Discover Buffalo 2015: 30 Hours in Buffalo, Part 1

(Because I’m sure this won’t be the only time this happens this summer!)

From last Friday (July 17) at 3 p.m. to Saturday (July 18) at 9 p.m., I felt like I didn’t sleep – THAT is what summer in Buffalo is all about!

It all started at the Eastern Hills Mall, where the Snap-On Road Show was getting set up throughout the day – Mom, Dad and I went there around 3 p.m. to see the goodies (for me – the OCC chopper and Cruz Pedregon’s Funny Car, for Dad – the chopper and the tool boxes, Mom…well, she was along for the ride – and to make sure Dad didn’t buy anything!).

After a quick bite to eat, I headed up to Main-Transit Fire Dept. (Dad was already there) for their annual Firematic Tournament, which is a lot of fun if you’ve never seen one.

On Saturday, we got the Ponies and a race car ready and headed to East Amherst Fire Dept. for the Man Up! Car and Bike Show, and Mom and I hit the Village of Williamsville Garden Walk (this happened while Dad and the team were up at the car show with the cars!). I then headed back to the car show to bring one of the cars home (the other two left so they could get to the race track for practice!).

Saturday night, I headed to Lancaster Speedway for Autograph Night, 4-Cylinders and Sportsman, plus the Big 10 Super Stocks and Late Models – by 9 p.m. (when the 4-Cylinders ended), I was beat!

I could’ve added one or two more things to Sunday, but a girl has to stop somewhere! There’s always next weekend, anyway!

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com.

2015 Garden Walk Buffalo Niagara: June 20th through August 8th

Buffalo’s National Garden Festival is now Garden Walk Buffalo Niagara, and its purpose is to expose the area and the world to the great gardening ideas and destinations in the Buffalo-Niagara region. Garden Walk Buffalo Niagara gets underway Saturday and Sunday, June 20^th and 21^st with Lewiston GardenFest and ends on Saturday, August 8^th with the East Side Momentum Tour. Needless to say, this is my favorite festival of the entire summer!

There are 15 garden walks and tours scheduled for the 2015 event:

• Lewiston GardenFest – Saturday and Sunday, June 20^th and 21^st
• Parkside Garden Tour – Sunday, June 28^th
• Samuel P. Capen Garden Walk – Saturday, July 11^th
• Town of Amherst Garden Walk – Saturday, July 11^th
• Buzz Around Hamburg Garden Walk and Fair – Saturday and Sunday, July 11^th and 12^th
• Lockport in Bloom – Saturday and Sunday, July 11^th and 12^th
• Snyder-CleveHill Garden View – Sunday, July 12^th
• Lancaster Garden Walk – Friday through Sunday, July 17^th through 19^th
• Ken-Ton Garden Tour – Friday through Sunday, July 17^th through 19^th
• Grand Gardens of the Niagara Portage –Saturday, July 18^th
• Village of Williamsville Garden Walk – Saturday, July 18^th
• West Seneca Garden and Home Tour – Saturday and Sunday, July 18^th and 19^th
• South Buffalo Alive – Sunday, July 19^th
• Garden Walk Buffalo – Saturday and Sunday, July 25^th and 26^th
• The Black Rock and Riverside Tour of Gardens – Saturday, August 1^st

The annual Garden Art Sale will take place Sunday, June 28^th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Delaware Park Lodge – the same day as the nearby Parkside Garden Tour. More information will be available here closer to the sale.

On Thursdays and Fridays during July, Garden Walk Buffalo Niagara will feature open gardens in 13 separate areas in the region, as well as numerous public gardens. More than 90 private and public gardens will be available for viewing, with 20 new gardens for 2015 – find the list of open gardens, days and times here.

Also among the events are three motorcoach tours hosted by local gardening expert Sally Cunningham and Horizon Club Tours’ Great Garden Travel program.

• On Sunday, July 12^th, check out “Herb Gardens, Flowers and Pollinators,” including a trip to the Cats Tail Farm Herbal Center, a behind-the-scenes look at Mike Weber Greenhouses, a visit to Masterson’s bee yard and more.
• On Friday, July 17^th, “Famous Buffalo Gardens and Architecture” visits some of Buffalo’s famous gardens, as well as some of the area’s historical sites and architectural treasures.
• On Thursday, July 23^rd, “Fabulous Flower Gardens, Hamburg and the Lake Shore” explores private gardens and the professionally designed gardens at Wanakah Country Club along with a local daylily farm.

Each tour includes roundtrip motorcoach transportation and a meal, as well as all taxes and fees. For more information and to sign up for these tours and others offered by the Great Garden Travel program, visit the Great Garden Travel website or www.horizonclubtours.com.

Garden education is an ongoing topic of interest, even when there’s snow in the air and on the ground. A number of garden centers and nurseries, including Lockwoods Garden Center, Menne Nursery and Urban Roots Garden Center, have educational seminars going on right now – click here for the schedule.

Find more information about Garden Walk Buffalo Niagara at nationalgardenfestival.com. 

all photos: 2014 National Garden Festival - paulathompsonfreelance.com.

Five Things to do in June 2015

So, summer is (unofficially) here…what to do, what to do. You won’t have that problem in Buffalo – there’s always plenty to do here! Here are just a few things to check out in June around town.

2014 Parkside Garden Tour

Get your garden on – my favorite festival of the year has a new name – the National Garden Festival is now Garden Walk Buffalo Niagara! It’s still six weeks of gardening fun, education, walks, tours and more, and I’m sure it will still wear out my camera batteries!

Get fit outdoors – Fitness in the Parks is back at a number of parks throughout the area, including Bassett Park, Ellicott Creek Park and Artpark to name a few. If you’re downtown, there are all kinds of classes happening at Canalside – Pilates, Tai Chi, barre, yoga, bootcamp and more.

Get cultured with some free Shakespeare – one of the largest free Shakespeare festivals in the country is right here in Buffalo! Shakespeare in Delaware Park is in its 40^th season, and in 2015 presents Romeo and Juliet (June 18^th through July 12^th) and 12^th Night (July 23^rd through August 16^th). Performances take place, weather-permitting, Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m.

Buffalo History Museum (2014)

Get out to a museum – the Buffalo History Museum offers its first Food Truck Rodeo of the season on Wednesday, June 3^rd and the first Party on the Portico for 2015 on Friday, June 19^th. At the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, it’s M&T First Friday on Friday, June 5^th and Art Alive on Saturday, June 6^th. The Buffalo Museum of Science offers the Buffalo Mini Maker Faire on Saturday, June 6^th and the Solstice Soiree on Saturday, June 20^th, and the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Museum will be open free of charge on Saturday, June 6^th during Planting Day in the Village.

Get in the race – help out a couple of great causes by taking part in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Delaware Park Rose Garden on Saturday, June 13^th or the Ride for Roswell on Saturday, June 27^th throughout the Buffalo-Niagara area.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com