Hot weekend in downtown Buffalo - and, it's not just the wings

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN)....This weekend has the potential to be one of the summer's busiest in downtown Buffalo - and it's because of chicken wings, tacos and the long awaited re-opening of a venerable live music venue.

In fact, virtually all of downtown's 1,500-plus hotel rooms within the core of the central business district are booked, or close to it.

And, hotel occupancy across the 10,000-plus hotel rooms in Erie County are running near capacity.

Why?

The 25th annual National Chicken Wing Festival - set for Aug. 29 and 30 at Sahlen Field - is attracting a large contingent of out-of-town visitors including some from participating restaurants but mainly from fans of one of Buffalo's best known culinary creations.

Last year's festival attracted visitors from 46 states and 22 countries.

Since, Drew Cerza created the festival 25 years ago, more than 215 tons of wings have been consumed by those attending the festival.

But, there's more.

At the Terminal B building at the Outer Harbor along Buffalo's waterfront, the Tacos & Tequila Festival is being held from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Aug. 29.

Closer to downtown, the Mohawk Place is re-opening on Friday, Aug. 28 and has a weekend full of live music booked.

And, Rocco Termini has a Sunday jazz show booked on Ellicott Street near the Mohawk parking ramp.

Also happening this weekend, Bad Neighbors, a new restaurant at 537 Main Street and overlooking Roosevelt Plaza, will open.

Taken together, it not only makes for a busy downtown weekend - it also fits into a strategy by Mayor Sean Ryan to help the central business district return to its pre-Covid swagger by creating a series of special events.

Termini said a recent Andrea Bocelli tribute concert he staged as part of his Ellicott Street special events package attracted more than 800 people - most of whom came from the suburbs.

"Synergies are important," Termini said. "Creating foot traffic is important to the future of downtown."