Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - As the weather warms and the busy festival and events season approaches, Buffalo and Western New York appear to be in a period of transition from the full cancellation of events to an indication that some key events will return to some sense of normalcy.
Monday, we received word the Taste of Buffalo will become an in-person event this summer. But will other events forced to go virtual last year follow suit this year?
The Buffalo Marathon is scheduled to run Memorial Day weekend. "If we can't have it in May, we have two alternate dates," says race director Greg Weber.
"One is at the end of June and one at the end of August. Obviously, the probability goes up the later into the summer we go, but we are remaining hopeful that we'll be able to do it in May and we're planning for that."
Weber says he's told runners he would inform them by mid-April whether the event will be held in May. "Things are changing daily so it's hard to say what the restrictions are going to be in May so we're keeping our fingers crossed," says Weber.
Weber says registration is being restricted to those doing fundraising efforts. "This year we're pushing our Heart to Heart fundraising for the cardiac care at Buffalo General and Gates Vascular. We've created some special slots and we launched that February 1st, and since then we've raised $63,000 for the hospital," adds Weber.
The day after Easter is better known in these parts as Dyngus Day, and it comes on April 5th this year. Eddy Dobosiewicz anticipates a parade at the very least.
"It will look different than it has in the past because you're still at the mercy of what our governments are telling what we can and cannot do," explains Dobosiewicz. "Given the fact that the President of the United States and Johns Hopkins have told us to expect the nation to have herd immunity by April, things could be different a month from now than today. "
Dobosiewicz says those attending the parade will be socially distanced. As for any live entertainment, "if we are able to have some sort of gathering where people can listen to live music and eat, it will be ticketed as it has been along," notes Dobosiewicz.
"We'll be celebrating the reawakening not only Polonia and the new growing season and the end of Lent, but also a new beginning for our community, and our entire nation," says Dobosiewicz.
Buffalo Waterfront issued this statement about the spring/summer schedules:
