Buffalo Sabres Prospects Challenge: September 16-19, 2016

credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Buffalo Sabres will host the Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils for this year’s Prospect Challenge, taking place Friday through Monday, September 16-19 at HarborCenter in downtown Buffalo. The three teams will compete in a round-robin challenge, with each team playing two games during the event.

Game tickets are $10 each and are on sale at the First Niagara Center box office, or order by phone (1-888-223-6000) or online (tickets.com).

Prospects Challenge schedule:

Friday, September 16 –

• Buffalo practice – 10 a.m.-noon
• New Jersey practice – 12:30-2:30 p.m.
• Boston practice – 3-5 p.m.

Saturday, September 17 –

• Buffalo morning skate – 10-11 a.m.
• Boston practice – 10 a.m.-noon
• New Jersey morning skate – 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Buffalo v. New Jersey – 7 p.m.

Sunday, September 18 –

• Buffalo practice – 10 a.m.-noon
• Boston morning skate – 10-11 a.m.
• New Jersey morning skate – 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Boston v. New Jersey – 7 p.m.

Monday, September 19 –

• Buffalo morning skate – 10-11 a.m.
• Boston morning skate – 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Buffalo v. Boston – 7 p.m.

Find out more at sabres.nhl.com. 

National Buffalo Wing Festival: September 3-4, 2016

Aerial view of the Buffalo Wing Festival
credit: buffalowing.com

The 15^th annual National Buffalo Wing Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, September 3-4, at Coca Cola Field in downtown Buffalo. The annual celebration of Buffalo’s gift to the food world features live music, eating contests, a kids’ zone and, of course, lots of chicken wings. LaNova Pizzeria and Wing Company will be this year’s inductee to the Buffalo Wing Hall of Flame.

New this year is the VIP Party Deck, located in the right field bleachers (21-and-over only). Tickets are $25 for a two-hour period, and gives ticket holders a free beverage, free samples, private seating, a private cash bar and 15^th anniversary mug, plus much more.

The US National Wing Championship will once again feature some of the country’s best competitive eaters, including Joey Chestnut and Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas. The main event is set for Sunday at 5 p.m. Other competitive eating contests scheduled throughout the weekend include the Amateur Wing Eating Championship, the Buffalo Buffet Eating Championship and the Triple Atomic Hot Wing Eating Contest.

Admission is $5 each day and free for kids 8 and under – food tickets are $1 each. Hours are Saturday noon-9 p.m. and Sunday noon-7 p.m. Find out more at buffalowing.com. 

Five Things to do in September 2016

National Buffalo Wing Festival – Saturday and Sunday, September 3-4, at Coca Cola Field in downtown Buffalo. The annual celebration of Buffalo’s gift to the food world features live music, eating contests, a kids’ zone and, of course, lots of chicken wings. Admission is $5 each day, free for kids 8 and under – food tickets are $1 each. Hours are Saturday noon-9 p.m. and Sunday noon-7 p.m.

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Vlado

Music is Art Festival – Saturday, September 10 from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. in Delaware Park behind the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. The 14^th annual festival will feature more than 100 bands on six stages along with artists, six live DJ stages, performance artists, dancers, a kids’ village, food and beverages, and more.

Curtain Up! 2016 –Friday, September 16 in the Theatre District of downtown Buffalo and many other area theatres. The curtain raises on the 2016-17 theatre season at 8 p.m. at 15 venues throughout the Buffalo-Niagara area, including Alleyway Theatre, Buffalo Laboratory Theatre, Lancaster Opera House, MusicalFare Theatre and O’Connell & Company at Shea’s Smith Theatre. After the final act, the wrap-up party kicks off with free outdoor entertainment in the Theatre District until 1 a.m.

Ballpark Brew Bash – Saturday, September 24 from 4-7 p.m. at Coca Cola Field. This 21-and-over event, presented by Consumer’s Beverages, will feature more than 50 breweries from the Western New York area and around the world and much more. General admission tickets for the Ballpark Brew Bash are $35 in advance, $45 at the door; VIP tickets are $75 (includes admission at 3 p.m., special brews and food), and designated driver tickets are $5 at the door. Tickets are available at all Consumer’s Beverages, the Buffalo Bisons ticket office on Swan St. or online at www.tickets.com.

