Clear your schedule for THE event of the summer season! The BPO – in collaboration with the BPO Diversity Council, the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation and Senator Timothy Kennedy – is spearheading a daylong cultural festival that celebrates the 90^th anniversary of the Central Terminal and the cultural heritage of Buffalo’s East Side.  This FREE one day festival takes place on Saturday, July 13 with a full orchestral concert from your BPO serving as the grand finale of the day!

Doors open at 1:30 PM

Music performances begin at 2 PM

Central Terminal tours begin at 2:30 PM

BPO concert is at 7:30 PM

LIVE PERFORMANCES

Live music and demonstrations will take place all day that showcase the history of the neighborhood surrounding the Central Terminal from 1830 to present time. Performers include the All City Gospel Youth Choir, Buffalo Museum of Science, African American Cultural Center, Paul Robeson Theatre, Harmony Polish Folk Ensemble, German-American Musicians Association, Colored Musicians Club’s George Scott Big Band and Buffalo Soul Review: A Tribute to Buffalo Musicians and the Pine Grill. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s 7:30 p.m. concert features music from the 1920s and 1930s as well as repertoire that represents the neighborhood surrounding the Terminal.

CULTURAL ROW

The African American Cultural Center, Buffalo History Museum, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Buffalo and Erie County Library, Buffalo Museum of Science, Jericho Road Community Health Center, Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY, and Torn Space Theater will host exhibits and activities in Cultural Row throughout the day that showcase the broad history of the Central Terminal and East Side of Buffalo.

ARTISAN GALLERY

The Artisan Gallery will feature the work of eclectic East Side artists hand selected by the BPO Diversity Council in collaboration with Juneteenth Festival.  The following artists will sell their work with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the artist: A Joyful Impression, Classic Knot, Divinity Holistics, Inspirational Stones and Handmade Jewelry, Kathy’s Kloset Boutique and Muhammad Z. Zaman.

ADDITONAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ACTIVITIES

The Central Terminal Restoration Company will offer free tours of the 17-story Art Deco-style train station and discuss the future of the Terminal at 2:30, 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30 PM.

Also be sure to visit the Buffalo Public School Office of Parent and Family Engagement and Northland Workforce Training Center tables to get information about the important services they offer to East Side residents.

FOOD AND DRINKS

Food concessions will be available for purchase by East Side business Mad Sauces Catering with specialty desserts and treats also for sale from the following Broadway Market vendors; Chrusicki Bakery, Sweet Temptations du Jour and Sweet Whisk.

Wine, beer, soda and water will be available for purchase by East Side company Pretty Girls on the Rocks.

All concessions open at 1:30 PM and close at 7:15 PM.

SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY

1:30 PM                      Doors open to public

2-2:30 PM                   All City Gospel Youth Choir

2:30-2:45 PM              Buffalo Museum of Science demonstration

2:45-3:30 PM              African American Cultural Center Dance and Drum                                                                                    Performance with special guests from Paul Robeson Theatre

3:30-4 PM                   Harmony Polish Folk Ensemble

4-4:45 PM                   German-American Musicians Association

4:45-5 PM                   Buffalo Museum of Science demonstration

5-5:45 PM                   Colored Musicians Club‘s George Scott Big Band

5:45-6 PM                   Buffalo Museum of Science demonstration

6-6:45 PM                   Buffalo Soul Review: A Tribute to Buffalo Musicians and the Pine Grill

7:30 PM                      Full BPO Orchestral Concert: A Celebration of Buffalo’s East Side

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All activities – including the BPO concert – will take place inside the Central Terminal.  No tickets or reservations required.

Limited seating will be available but is not guaranteed. Reminiscent of the golden era of hustle and bustle of the Central Terminal, please be prepared to stand and/or move around the Terminal throughout the day including during the BPO concert.  If you have special needs, please contact the BPO at 242-7826, and we will be happy to accommodate you.

Please leave your coolers at home.  Food and drink will be available for purchase from 1:30 – 7:15 PM and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to support the participating East Side vendors.

Summer is a busy time so if you want to stop by during the day and then return at night, no problem!  Re-entry is permitted.

All music and activities for the day are free; the only costs are if you choose to purchase food, drink or art.  An ATM is planned to be onsite and many of the vendors accept credit/debit cards.

There is ample parking around the Central Terminal and in the surrounding neighborhood.  The Broadway Market has also offered use of their parking ramp.  If you choose to bike to the Festival, please bring your chain/lock as there will be a limited number of bike racks available outside the Terminal.

No bikes – or pets – are permitted inside the Terminal.

THANK YOU!

The East Side Festival is made possible by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and a lead sponsorship from M & T Bank.

Additional financial support provided by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Iroquois Bar Corp., National Grid, Council Members David Franczyk; Christopher Scanlon; David Rivera; Ulysees Wingo, Sr.; Congressman Brian Higgins, and Majority Leader Assemblymember Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes.

Thank you also to our media sponsor WIVB-TV.

A special note of thanks to East Side Festival Co-Chairs, Otis G. Glover and Rev. Melody Rutherford whose guidance has been invaluable.

BUFFALOVE!

The BPO’s East Side Festival is a true community collaboration demonstrating our City of Good Neighbors!

A Joyful Impression
Adam Mickiewicz Library
African American Cultural Center
All City Gospel Youth Choir
Advance Production Group (APG)
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
Buffalo History Museum
Buffalo Museum of Science
Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
Buffalo Philharmonic Diversity Council
Buffalo Philharmonic musicians and staff
Buffalo Public School Parent Engagement Center
Buffalo Soul Review
Central Terminal Restoration Corporation
Chrusciki Bakery
Cindy Abbott Letro
Classic Knot
Colored Musicians Club’s George Scott Big Band
Congressman Brian Higgins
Council Member Chistopher Scanlon
Council Member David Franczyk
Council Member David Rivera
Council Member Ulysees Wingo, Sr.
Divinity Holistics
Event Chairs, Otis N. Glover & Rev. Melody Rutherford
German-American Musicians Association
Harmony Polish Folk Ensemble
Hispanic Heritage Cultural Center
Inspirational Stones and Handmade Jewelry
Iroquois Bar Corp.
Jericho Road
Joe Cascio
Juneteenth Festival
Kathy’s Kloset Boutique
M & T Bank
Mad Sauces Catering
Majority Leader Assemblymember Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes
Mayor Byron Brown
Muhammad Z. Zaman
National Grid
Northland Workforce Training Center
Paul Robeson Theatre
Pretty Girls on the Rocks
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Regional Economic Development Council/New York State Council on the Arts
Senator Timothy Kennedy
Sweet Temptations Du Jour
Sweet Whisk
The Broadway Market
Torn Space Theater
WIVB-TV