Posted in Buffalo
April 01, 2017
11 Festivals In Buffalo That Food Lovers Should NOT Miss
There are a few staple hobbies in the life of a Buffalonian: watching football, staying out until 4 a.m., and eating delicious WNY food. If you particularly enjoy partaking in the latter, this list is for you! We’ve mentioned Buffalo’s festival scene before, but this lineup is intended specifically for the foodies of the Queen City. Without further adieu, here are our favorite festivals in Buffalo for food-lovers.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
We'll start with the obvious: Taste of Buffalo is America's largest two-day food festival, and features over 50 local restaurants and attendees from all over the country! Spend a sunny summer weekend enjoying samples of your favorite Buffalo foods, and in case of rain (or if you're just feeling thirsty), pop under the beer tent for local brews and wine tastings. The Taste of Buffalo also offers food demonstrations and live music for entertainment while you eat!
We'll take any excuse to indulge in craft beer and local food trucks, and Buffalo Brewfest is the place to be for both! Wet your whistle with beer from dozens of local breweries and wander the streets to nosh on local eats from some of Buffalo's best food trucks. Cheers!
You might have missed it this year, but Buffalo Bloody Mary Fest will be back again (or at least, we hope it will be)! This is a newer event on Buffalo's festival lineup, but it's already a fan favorite. What could be better than gathering with hundreds of your closest friends for a Sunday Funday, complete with the most decorated and delicious bloody marys in town?
Several places claim to be the birthplace of the hamburger, but the village of Hamburg backs their claim to fame by hosting an annual BurgerFest to celebrate. Whether they really invented the hamburger or not, Hamburg knows a thing or two about cooking up the classic American sandwiches! BurgerFest is a one-day festival located on Main and Buffalo Streets in the Village of Hamburg, with several vendors, live entertainment, beer tents, and kid-friendly activities.
The Eden Corn Festival is celebrating its 54th year this summer, and if you haven't made it to the small town of Eden yet, this is certainly your chance! The Corn Fest features - you guessed it - corn, and lots of it! As well as carnival rides, competitions, and a pageant. Because who wouldn't want to be called the Corn Queen/King?
Buffalo has too many individual heritage festivals to list individually, but that doesn't mean we can't give them props here: Italian, German, Irish, Polish, Lebanese, Macedonian, Greek, and Caribbean festivals are all held in Western New York, with authentic cuisine that will leave you tempted to pack your bags for their motherlands!
Live music, cook-offs, and the best BBQ around. Who could ask for more? Oinktoberfest is the largest continuously running BBQ competition in New York, located in Clarence, NY at The Great Pumpkin Farm. This year's theme is "Heart of Texas," so wear your best cowboy hat and come hungry!
Pierogi Fest is a brand new festival and will be held on May 21, 2017 on the Outer Harbor. Celebrate the start of warm weather while you stuff your face with pierogi! Pierogi Fest attendees will have the chance to sample several dishes and vote on who wins the prize of best pierogi in Buffalo.
Nothing goes down easier on a cold day than a hot spoonful of soup. Buffalo Soup-Fest brings Buffalonians out in the dead of winter to indulge in soup specialties from dozens of local restaurants (chicken wing soup, anyone?). While the festival has already passed for this calendar year, the event is six years strong and we're guessing it will be back and better than ever next winter!
Buffalo has a long history of welcoming immigrants and refugees, and as a result, we're lucky enough to have the chance to enjoy our fellow Good Neighbors' ethnic cuisine. The Taste of Diversity is held on Grant Street and features food from places such as Burma, Colombia, Iraq, Liberia, Poland, Puerto Rico, Sudan, and more! The festival is a great way to expand your horizons by trying foods and supporting those who make it.
This list clearly wouldn't be complete without featuring the Wing Fest! Celebrating its 16th year this year, the Wing Fest features spicy and savory recipes of Buffalo's cornerstone food and gathers thousands of people each year at Coca-Cola Field. Along with the chance to eat as many wings as you can physically stand, the Wing Fest also hosts a 5K run, chicken wing eating competition that attracts national professional eaters, bobbing for wings, pageants, and more!
Mark your calendars and save up your appetite! Which of these festivals sends your cravings through the roof? Do you have a favorite food festival in the Buffalo area that we didn’t mention? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
