekend of July for Garden Walk Buffalo, one of the largest and most impressive garden tours in North America. Check out a video with highlights from past years.

Anchor Bar video

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:00:19 -0500

The Anchor Bar invented the chicken wing in 1964. More than 40 years later, the Anchor Bar is still serving up this worldwide phenomenon to people visiting from across the globe. Check out this video for the inside story on it's birthplace.

Action/Abstraction at the Albright-Knox

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:37:38 -0500

The world renowned Albright-Knox Art Gallery will feature the first major U.S. exhibition in twenty years to reconsider Abstract Expressionism and the art movements that followed from February 13th-June 10th, 2009. Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940–1976 will feature more than fifty key works by thirty-one artists presented thematically and complemented by a rich selection of letters, media, and photographs documenting the period.

New Toshiko Mori and Gwathmey Siegel Buildings to Open in Buffalo

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:31:51 -0500

Toshiko Mori’s Visitor Pavilion is Newest Addition to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Historic Martin House Complex

Burchfield Penney Art Center Celebrates Grand Opening of its New Gwathmey Siegel-Designed Building November 22, 2008

Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:50:20 -0500

On a picture perfect day in February 2008, Labatt USA, which recently moved its headquarters to Buffalo, hosted the first-ever Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament on Lake Erie. The tournament returns for its second year, again played on Lake Erie at the Erie Basin Marina ,on Saturday, February 7, 2009, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The tournament will feature eight brackets with eight teams in each, representing novice, intermediate and advanced players. Teams will be comprised of four to six players, 21 years of age and older, who play a four-on-four format, absent a goalie. Nets are six inches high and six feet wide like the goals used in USA Pond Hockey. Teams will compete in a round robin format in one of eight divisions. The winner of each bracket will go on to play a championship game.

The goal of the tournament is to provide a competitive, entertaining and nostalgic Real Hockey experience for local adult hockey players. Labatt USA has been working with the City of Buffalo and Erie County to expand this event and make it a regional draw. The event is scheduled to be held on eight rinks, spanning nearly 136,000 square feet on a frozen Lake Erie. In addition to the tournament getting larger, Labatt Blue also will add music, a skills competition, food and apparel vendors and a short list of local sponsors.

Check out this video to see highlights from the 2008 tournament and see Buffalo at its finest.

A Compelling Place to Go

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:28:45 -0500

The New York Times has picked its 44 Places To Go in 2009 and Buffalo’s on the list, along with the likes of Washington, D.C., Berlin, Vienna and Copenhagen. According to The Times, the 44 destinations feature “this year’s most compelling destinations…awash in sublime landscapes, cutting-edge art and architecture, gala music festivals and stylish new resorts.” We’re thrilled to be a part of this impressive company and suggest you visit nytimes.com to see what The Times has to say about our fair city

Buffalo: A 2009 Distinctive Destination

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:51:38 -0500

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has named Buffalo one its 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations, citing the city’s “staggering range of cultural resources as well as some of the country’s most captivating architecture” as the rationale for Buffalo’s inclusion on this very prestigious list. Since 2000, the Trust has annually selected communities across the United States that offer cultural and recreational experiences different from the typical vacation destination. In the Trust’s estimation, Buffalo convincingly meets this standard. The complete announcement can be found here.

Buffalo’s Online Community

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:50:19 -0500

Curious about the newest Buffalo attractions and events? Want to take a peek for yourself at the latest city developments or at world-famous architecture? Interested in sharing scenic views of the city with friends? Now, the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau makes expanding your social network and (inter)actively sharing photos, questions and information on Buffalo with others just a click away!

The Times on Buffalo Architecture

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:06:12 -0500

Buffalo’s amazing collection of 19th and 20th Century architecture was featured on the cover of the Nov. 16, 2008 edition of the New York Times Arts & Leisure section in an article aptly titled “Saving Buffalo’s Untold Beauty”. The article dominated the front page of the Arts & Leisure section with a breathtaking photo of Daniel Burnham’s Ellicott Square Building as seen from Louis Sullivan’s Guaranty Building. The subhead makes the case for Buffalo right up front: “The Home to Some of the Greatest American Architecture Tries to Balance the Past With the Future.” Read the entire article and check out the slide show.

Self-Guided Downtown Buffalo Audio Architectural Tours

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:21:53 -0400

Did you know you can hear audio tours of Buffalo toll-free, 24 hours a day? Did you also know you can download them into your portable MP3 player? Talk about convenient! Check out 50 audio walking tours, courtesy of Buffalo Tours.

Rainforest Falls at the Buffalo Zoo

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:17:45 -0400

Modeled after Venezuela’s Canaima National Park, Rainforest Falls at the Buffalo Zoo offers visitors a memorable and educational experience unlike any other on the Niagara Frontier. Check out our new audio slideshow for a preview of this outstanding new exhibit.

Animated Buffalo

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:53:37 -0400

Enjoy a bird’s eye view of the architectural masterpieces and historic treasures that dot the Buffalo Niagara landscape.

Ten Things You Won't Want to Miss in Buffalo This Fall

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:44:24 -0400

Buffalo, New York, is a city at the center of America's historic interest in art and architecture, from famous buildings – by the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan and H.H. Richardson – to exceptional modern and contemporary art collections and a tradition of nurturing working artists. This fall, don't miss out on Buffalo's art exhibitions, historic houses, new museums, and natural wonders. Here are the top ten things to see and do in autumn in Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

Bring a loved one home to Buffalo for the holidays

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:45:18 -0400

The Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau and Southwest Airlines are in the spirit of giving for the “Home for the Holidays” contest. In most contests, the winner is presented with a prize. In this case, the winner gets to give their grand prize of two free airline tickets to Buffalo (from any city that Southwest Airlines services) to two lucky loved ones for the upcoming holiday season

Getaway with the Girls to Buffalo

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:44:43 -0400

Looking to get away for the night with your girlfriends and indulge in a few of your favorite things? Getaway with the Girls offers four unique packages, all with the same goal: have a night of fun with your friends in Buffalo. Whether it's being a Downtown Diva and treating yourself to a night at a Broadway show followed by sipping chocolate martinis, the opportunity to Pamper Yourself with a day at the spa, see What's Cookin' and take a cooking class and enjoy a fancy dinner, or find out how the Shopping is Hopping by spending a day at Western New York's largest shopping center, Getaway with the Girls will treat you to all that you and your girlfriends deserve—and even top off your night with in-room chocolate gifts.

Pumpkin Farm Fest

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:43:58 -0400

This annual fall celebration has dozens of attractions and activities for all ages centering around the season. Spend the day with your family outdoors at one of the largest harvest attractions in the stat

Celebrating the Arts & Crafts Movement

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:43:28 -0400

The Connection 2008 is the 5th Annual Conference celebrating the Arts & Crafts Movement from October 24th-26th. The 3-day conference will take place at the National Historic Landmark Roycroft Campus in East Aurora, home of the original Arts & Crafts Movement

Blonde Ambition

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:43:08 -0400

The smash hit Legally Blonde in its first national tour comes to Buffalo October 14-19.
Get your tickets at Shea's Performing Arts Center for one of Broadway's most successful new musicals

Haunted History

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:36:30 -0400

Mason Winfield's Haunted History Ghostwalks and Haunted Pubcrawls bring to light the history, mystery and folklore of Buffalo. The 10-year run of ghostwalks continues through the end of October throughout Western New Yorkk

Architecture Tours

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:36:35 -0400

The 7th Annual Binational Doors Open Niagara takes place October 18th-19th. This cross-border event allows visitors free entry to over 90 historic and architecturally significant buildings in the Western New York and Southern Ontario regions