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    Zoo Lights at the Buffalo Zoo

    3.9 (11 reviews)

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    Doris M.

    I got there before 5:30pm & waited in line. I didn't think it was too bad outside, so it was not bad for me. Gates opened right at 5:30 PM. The lights were so pretty at the entrance. Kind of died down in a lot of spots, but then would pick back up again and be real pretty and festive. Food stands were open.Both restaurants were open. Everything was way over priced though. They also had stands with all bright colored necklaces and swords and tiaras, etc. I bought myself a necklace of course, that have bells on them that jingle. Every time I took a step and they light up, which will see in the pictures. . That was $10 just for that little thing ,but I wanted a souvenir ,so it was worth it. Otherwise, I can say it wasn't very fun. There were no animals outdoors. In the reptile section, there is just a few snakes and turtles and frogs, and a Komodo dragon. I think it was. I haven't been to the zoo in a few years, but going back to it tonight, even though it's not part of the Christmas lights part, there were no lions or tigers. In fact, the whole exhibit was gone for both of them. The gorilla is gone from the main building . Most of the animals and things were gone. So that was very very disappointing and sad. There were not that many lights there, so there was not very much to see. The food was outrageously priced. Just for a normal size little cup of hot chocolate was $10. Then at the restaurant the hot chocolate was I think $6.79 and it was just all warm and not chocolatey. I got a soft pretzel which I paid almost $9 for and it was not very big and there was like maybe six packs of salt on it. For something free to do, it wasn't bad obviously, but for those who actually paid to go there tonight it was definitely not worth it. They need to have a lot more lights there, a lot more decorations, and some more animals would've made it nicer too.

    Rachel L.

    Cute event, but expect to spend a lot of money. I was really excited to attend this event. First thing I noticed was, it's REALLY quiet. Maybe it was a slow night but wow it was almost eerie to be at the zoo with no sound. Some Christmas music piped in would be a nice touch. I expected this to be more like the summer zoo lights event, which was really beautiful. The s'mores family packs were really cute but $13.99 for 4 s'mores?! Yikes! The cheapest thing I saw was $4.00 for a shot of peppermint schnapps. The hot chocolate was I think $8 and tasted pretty watery. The Santa and Mrs Claus set up was great but the cost to buy a photo was astronomical. Mrs Claus was the best. My daughter was terrified and she took the time to calm her fears and just sit and chat with her. She hasn't stopped talking about it! The train ride is $3 a person and my daughter enjoyed it. There was also glitter tattoos, not sure how much they were (I was afraid to ask). I would probably save my money and pass on this experience. Maybe do another Christmas activity. I know the zoo needs to make money, but they really nickel and dime you here.

    Emily L.

    We decided to try out a potential new annual holiday tradition for the days between Christmas and New Years Eve - that interesting almost week of time that those of us with children - still have them - and need to find things to do (something made exceptionally harder thanks to the ole pandemmy). So off we went to the Buffalo Zoo with a buddy from school to check out the Zoo Lights! Positives: The lights were really fun to walk through! The tunnel was especially super cool. My 19-month-old LOVED that. He just looked up at them in awe. The cafe area was pretty neat too as they had a bunch of fire pit tables and standing heaters set up. You could get smores kits and even alcoholic beverages to enjoy while hanging out there - mama got herself her favorite holiday beverage - a hot cocoa with baileys. YUM. We also loved going on the train ride - it was big enough for grown ups to join in the fun on (essential for my little man to be able to safely enjoy it), and it went around the old dino bone excavation (or for those who remember, the previous meerkat exhibit... I think it was meerkats... right?) circle, which was nicely decorated with lit up fir trees all around it. The train was all lit up too. Negatives: I truly cannot believe how much money I spent to see lights. It cost almost $50 for two adults and one child, and that did not include the train ride, smores, parking ($5!!) or any other extras. Truly just getting in and seeing lights. Also, there was some confusion because the gorilla building happened to be open, so we went into it (along with other folks who were there), assuming it must be, since again, we paid almost $50 to get into the zoo. We walked in and a few minutes later were briskly shuffled out, as it was supposed to be locked up. So FYI, this is not a trip to see any animals. All that said, everyone had a great time and left happy - can you ask for more with a 6-year-old, a toddler and exhausted parents?? If it's back again next year, we will likely give it another go.

    Michael R.

    It was awesome fun for all ages! It was a lot more then I expected! Every piece was very well made, not cheaply made. We walked around several times because you missed something or it looked different from another direction. I highly recommend it for young and old!!! And it supports the Zoo and that is very important to WNY!

