2015 Holiday Happenings: Power Vista Festival of Trees and Ontario Winter Festival of Lights

credit: Wikimedia Commons/Sse1478

Head up to Niagara Falls to check out the Festival of trees on this side of the border, or grab your enhanced license and cross the border for another Festival of Lights.

Niagara Power Vista Festival of Trees – December 1 through January 1 at the Niagara Power Plant Power Vista, 5777 Lewiston Rd. (Rt. 104) in Lewiston. Check out beautifully decorated trees and visit the nearby Niagara Discovery Center during the annual event. On December 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Power Vista hosts its annual Deck the Halls event, featuring crafts and entertainment, photo opportunities with Santa, trolley rides and more. Find out more at the Power Vista website.

Ontario Power Generation Winter Festival of Lights – now through January 31 at numerous attractions in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The festival features more than five kilometers of light displays through the Niagara Parks, Dufferin Islands and other tourist areas. There will be a number of spectacular fireworks shows during the course of the festival – click here for dates and times. For more information on the festival, visit www.wfol.com. 

2015 Holiday Happenings: Darwin Martin House and Fatima Shrine Festival of Lights

See the improvements to the Darwin Martin House
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Have out-of-town visitors coming in for the Thanksgiving holiday? Take them to see the improvements at the Darwin Martin House, or take them to Youngstown to see the Fatima Shrine Festival of Lights.

The Darwin Martin House will be open for tours Friday and Saturday, November 27-28. Located at 125 Jewett Pkwy. in Buffalo, visitors will see the improvements made to the estate during additional tours for the holiday weekend. The Martin House tour is offered both days at 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. – tour cost is $17 for adults, $15 for seniors, $12 for students and free for members. The Martin House Plus tour is offered both days at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – tour cost is $35 for adults, $33 for seniors and $27 for students and members. Find out more at www.darwinmartinhouse.org.

The Fatima Shrine Festivalof Lights takes place November 21 through January 6 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, 1023 Swann Rd. in Youngstown. The lights will be on display nightly from 5 to 9 p.m., and the gift shop is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Check out the festival from the top of the Basilica and see 75 displays and 15 acres of Christmas lights, and view the Avenue of Saints. Fatima Shrine will host Thanksgiving Day mass at 11:30 a.m., as well as Christmas Eve masses at 4 p.m. and midnight and Christmas Day masses at 9 a.m. and noon. Find out more at www.fatimashrine.com. 

2015 Holiday Happenings: Fairgrounds Festival of Lights and Victorian Christmas

credit: Wikimedia Commons/Kris de Curtis

Two more events coming up – lights in Hamburg and Victorian elegance at one of Buffalo’s historic places.

The Fairgrounds Festival of Lights, featuring nearly two miles of light displays and lots of family activities, takes over the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg (enter from South Park Ave.) on weekends beginning November 27-29 and running December 4-6, December 11-13, extended hours December 18-23 and December 26-27. New in 2015: The Great Lakes International Ice Carving Competition, taking place November 27-29, with pieces on display throughout the festival. Gates are open 5 to 9 p.m. (grounds remain open through 10 p.m.); admission is $25 per carload, $50 per busload.

The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, located at 641 Delaware Ave. in Buffalo, offers up its annual Victorian Christmas, with events taking place Thursday, December 3 through Saturday, December 12. The holiday display is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday (general admission $5 per person – December 4-12). The event will also feature fashion show luncheons, a traditional Irish Christmas dinner, wine and food pairings, musical performances and more.  Get more information on the events at www.trsite.org. 

2015 Holiday Happenings: Festival of Trees and Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village

credit: Wikimedia/albertyanks

Two more holiday venues to add to your itinerary this season are the Hyatt Regency in downtown Buffalo and the Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village in Amherst – both host ongoing holiday events that are perfect for all ages.

The Festival of Trees is headquartered at the Hyatt Regency and runs from November 21 through December 3. General admission to see all of the beautifully decorated trees, wreaths, mantles and window displays, as well as shop the Boutique, is free. There are also a number of events, including the Black Tie Gala and the Designer Showcase and Reception that are ticketed. Find the full schedule of events at www.festivaloftreesbuffalo.com.

Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village, located at 3755 Tonawanda Creek Rd in Amherst, hosts its first ever Holiday Shopping Extravaganza from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 21. The event will feature unique items from local artists and works from the Village’s own guilds. The Countryside Christmas Tours, giving visitors a glimpse of 19^th century Christmases, will take place Saturday, December 5 from noon to 7 p.m. Tours are approximately 90 minutes and reservations are required; tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for members and $7 for children.

