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.

2015 UB Bulls Women’s Basketball schedule

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Salvatore Vuono

• November 3 – at home for exhibition against Clarion – 7 p.m.
• November 7 – at home for exhibition against Daemen – 2 p.m.
• November 14 – at home against LIU Brooklyn – 2 p.m.
• November 17 – at home against Canisius – 7 p.m.
• November 21 – on the road against Massachusetts – 5 p.m.
• November 25 – at home against Cornell – 2 p.m.
• November 28 – on the road against Central Florida – 2:30 p.m.
• November 29 – on the road against Clemson at UCF – noon
• December 3 – on the road against Hofstra – 7 p.m.
• December 6 – at home against Duquesne – 2 p.m.
• December 9 – on the road against St. Bonaventure – 7 p.m.
• December 21 – on the road against Niagara – 7 p.m.
• December 29 – on the road against Sacred Heart – TBA
• January 2 – on the road against Eastern Michigan – 2:30 p.m.
• January 6 – at home against Central Michigan – 7 p.m.
• January 9 – on the road against Kent State – 2 p.m.
• January 13 – on the road against Ball State – 7 p.m.
• January 16 – at home against Akron – 1 p.m.
• January 20 – at home against Western Michigan – 7 p.m.
• January 23 – on the road against Miami (Ohio) – 2 p.m.
• January 30 – on the road against Northern Illinois – TBA
• February 3 – at home against Ohio – 7 p.m.
• February 6 – at home against Ball State – 1 p.m.
• February 10 – on the road against Toledo – 7 p.m.
• February 13 – on the road against Bowling Green – 4 p.m.
• February 17 – at home against Eastern Michigan – 7 p.m.
• February 20 – at home against Miami (Ohio) – 1 p.m.
• February 24 – at home against Bowling Green – 7 p.m.
• February 27 – on the road against Ohio – TBA
• March 2 – on the road against Akron – 8 p.m.
• March 5 – at home against Kent State – 2 p.m.

Learn more about the UB Bulls at www.ubbulls.com. 

2015 UB Bulls Men’s Basketball schedule

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/
Salvatore Vuono

• November 6 – at home for exhibition against Daemen – 9 p.m.
• November 13 – at home against Pitt-Bradford – TBA
• November 16 – against Old Dominion at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic – 7 p.m.
• November 18 – against St. Joseph’s at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic – 7 p.m.
• November 21 – against North Carolina A&T at Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic – 7:30 p.m.
• November 22 – against Niagara or Vermont at Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic – TBA
• November 28 – at home against Canisius – 2 p.m.
• December 2 – at home against St. Bonaventure – 7 p.m.
• December 5 – on the road against Duke – 5:15 p.m.
• December 7 – on the road against Iowa State – 9 p.m.
• December 12 – at home against Binghamton – 2 p.m.
• December 19 – at home against Montana State – 2 p.m.
• December 22 – on the road against Virginia Commonwealth – 7 p.m.
• December 29 – at home against Delaware – 7 p.m.
• January 5 – at home against Akron – 7 p.m.
• January 8 – on the road against Kent State – 7 p.m.
• January 12 – on the road against Eastern Michigan – 7 p.m.
• January 16 – at home against Central Michigan – 3:30 p.m.
• January 19 – on the road against Miami (Ohio) – 7 p.m.
• January 23 – on the road against Western Michigan – 4:30 p.m.
• January 26 – at home against Ball State – 7 p.m.
• January 30 – on the road against Toledo – 7 p.m.
• February 2 – on the road against Northern Illinois – 9 p.m.
• February 6 – at home against Eastern Michigan – 3:30 p.m.
• February 9 – at home against Toledo – 7 p.m.
• February 13 – at home against Ohio – 2 p.m.
• February 16 – on the road against Akron – TBA
• February 20 – at home against Bowling Green – 3:30 p.m.
• February 23 – at home against Kent State – 7 p.m.
• February 27 – on the road against Ohio – TBA
• March 1 – at home against Miami (Ohio) – 7 p.m.
• March 4 – on the road against Bowling Green – 7 p.m.

Learn more about the UB Bulls at www.ubbulls.com. 

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. 

BfloGirlSports: Buffalo teams in November 2015

The Bills and the Sabres are joined by college hockey and – soon! – basketball in November – here’s where to see your favorite teams!

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/
John Kasawa

Buffalo Bills

• Sunday, November 8 – at home against the Miami Dolphins (1 p.m.)
• Thursday, November 12 – on the road against the New York Jets (8:25 p.m.)
• Monday, November 23 – on the road against the New England Patriots (8:30 p.m.)
• Sunday, November 29 – on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs (1 p.m.)

Buffalo Sabres

• Sunday, November 1 –on the road against the New York Islanders (7:30 p.m.)
• Thursday, November 5 – at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 7 – at home against the Vancouver Canucks (1 p.m.)
• Tuesday, November 10 – on the road against the Lightning (7:30 p.m.)
• Thursday, November 12 – on the road against the Florida Panthers (7:30 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 14 – at home against the San Jose Sharks (7 p.m.)
• Tuesday, November 17 – at home against the Dallas Stars (7 p.m.)
• Thursday, November 19 – on the road against the St. Louis Blues (8 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 21 – on the road against the Stars (8 p.m.)
• Monday, November 23 at home against the Blues (7 p.m.)
• Wednesday, November 25 – at home against the Nashville Predators (7 p.m.)
• Friday, November 27 – at home against the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 28 – on the road against the Predators (8 p.m.)

UB Bulls Football

• Thursday, November 5 – on the road against Kent State (7:30 p.m.)
• Wednesday, November 11 – at home against Northern Illinois (8 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 21 – on the road against Akron (TBA)
• Friday, November 27 – at home against Massachusetts (TBA)

Niagara University Purple Eagles Ice Hockey

credit: Wikimedia Images

• Friday, November 6 – at home against Penn State (7:05 p.m.)
• Friday, November 13 – on the road against the University of Michigan (7:05 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 14 – exhibition on the road against the USA National Development Team (Plymouth, MI) (7 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 20-21 – at home against American International College (both games 7 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 27-28 – on the road against Holy Cross (Friday – 7:05 p.m., Saturday – 7 p.m.)

Canisius College Golden Griffins Ice Hockey

• Saturday, November 7 – at home against Merrimack (6:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 13-14 – on the road against Ohio State (Friday – 7:05 p.m., Saturday – 4:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 20-21 – at home against Mercyhurst (both games 7:35 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 27-28 – at home against Army West Point (Friday – 4:05 p.m., Saturday – 7:35 p.m.)

Look for season schedules for college basketball over the next few days!

Celebrate fall 2015: One-stop Halloween guide!

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Vlado

Autumn Fun:

• BeckerFarms
• Pumpkinville
• The Great Pumpkin Farm
• Cambria Corn Maze
• Kelkenberg Farm
• U-Pick Harvests
• Holiday Hollow
• Wheatfield Pumpkin Farm
• Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village

Halloween Hauntings:

• Mason Winfield ghost walks and pub crawls
• House of Horrors and Haunted Catacombs
• Frightworld
• District of the Dead
• Nightmare Hayrides on Sommerville St.

Fall with the Family:

• Medina Railroad Museum
• Arcade and Attica Railroad
• Halloween fun for all ages
• More Halloween fun for all ages
• Safe trick-or-treating around WNY
• More Halloween fun in the Buffalo-Niagara area