I know that there’s a lot going on this weekend, and that means that you can either concentrate on one or two events or try to hit them all. Whatever you choose to do, the Rediscover Amherst Street Festival is one event that should not be missed. This is an area of the city that continues to impress, with wonderful old world businesses like Spar’s mingling with dynamic up-and-comers like Delish!
If you have never had the pleasure of attending this festival, then you should know that it continues to grow each year. Now that the Grant-Amherst neighborhood has been voted The Coolest Up and Coming Neighborhood, there’s a lot more buzz surrounding this weekend’s events. Here’s all the info:
Saturday June 18th, 2011 9:30am – 5pm. Amherst Street – between Elmwood Avenue & Military Road.
Best Pie in Black Rock Contest with Prizes / Pies due 9:30 am at Assumption Church 435 Amherst Street
Parade at Noon (contact Greg Rohall for entry information 812-0582). Parade includes Best Decorated Bicycle Contest for the Kids, War of 1812 Soldiers, & festive floats. The Parade will be announced by North District Councilman Joseph Golembek Jr.
Free Trolley Rides on Amherst Street 1-5 pm
Horse Carriage Rides 1-3 pm
Strawberry Festival at Assumption Church – Rain or Shine. Strawberry Shortcake with Fresh Strawberries, Homemade Biscuits, & Whipped Cream 10 am-4 pm
Chicken BBQ at the American Legion Post / 533 Amherst Street 1-6 pm
Music Stage is at 496 Amherst Street, across from Maywalt Realty Co.
Geno McMannus at 12:30 pm
Nickel City Opera at 2 pm
The Skiffle Minstrals at 3 pm till……..???
The stage & sound is courtesy of The Sportsmen’s Tavern & The Hall Family.
464 Gallery All Day Art Festivities will be hosting an art yard sale featuring fine art originals, reprints and art supply sale and trade featuring dozens of artists also on display will be “Inkorporated: People, Power & The City” two takes on working with ink by Michael Harmon and Rich Tomasello. Live mural painting in the gallery’s rose garden by Chuck Tingley and Matt Grote (aka Ogre). Henna tattoos with Tara Sasiadek. And AVDJ PROJEX will spin indie-electronic and nu-disco to keep the party going starting at 1pm.
Emerging Leaders in the Arts Buffalo led by Marissa Lehner will be working on the Grant/Amherst Street Mural.
Artsphere Studio & Gallery and OLBR School – Assumption Church. Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest Theme “Storybook Characters in Black Rock” – Peter Street Side of School 9 am-3 pm. Cash Prizes & Professional Judging by Doreen DeBoth
Wegmans Family Tents – 1 pm – 5:00 pm – with Special Musical Guests “Universal Mind”
Spar’s European Sausage – Annual Wiener Eating Contest at 3:15 pm
Joe’s Service Center Celebrity Dunk Tank at Assumption Church 2-5 pm
Kids Bounce House at Assumption Church 10 am-3 pm by the Grant-Amherst Block Watchers
Polish Cadets – 9 am-noon Community Yard Sale / music, food, & Harmony Polish Folk Ensemble Dancers – in the afternoon
Rohall’s Corner – afternoon – live music by Buffalo’s Dee Adams & Friends
Ukrainian American Civic Center – Hosting Cultural Loungings, featuring Ethnic Music & Food… noon-?
Fun & Games For The Entire Family
Riverside Lions club & The Hearing Evaluation Services of Buffalo •
Free Vision & Hearing Testing 9am-noon at Our Lady of Black Rock
School – Peter Street Entrance -Provided by Ophthalmology Residents from
UB • Vision: Ages 1-5, 21+ / Hearing: All Ages. No Eye Drops • No
Questions Asked • No Insurance Needed
Festival Headquarters at Historic Hook & Ladder No. 12 Firehouse – 395 Amherst Street
Historic Photographs, Artifacts & Commorative Rediscover Tee Shirt Sale and 50 / 50 Split Raffle Tickets & Raffle Tickets for “The First Black Rock Pendant”
Niemiec Builders Supply Annual Handmade Birdhouse Sale to Support the Assumption Church Preservation Fund
Informational Tables for: Buffalo State Small Business Development Center, Upstate NY Transplant Services, Black Rock / Riverside Neighborhood Housing Services, and the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Platinum Festival Sponsors / Niemiec Builders Supply • Joseph Golombek Jr. • Wegmans • Buffalo State College
Sponsored by the Grant-Amherst Business Association
14th Annual Rediscover Amherst Street Festival
Buffalo’s Historic Downtown Black Rock
Amherst Street – between Elmwood Avenue & Military Road
Saturday June 18th, 2011 9:30am – 5pm