Another event on December 5 is the Taste of Christmas Past from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., with historically-recreated Victorian Christmas dishes and drinks, plus a tree-lighting ceremony. Tickets are $55 per person or $100 per couple, and Countryside Christmas Tours will be available to attendees for a discounted price of $5. On Sunday morning, December 6, Santa visits the Village for breakfast, with seatings at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Breakfast includes pancakes, sausage and other snacks and costs $8 per person for non-members, $5 for members (reservations are required).

Finally, the Village hosts a Holiday Tea on Sunday, December 13 from 1 to 3 p.m., catered by the English Tea Ladies and featuring traditional tea sandwiches, quiche, scones and meringues. Tickets are $30 per person, and reservations are required by November 25. Learn more about these events and make reservations at bnhv.org. 

2015 Holiday Happenings: Lockport Tour of Homes and Take Another Look at Buffalo

Catch a view of Buffalo from City Hall on November 28
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Tour late 19^th and early 20^th century homes in a former Erie Canal boomtown and get a different look at the work going on downtown with two tours happening on November 28, just in time to show off the Buffalo-Niagara area to all the out-of-town guests you might be hosting.

The Lockport Tour of Homes on Saturday, November 28 from 2 to 6 p.m. begins at the Kenan Center, located at 433 Locust St. in Lockport. View some of the historic homes in the area as part of the Light Up Lockport activities, including the Palace Theatre, 196 and 250 Locust St. and 456 and 532 Pine St. The event ends at the Palace Theatre with a tour and hot chocolate and cookies from 4 to 6 p.m., Lockport’s holiday parade and a free showing of the movie Polar Express at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 – find out more about the event at explorebuffalo.org.

Take Another Look at Buffalo, also on November 28 from 4 to 7 p.m. at City Hall in downtown Buffalo, will give visitors a view of the new Buffalo. The event will feature light refreshments in the Lobby, City Hall tours, art, live music and Buffalo-themed gifts. The 13^th floor and Council Chambers will feature a “Then and Now” video presentation and Buffalo-themed crafts for kids. The 25^th and 28^th floor observation decks will both be open, with aerial tours from both decks and desserts.. Find more information here.

BfloGirlReads: Buffalo Noir, a collection of short stories

credit: Akashic Books

There’s something pretty cool about opening a book and saying “Hey, I know that place!” That’s what happened when I opened the new anthology Buffalo Noir, published by Akashic Books and edited by Ed Park and Brigid Hughes.

The Richardson Complex, Delaware Park, Anchor Bar, Nottingham Terrace – all place we’ve heard about on the news, walked by or even visited, and all are in this book. The 12 short stories, by writers like Tom Fontana and Joyce Carol Oates, resonate from the darker side of Buffalo, but have a tone that will leave you smirking to yourself by the end of the tale.

In spite of its darkness, Buffalo Noir is a book one can easily get lost in. Picture this as a great beach read, where you’ll finish a couple of stories, look at the next one and say, “Oh, this is short, I can read this one too…” Before you know it, the book is done, the sun is going down, and you feel like you’ve accomplished something on that day at the beach – I mean, you finished reading a book after all!

Buffalo Noir is part of a collection of anthologies from Akashic Books, which began with Brooklyn Noir in 2004. There are now over 60 volumes available, telling tales from around the world. Both Park and Hughes are native Buffalonians, and all of the writers have Buffalo connections.

Buffalo Noir, officially released today, is currently available at Amazon in both print and Kindle versions, and will likely be available at book stores throughout Buffalo. On Friday night, November 6 at 7 p.m., the launch event for the book takes place at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave. in Buffalo.

Special thanks to Susannah at Akashic Books for the advanced copy of Buffalo Noir!

M&T First Friday: November 6, 2015

Jaume Plensa discusses his Buffalo works, including "Silent
Poets," Friday at the Albright-Knox
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

On the first Friday of each month, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, located at 1285 Elmwood Ave. in Buffalo, opens the doors to the 1962 Knox Building to the public free of charge from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., thanks to sponsorship from M&T Bank. This Friday, November 6, Jaume Plensa discusses his two works “In Buffalo” at 8 p.m.