    Jennifer C.

    An event you don't want to miss! Both young & old can experience & enjoy! The zoo was clean & the staff was friendly and helpful! The cultural performances were a nice added touch to the experience! An unforgettable experience & I will be attending next year!

    Tiger

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    Taste of Buffalo

    Taste of Buffalo

    4.1
    (58 reviews)
    3.9 mi

    This is my favorite festival of the year. This year 2026, I have to say was one of the best. They…read moremade some changes that I think really paid off. There were "bleachers" through out the festival. I feel this was a great thing. It one gave more options for people to sit down, eat and relax. Which I think in turn cleared alot of space up. We walked through the festival for over three hours and not once felt crowded, and I really think that's because of all the new resting spots. I always get the family tickets from tops ahead of time, then collect the tickets from the tent. Always an easy process, shorter lines. Average good was going for 8 to 10 tickets, same as previous years so I did not see any increase there. And most had a 4 ticket sample item as well. Loved the variety..trying new restaurants. Entertainment is always spot on, that hasn't changed either. Just a good food festival..this year weather was perfect for it as well.

    One of my favorite days of the year. Walking around downtown with my kids, eating way more than…read morenecessary, and teaching them how to review food. Pro tip: buy your tickets at TOPS before the festival. They're cheaper, and you get (non-alcoholic) drink coupons to use ar the fest. Our favorite this year was Nickel City Vice's "You're Nuts," a peanut butter cheesecake ice cream sandwich. The boys nearly died laughing when I went up to place our order and asked the guy, "Can I have You're Nuts?" We also happily demolished small FREE bags of Checkers & Rally's fries, some ethic eats, and Buffalo classics (Nick Charlap's custard, Just Pizza). The Taste of Buffalo is one of those events that reminds you how many great local restaurants and food businesses we have.

    Photos
    Taste of Buffalo Stack Burger Deep Fried PB & J
    Taste of Buffalo Stack Burger Deep Fried PB & J
    Fat Lady's Cakes & Pies Cupcakes
    Fat Lady's Cakes & Pies Cupcakes
    Bourbon chicken and fried rice

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    Bourbon chicken and fried rice
    Glen Park Art Festival

    Glen Park Art Festival

    4.4
    (10 reviews)
    5.7 mi

    If you haven't been to the Glen Park Art Festival in Williamsville yet, maybe next year you'll…read morecatch the opportunity. It all started in 2010, and since then the event has been extremely popular not only among local residents. The festival takes place in a park worth visiting not just for the festival itself. It's small, but well-maintained and compact, with the picturesque Glen Falls. It's a perfect place for a little stroll, or a getaway from the crowd. This year, 150 vendors participated in the event. I'm sure everyone could find something interesting for themselves. I got caught at two booths for a little longer than the others. The first was Enchanted Cottage Candles. Actually, it was a really popular spot. We all couldn't believe how perfect each candle looked, not to mention the scent, which was absolutely stunning. I also had to stop at Susie Byerley Fine Art Oil Painting from Southern Indiana. I hardly ever talk to vendors, but this time I just had to chat a little bit. Her extraordinary talent was impossible to miss. I'm sure many complimented her traditional representational art. I hope she managed to sell at least a few of her beautiful pieces. There weren't many food vendors, but I was happy to see Sunshine Vegan Eats. Anyway, Williamsville has plenty of restaurants, so don't worry. There's something for everyone.

    One of my absolute favorite festivals in Buffalo. This festival never disappoints. There are so…read moremany amazing vendors here and I have discovered so many great artists here. If you have time, I highly recommend taking some time out and visiting this amazing park and festival

    Photos
    Picked these up!  They're Beautiful!
    Picked these up! They're Beautiful!
    Glen Park Art Festival
    Glen Park Art Festival

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    Elmwood Ave Festival of the Arts

    Elmwood Ave Festival of the Arts

    4.1
    (15 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    The Elmwood Festival of the Arts remains one of my favorites from the Buffalo festival season…read morelineup! A good chunk of the Elmwood strip is closed down for two days of music, food, and, of course, lots of wonderful art. What I like about the Elmwood festival over Allentown Art Fest is that the lineup of artisans selling goods that are not only affordable, but could easily find a place in your home, too. At Allentown, there are a lot of "once in a lifetime" pieces that you'd *really* need a specific place for. But at the Elmwood festival, you can easily find wall art, pottery, and glassware that could fit right into your space. There's always a great lineup of food trucks and bands here, and I really like how all the small businesses on Elmwood stay open so you can shop there, too. It's a little crowded -- but I never really mind. I know summer is coming to a close whenever it's time for the Elmwood Festival of the Arts. But hey, at least I've got a lot of cool new artwork to brighten up my apartment just in time for Buffalo winter.

