Author: Steve Bukowski – SPMWNY Board of Directors
The Steel Plant Museum of Western New York (SPMWNY) is holding its 2nd Annual Steelfest on Saturday, May 21st. This year’s event will feature local vendors selling handmade goods, the opening of the museum’s latest exhibit, and a visit by Lloyd Taco Truck.
The museum, located inside the Heritage DiscoveRY Center, will host Buffalo-based vendors in its community room from 10am-5pm. This year will feature a great variety of goods and artisans, including Mike West Everyday (who designed the event’s Rosie the Riveter flyer). Steelfest will also host Doro Studios, selling hand-casted concrete bowls and kitchenware, as well as EllePeaTee, Buffalo Herd, and Gridlock Lacquer. Also attending is 26 Shirts, the Buffalo-based charity that raises funds with short runs of specially designed sports shirts.
The Steel Plant Museum of Western New York was founded in 1984 to preserve and share the steelmaking and industrial history of Buffalo and Western New York.
The Steel Plant Museum will also debut its spring exhibit, “Women of Steel”. This exhibit chronicles the women who worked in Buffalo’s steel industry during and after World War II. Memorialized by the iconic Rosie the Riveter, these women were crucial in keeping the steel plants running and were involved in every step of steel production and environment, including the Bethlehem Steel administration and local labor unions.
Steelfest 2016 runs from 10am-5pm on Saturday, May 21st. The museum is located at 100 Lee Street, between Elk Street and South Park Avenue, in Buffalo’s Valley neighborhood. It is easily accessible from the Smith Street exit off I-190, and located 5 minutes from Larkinville.
The Steel Plant Museum of Western New York was founded in 1984 to preserve and share the steelmaking and industrial history of Buffalo and Western New York, collecting from a variety of operations including Bethlehem Steel, Republic Steel, Buffalo Forge, Hanna Furnace, and more.
Steelfest 2016 has an event page on Facebook, and the Steel Plant Museum can be found on Twitter @SPMofWNY and online at steelplantmuseumwny.org.