Yesterday I attended the Fourth Annual Larkinville Ice Festival. Rarely do I attend an event four years in a row in Buffalo, but I make an exception for this winter festival – there’s something very captivating about it. Maybe it’s the family friendliness that is so appealing? Or the heated/enclosed boardwalk? I especially like that it’s indoor/outdoor, which means that if someone gets too cold standing in the German beer garden, he or she can walk inside and warm up at Hydraulic Hearth’s tiki bar.
Along with the abundant games, including shuffleboard and pickleball, there’s a pop-up market to browse, along with live music. Yesterday, an alpaca was walking around the festival, and acrobats from Bird’s Nest were performing mini-aerial demonstrations.
The balmy weather only put a damper on the sledding hill towards the end of the day – earlier on it was a big hit with the kids. The horse drawn wagon was a big hit with everyone, as it made trips between Larkin Square, Flying Bison Brewing, and Buffalo Distilling.
This year, the addition of Swan Street Diner was another welcome element, by helping to infill the heart of the festival. Larkinville is the perfect place to have a winter festival, in my mind. I love the way that it organically evolves from year to year. If you’ve never taken the time to venture to this unique event, I highly recommend that you put it on your list for 2019. It’s a wonderful Buffalo winter affair, with lots to see and do.