The concerts are presented from 6:30 to 10 p.m. every Wednesday evening at River Fest Park, 249 Ohio St., and they continue into early September. Folks love to bring lawn chairs or blankets and grab a snack or a cool drink to enjoy during the music.
These concerts are free and family-friendly, and proceeds from the sale of food and drinks help to support park maintenance and other riverfront development efforts.
One reason these concerts are so popular is that Buffalo River Fest Park symbolizes the revitalization of the city’s waterfront. The park, which opened in June 2011, was the first milestone in redevelopment of the Buffalo River shorefront.
This area used to be a bustling shipping center, where grain and other goods were loaded and unloaded for transport. During a period of decline, most of these industries vanished from the waterfront, and the area languished with empty buildings, overgrown weeds and trash.
Now, thanks to the vision and hard work of civic leaders like Buffalo’s Peg Overdorf, three acres of abandoned waterfront have been transformed into a superior recreational venue. The park sports a band shell performance stage, a pergola, a boardwalk and over-the-river platform, decorative lighting, grassy picnic areas and beautiful landscaping. Besides concerts, the park is a delightful place for weddings, reunions, art shows and boating events. On weekends, tugboats embark from the park’s docks for fun cruises up the Buffalo River. The park’s docks and wharf encourage rowing, kayaking, canoeing and paddle boating. The brick Tewksbury Lodge serves up brunches, lunches and dinners, a Friday night fish fry and drinks, all at very reasonable prices, and features a display of waterfront memorabilia and information about the region’s history.
Near to the park are other riverside attractions like the Swannie House, a popular restaurant at 160 Ohio St. that’s been serving up brews, booze and banquets for more than 120 years. The Swannie House was established in the late 1800s, and its red brick façade and stained glass doors have welcomed generations of grain mill workers, boat passengers and First Ward residents. Now it’s a popular stop for folks headed for River Fest Park, Canalside, Sabres games and other entertainment venues.
Buffalo River Fest Park is just one great example of the city’s new vitality that is emerging from the refurbishment of the waterfront areas. The park is just a short distance away from Buffalo’s newest and most innovative continuing care retirement community, Canterbury Woods Gates Circle, where a fortunate group of residents will soon be able to enjoy waterfront fun and all of the urban excitement downtown Buffalo has to offer.
If you’re interested in a luxurious, active retirement life with easy access to Buffalo’s vibrant shopping, dining and entertainment scene, give us a call today at 716-929-5811 or get more information here.