• Homeschooler Art Class – 10 a.m. to noon for ages 11-17 – registration required.
• Homeschooler Art Class – 10:30 a.m. to noon for ages 5-10 – registration required.
• Toddler Art Class – 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for ages 3-4 – free for members, $10 for non-members – registration required.
• Studio Art Classes for Adults – 1 to 3 p.m. and 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. – free for members and $10 for non-members.
• Public Tour – a free tour of the 1962 Knox Building at 1:30 p.m.
• Performance by the Buffalo Chamber Players – 2:30 p.m. in the 1905 Building North Galleries.
• What’s Your Vision tour – free one-hour tour at 4 p.m.
• Drop-in Art Activity for Families –5 to 7 p.m., free in the Education Classrooms.
• Jazz and Happy Hour – live music from George Kane and Wayne Moose in the AK Café from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Performance with Young Audiences WNY: Kevin McCarthy, “Friends Forever Show” – 5:30 p.m. in the Auditorium.
• Gallery Talk – Eija-Liisa Ahtila: Ecologies of Drama – join AK Curatorial Assistant Jasmine Magana for a discussion of the exhibit at 6:30 p.m. in the 1905 Building South Galleries – registration recommended.
• Gallery Talk – Looking at Tomorrow: Light and Language from the Panza Collection, 1967-1990 – join AK Senior Curator Dr. Cathleen Chaffee for a discussion of the exhibit at 7:30 p.m. in the 1905 Building North Galleries – registration recommended.
• Artist Lecture: Jaume Plensa, “In Buffalo” –Plensa discusses his two pieces of Buffalo public art, including Canalside’s Silent Poets, 2012, at 8 p.m. in the Auditorium - $5 for non-members, free for members.

Registration is required for many classes and events – call 716-270-8292 to register. For more information, visit www.albrightknox.org and www.mandtfirstfridays.org.

Five Things to do in November 2015

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Feelart

November already?! The holiday season is fully upon us now – you can tell by the number of light and tree festivals on the schedule for November! Here are a few things to check out around Buffalo-Niagara.

Fairgrounds Festival of Lights – nearly two miles of light displays take over the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg on weekends beginning November 27-29 and ending December 26-27 (also December 4-6 and December 11-13, plus extended hours December 18-23). New in 2015: The Great Lakes International Ice Carving Competition, taking place November 27-29, with pieces on display throughout the festival. Admission is $25 per carload, $50 per busload.

Light Up Lancaster Parade – a popular event to kick off the holidays, the annual fire truck parade begins at Lancaster High School at 6 p.m. and proceeds down Central Ave., ending at Braodway; stick around for the annual tree lighting ceremony.

Paint the Town at the Buffalo History Museum – get a head start on holiday shopping at this annual fundraiser on Thursday, November 5 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Buffalo History Museum, One Museum Ct. in Buffalo. The event features artists with strong Buffalo ties, as well as live and silent auctions; tickets are $50 for Museum members, $70 for non-members.

Shea’s Shopping Soiree – get more holiday shopping done on Thursday, November 19 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St. in downtown Buffalo. The sixth annual event features a variety of local vendors for pre-Black Friday shopping.

Festival of Trees –this annual fundraiser benefitting the new John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital takes place November 21 through December 3 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Buffalo. Among the events that are part of the festival: the Black Tie Gala on November 21, the Designer Showcase Reception and Award on November 24 and the Haute Holiday Fashion Show on December 2; general admission to view the trees is free.

Discover Buffalo 2015: Mums at the Botanical Gardens

Can you tell how much I LOOOOOVVVVE the Botanical Gardens?! The sad thing is I didn’t pay much attention to it until I started looking for things to write about when I was covering Buffalo events somewhere else. Then I became a member, and the rest is history – it’s now one of my favorite places in Buffalo.

One of my favorite shows is Mums in the fall. I love what they do with them, especially the really tall, single stem plants. I also love the mix of colors.

No, this is not a mum, but it is probably my favorite flower at the Botanical Gardens. I love hibiscus, and I really want to add this plant (I’ve seen it called “Tie Dye”) to my gardens. #Obsessed #GardenerProblems

Remember Morty the Corpse flower? He’s got siblings! One is Morticia (so Morty should have been Gomez…), but the other one needs a name – go to the Gardens and enter their naming contest!

Here are a few more photos from Mums at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, located at 2655 South Park Ave. in Buffalo.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

The Botanical Gardens in November 2015

credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, located at 2655 South Park Ave. in Buffalo, gets ready for the holidays with these events in November:

• Arcangel Gallery: Buffalo Museum of Science Camera Club – now through November 22.
• Mums – now through November 8 – celebrate the fall season with different colors and varieties of mums.
• Veterans Day at the Gardens – free admission for all veterans with valid ID.
• Orchid Show – Saturday and Sunday, November 14-15.
• Medicinal Garden Feature – November 14 featuring Cancer Awareness and Flu Prevention.
• Poinsettias – Expect the Unexpected! – November 27 through January 3.
• Garden Railway Exhibit – November 27 through January 3.
• Arcangel Gallery: Nature’s Pallette – November 27 through January 10.

For more information on these events and others at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, visit www.buffalogardens.com.