Niagara Wine Trail Harvest Festival – Saturday and Sunday, September 24-25 at participating wineries on the trail. The festival features wine pairings with harvest-themed foods. Tickets are valid for both days and include three tastings and food samples at your choice of 10 wineries and a commemorative wine glass at the starting winery. Hours for the event are Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m.; tickets are $22 in advance (through Thursday, September 22) and $27 at the door. 

M&T First Friday: September 2, 2016

credit: Wikimedia Commons/Dave Pape

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.

• Drop-in Art Activity – 10 a.m.-noon and 5-7 p.m. – free in the Education classrooms.
• Family Fun Tour – 11-11:45 a.m.
• Toddler Art Class – 12:30-1:30 p.m. for ages 3-4 – free for members, $10 for non-members.
• Studio Art Classes for Adults – 1-3 p.m. and 7:30-9:30 p.m. – free for members, $10 for non-members.
• Public Tour – 1:30-2:30 p.m. – a free tour of the 1962 Knox Building.
• Outdoor Sculpture Tour – 4-5 p.m. – free one-hour tour (in the event of rain, tour will take place in 1962 Building).
• Jazz and Happy Hour – 5:30-7:30 p.m. – live music by Doug Yeomans and Sue Kincaid in the AK Café.
• Live Drawing by artist Joan Linder – 6-8 p.m. – in the Clifford Hall Link.
• Squeaky Wheel’s 13^th Annual Animation Fest – 7:30-8:30 p.m. – free in the Auditorium.
• The Art of Food and Drink: Hard Cider Tasting – 8:30-9:30 p.m. in the AK Café and Sculpture Garden – $5 for members, $10 for non-members.

Registration is required for many classes and events – call 716-270-8292 to register and find more information at www.albrightknox.org.

Fall fun 2016: Becker Farms

credit: Wikimedia Commons/Lusitana

Becker Farms, located at 3760 Quaker Rd., is ready to kick off its fall schedule of fun beginning Saturday, September 10 and running through Thanksgiving Eve.

The Concord Stomp kicks things off on September 10 – get together a team of six people, make like Lucy and stomp some grapes! It’s also the first weekend of the annual Pumpkin Fiesta, which takes place Saturdays and Sundays from September 10 through October 30, plus Columbus Day Monday, October 10. The Fiesta features live music every weekend, goat races, hayrides, pony rides, big slides, farm animals and much more. Kids and adult ticket pricing information can be found here. Throughout the Pumpkin Fiesta weekends, there will also be wine, beer, hard cider and dessert wine tastings for $5.

The Harvest Festival takes place Saturday, September 25 from 10 a.m-5 p.m. and Sunday, September 26 from noon-5 p.m. – come celebrate the season at Becker Farms with wine and food pairings and autumn-themed activities. Find out more here.

The Haunted Hayrides take place Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, October 21-23 and October 28-30 from 7 to 9 p.m. (weather permitting). The Haunted Hayride leads you into the Phylotec Biogenetic Testing Station, where you can check out the terrifying man-eating monsters created during an experiment gone horribly wrong. Tickets are $9 – group rates are also available.

Becker Brewing Co. will be hosting a Thanksgiving Eve Party on Wednesday, November 23 from 7:30 p.m.-midnight – there will be live music from Dave Stockton and Pocket Change, plus locally brewed beers, estate wines and BBC Traditional Hard Cider.

Find out more about Becker Farms and its events, as well as Vizcarra Vineyards and Becker Brewing Company, at the farm's website or by calling 716-772-2211.

BfloGirlSports: September 2016 Buffalo Bills schedule

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/John Kasawa

Pre-season:

• Thursday, September 1 – at Detroit Lions – 7:30 p.m.

Regular season:

• Sunday, September 11 – at Baltimore Ravens – 1 p.m.
• Thursday, September 15 – v. New York Jets – 8:25 p.m.
• Sunday, September 25 – v. Arizona Cardinals – 1 p.m.

Get tickets and more information at www.buffalobills.com. 

BfloGirlSports: September 2016 Buffalo Bisons schedule

credit: Buffalo Bisons

• Tuesday through Thursday, August 30-September 1 – at home against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders (Tuesday and Wednesday – 7:05 p.m., Thursday – 6:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, September 2-3 – on the road against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders (both games 7:05 p.m.)
• Sunday and Monday, September 4-5 – on the road against the Pawtucket Red Sox (Sunday – 6:05 p.m., Monday – 1:05 p.m.)

Find out more about the Bisons, and find the complete promotional schedule for 2016, at the Bisons’ website.