The Taste of Buffalo, the largest annual two-day food festival in the country, will celebrate its 32nd year on July 11-12, 2015 in downtown Buffalo. Over 450,000 people are expected to attend the event to sample food from nearly 60 local restaurants and food trucks. In addition to food, there will be beverages from New York wineries and companies like Coca-Cola and Labatt, as well as cooking demonstrations, children's activities, live music, and fundraising for local charities.

1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2015
Contact: Erin Collins
716-479-2337
Ecollins7@gmail.com
TASTE OF BUFFALO PRESENTED BY TOPS OFFERS
“FUN BY THE FORKFUL” JULY 11 AND 12
Bring your appetite to sample Western New York’s food favorites
Buffalo, NY – The Taste of Buffalo, presented by Tops Markets, celebrates 32 years of showcasing
culinary delights from all over Western New York this summer. The country's largest annual two-day
food festival, which draws approximately 450,0000 hungry food lovers each year, returns to Delaware
Avenue and Niagara Square in downtown Buffalo on Saturday, July 11 from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. and
Sunday, July 12 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. The event’s popular lawn-fete style beer tent in Niagara
Square will return for a second year and be open until 11 p.m. on Saturday. Festival organizers
expect to feature nearly 60 restaurants and food trucks, seven New York State wineries, Coca-Cola,
Labatt and Flying Bison beverages.
“The Taste of Buffalo is one of Western New York’s biggest summer events. After this long, cold
winter, we’re more excited than ever to bring an outdoor celebration to downtown Buffalo,” said Laura
Jacobs, 2015 Taste of Buffalo chair. “The event draws a mix of local visitors, Buffalo expats returning
home to visit and even tourists looking for a foodie adventure. Every year, we hear stories of people
who’ve planned their annual vacations around the Taste of Buffalo!”
While you will find a sampling of chicken wings and pizza among the offerings, the Taste highlights an
incredibly diverse food scene that has emerged across Western New York. From food trucks to
traditional brick and mortar restaurants, more than 200 different items are available each year. With
Indian dishes such as chicken tikka masala and chana saag, unique vegetarian options from seitan
wings to Jamaican vegetable patties, Italian specialties such as a porchetta slider and wild boar
gnocchi, American staples such as pulled pork and ice cream sundaes, along with the Caribbean,
Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Burmese, barbecue, seafood and soul food options offered last
year, the Taste of Buffalo truly is a melting pot of flavors.
“We can’t wait to see what new items our participating restaurants come up with for 2015,” said Jacobs.
The complete list of restaurants, food trucks and wineries, along with 2015 menu items, will be posted at
www.tasteofbuffalo.com in mid-June.
Restaurants and organizers keep costs for visitors in mind as well, with no single food item costing
more than $4.00. “We understand the importance of offering affordable options to our guests,” Jacobs
added. “Each restaurant offers a smaller, taste-sized portion of one of their signature items for just $2.
This allows someone attending the event to sample 10 different restaurants and only spend $20.”
For the ninth year, all participating restaurants are required to offer a healthy menu item as part of the
Taste and Independent Health Foundation’s “Healthy Options” program. These items are lower in fat,
cholesterol and sodium. The Taste was the first food festival in the country to introduce a healthy
requirement.
The Taste’s Culinary Stage, located inside the New Era Cap parking lot on Delaware Avenue, will
feature a Media Celebrity Grill Off competition, along with exciting food and drink demonstrations
hosted by Buffalo’s finest chefs throughout the weekend under a shady tent. Saturday’s schedule will
kick off at noon with a Kid’s Sundae Building Competition sponsored by Breyers. Local chefs will

2. compete to create the best ice cream sundae with help from some pint-sized sous-chefs and a panel
of kid judges will determine the winner. On Sunday, a Kid’s Pancake Competition with samples for the
audience will open the stage.
Additional activities for little ones will take place in the Taste of Fun KidZone in Niagara Square.
Children can enjoy an obstacle course from Rolly Pollies and the Imagination Playground from
Explore & More Children’s Museum on a grassy area. Under the tent, there’s hands-on fun, a giant
coloring mural, a make-and-take project and free Smucker’s Uncrustables, while they last.
For the 21 and older crowd, a lawn fete style beer tent on Niagara East in Niagara Square will stay
open until 11 p.m. on Saturday and feature live music by Buffalo’s best party rock bands, sponsored
by Jack FM. Live country music acts will take the stage on Sunday, sponsored by WYRK. You can
catch local celebrities bartending throughout the weekend.
Additionally, a variety of national and local sponsors will serve up free samples and host interactive
displays all weekend long. Some of the sponsors include: Tops Markets, Coca-Cola, Labatt, AT&T,
New Era Cap, Independent Health and Independent Health Foundation, Northtown Automotive, Lipton
Tea, Simple Skincare, Newman’s Own, Smucker’s Toppings, Smucker’s Uncrustables, The Big Bite
Tour, Cupcake Vineyards, GEICO, Kwik Fill, Ocean Spray Craisins, J & J and Coppertone.
The Taste of Buffalo presented by Tops is the nation's largest two-day food festival, attracting more
than 450,000 people to Buffalo. The not-for-profit Taste, celebrating 32 years in 2015, has more than
1,000 volunteers. More than $277,000 has been raised at the festival for local charities. In addition,
five $1,000 scholarships are presented annually to local high school seniors pursuing a culinary or
hospitality-related degree. Festival hours are Saturday, July 11, from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., with the
lawn-fete style beer tent in Niagara Square open until 11 p.m., and Sunday, July 12, from 11 a.m. until
7 p.m. There is no admission fee and food prices range from $2 - 4. Cash, MasterCard and Visa are
accepted at the event. For more information, visit www.tasteofbuffalo.com, or visit us on
Facebook and Twitter.
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