    I spent a very enjoyable Sunday morning here this year. Much smaller than the Allentown Art…read moreFestival, its an easy 5 or 6 blocks of Elmwood - from St James Place to West Ferry. Pros: Id have to say each exhibitor was a high quality one. There really was none of the "junk" you may find at other festivals. The food options were in specific areas, I noticed two of them, one at the St James end of the festival, the other on one of the side streets. Id imagine there was a third, but I did not make note of it. The expected food trucks were available. Tons of "local tables", the BPO had one, Olmsted Conservancy another, Burchfield Penney a third. There were many others as well. A great way to learn more about the various attractions Buffalo has to offer year round. Cons: For these not living nearby or taking public transport, there was terrible parking organization, they had closed off most of the side streets nearby to "Local Traffic Only". If this had been a very humid hot weekend, that would have made for some long hot walks just to get there. As a result, there was really not a "disabled friendly" atmosphere about the festival. (If there was a designated disabled parking area, it was not well publicized enough to be easily found by me, searching for it on line). They sold water for $1 bottle. Really? Costs under $5 for a case (including the deposit costs), sell the water for .50 (even .75) and stop doing such a huge markup. And while you are at it, put a sign on the table of the cost so people don't have to ask about it. Other: There was music around as well, but I did not stay for long for any of that. Seemed like a great venue for it though, various stages and other covered areas throughout. While I found the quality of the vendors terrific, I can only give this 3 stars, I think it was A-OK. I am a fan, but the lack of easy disabled access brings it down a star for me.

    Photos
    Elmwood Ave Festival of the Arts
    Elmwood Ave Festival of the Arts
    Entertaining for you.

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    Entertaining for you.
    Annual Italian Heritage Festival

    Annual Italian Heritage Festival

    3.3
    (15 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    If you are a real Buffalonian, you've probably been to the Annual Italian Heritage Festival at…read moreleast once. If you're just visiting, I recommend you go to see for yourself. This event is definitely all about the food, and it's huge. Definitely come hungry and enjoy Italian and Italian-American staples like pizza, sausages, meatballs, arancini, pasta, etc., as well as plenty of sweet desserts. With over fifty vendors this year, Hertel Avenue was transformed into a bustling, crowded marketplace. In my opinion, the atmosphere is rather intense. People are eating, drinking, socializing, and catching up with friends and family. The air around the festival is always heavy with the smell of smoke and frying onions and peppers. Believe me, lots and lots of grilled Italian sausages are floating around during this festival. Unfortunately, apart from tables near the main stage, which must be reserved in advance for a fee, there is nowhere to sit and eat comfortably. Lots of people are walking and eating or standing. I even saw someone use the top of the trash can as a table, yuck. As I mentioned, there's a main entertainment stage, if you like the Frankie Scinta vibe. The demonstration/cooking tent is a fun place to visit as well. The best way to plan for the special attractions is to simply check out the website. I think it's worth it. On the practical side, it's important to wear proper footwear. Because of the big crowd, I had to be extra careful not to get stepped on or have my toes run over by a baby stroller. It's wild. I guess that's the beauty of this festival. Fun fact: I ate my first raw clam many years ago at this festival while on vacation in the States :). Those were the days when carousels, rides, and similar attractions were still part of the event. It was probably more kids/family-friendly than it has been in recent years. Perhaps it will return someday.

    If you're only looking for really good Italian food and pastries and desserts and things and this…read moreis the place to go now. They no longer have all the fun games, like " I got it" or the water balloon game or anything else it's just all food now. No rides, nothing for kids. But the food is amazing. I went there just for Campi's Pizza & Angelo's Italian Desserts. I was extremely satisfied. The pizza never fails me from there. It is always so good and since Campi's is too far to go just pick up a pizza and come home. I have to depend on the Italian heritage festival every year just to get my pizza. Angel is not located anywhere near here as far as I know so again I have to go to the festival just to get my good desserts. They had many other food stands, but I didn't try anything else out except for Romeo and Juliet's bakery. I know what I like so that's what I go for. You have got to try Campi's -White Pizza with the Greek olives on it. They have a few different kinds of white pizza, but the plain or one without all the veggies and without the artichokes and stuff is the really good one.. But they also have many selections of pizza to choose from

    Photos
    Annual Italian Heritage Festival
    Annual Italian Heritage Festival
    Annual Italian Heritage Festival
    Annual Italian Heritage Festival
    Annual Italian Heritage Festival

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    Annual Italian Heritage Festival
    BuffaLoveFest

    BuffaLoveFest

    5.0
    (9 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $

    I was the lucky winner of two complimentary tickets to this event from Yelp. Thank you, Yelp! The…read morezoo put on a wonderful event full of food trucks and vendors. I brought my sister with me and we tried a bunch of different things. Listed below in order of preference: 1. Korean BBQ Chicken Bowl from Lomo Lomo food truck. Wow, this was delicious! Nice sized portion and very reasonable ($7). We also had the ramen and asparagus salad here, but I felt that was lacking a salty ingredient. I will be on the lookout for this truck in the future. 2. Maria's Muffuletta sandwich from Maria's Bene Cibo food truck. This was my sandwich choice. The meat was really high quality and the olive spread tasted great. Sandwich was served on a seeded DiCamillo roll, yum! Customer service from the truck was also top notch. 2. (yes, tie for 2)Beef brisket sandwich from Fat Bob's food truck. This was my sister's sandwich choice. There were huge chunks of meat piled on the sandwich, which compared to others I've had that were sliced, made this way better. I did think it needed some extra bbq sauce, which was probably available at the truck, but we walked away to find a table to eat at before trying it. Also served with a little piece of cornbread. 3. Our least favorite purchase was the truffle fries from Loose Cannon food truck. Unfortunately, these fell flat. We were served a big portion of frozen French fries with a scant amount of truffle oil on them. You could barely taste the oil. For $8, this was highway robbery. They would be better off making this with fresh cut fries. Everyone seemed to be having a great time at this event. We enjoyed our food, some blackbird cider and were out before it rained. Looking forward to attending this event again in the future!

    This was my first time attending the BuffaLoveFest at the Buffalo Zoo and it was so much fun! I was…read morepleasantly surprised to see that all of the animals were out and about and pretty active. Earlier in the day, the news mentioned that a few thousand people would be attending and when I got there, I was really surprised at how spacious the event felt even though there was such a big crowd. There were so many food trucks to choose from and there were also three drink tents set up. Though some of the lines were long, they moved very quickly. The live music was great and they had games set up like corn hole and 2 big Connect 4 games. All of the patrons and workers were friendly and at the end of the day, we all just came out to support the zoo and have a great time. All proceeds went to the Buffalo Zoo and it was worth every penny. Definitely looking forward to this event next year!

    Photos
    Thai Me Up Food Truck
    Thai Me Up Food Truck
    Sassi Cakes Food Truck
    Sassi Cakes Food Truck
    Charggeee! Snow Leopard

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    Charggeee! Snow Leopard
    Canalfest of the Tonawandas

    Canalfest of the Tonawandas

    4.7
    (3 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    Was invited by my sister to Canal Fest and I'm glad I decided to go. This was my first time ever…read more It was really fun we all had a good time. They had rides for all ages, games, food, snacks, and live music. It literally was something for everyone to do. Only issues I had was there were not enough sitting areas for people to sit and enjoy the food and like 90% of all the vendors only accepted cash which I normally don't carry around with me. Thank God I did that day. Also parking can be an issue if there is a huge crowd. Overall really nice festival to attend every year.

    If it were a festival of boring idiosyncracies, it would be Banalfest. And if it were the San…read moreFernando Valley it would obviously be an*lfest. However it's actually the flagship fair & carnival of the Tonawandas, and it really really rocks. I came here many times, in fact I performed here once or twice thanks to a friend, and it was always a great time, in the summer, by the Erie Canal in the Tonawandas, with good food, excited people, interesting music (unless I was playing in which case it was crap), and lots and lots and lots of very good looking people. If you live in WNY or are visiting at the right time of year, and you've never been to Canalfest, you should come down. There are a thousand reasons to have a great time here and only one reason not to, which was me performing live music here, which no longer is a problem. At some point it'll be purchased by a conglomerate and watered down, at which point it'll become Clearchannelfest. You don't want that to happen, so get here and enjoy it before it does.

    Photos
    The arts and crafts weekend @ the fest.
    The arts and crafts weekend @ the fest.
    Canalfest of the Tonawandas
    Canalfest crowd

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    Canalfest crowd

    Zoo Lights at the Buffalo Zoo - festivals - Updated August 2026

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