Fun Things to do in Western NY

[Fallingwater79]

Originally Posted by woofenstein

Cheap food = any eatery that isn't a national fast food chain that has meals for less than, say, $8

what can I say, I'm a college student

My favorite Rochester restaurant so far is Salena's in the Village Gate mall. Oh my GOD that's good Mexican food, even if the owners aren't really Mexican! Pretty cheap, too. Lunch specials around 6 bucks...

Oh, and thanks to everyone who replied so far. Rep points for all!

Aladins: one on Monroe Ave and one in Schoen Place Pittsford...Greek food, outa this world and inexpensive.....lots of vegetarian choices..it is semi-chain as I believe there are a couple in Syracuse but still de-leese ,....hmmm where are the car keys, I'm hungry.........lol

[warm heatherette]

May 11 - 20 - Rochester Lilac Festival, featuring some great musical acts of all genres - blues, country, rock & zydeco. May 17 features the Wine Jazz & Blues Gala in the Park, topping the night off with the Edgar Winter Band. If you're into blues, Maria Muldaur is playing earlier in the week (www.lilacfestival.com) (broken link).

June 8 - 19 Rochester International Jazz Festival. This promises to be a spectacular event, with an impressive musical line-up, featuring artists from all over the world (rochesterjazz.com).

[kerrye]

Like the Rochester/Monroe area, there are numerous festivals in the Buffalo/Niagara region. Every weekend from May/June to October there are any number of festivals and events to choose from. The Allentown Art Festival takes place the 2nd week in June; the Taste of Buffalo is another great event featuring samples from area restaurants - everything from simple summer food to more sophisticated and ethnic cuisine. In addition there are numerous other art, music and food festivals such as the Hellenic Festival, the Italian Festival, the Elmwood Avenue Art Festival, the Lewiston Art Festival (August) and other family-friendly events. Every Tuesday evening, Artpark in Lewiston features free live music concerts in the gorge - everything from pop to rock (some of last year's acts included Los Lobos, Dicky Betts, Jon Secada just off the top of my head). Artpark also has a great Jazz program in the summer. In addition, there are free concerts Saturday nights at Canalfest in Tonawanda -these are mostly rock acts but the atmosphere is friendly and you can stroll around the canal and there is a more family-friendly atmosphere on the opposite side of the canal where people picnic. On Sunday afternoons, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery offers free jazz concerts in the summer and it is a nice, family-friendly venue to bring a picnic and enjoy music on a summer afternoon. In addition, there is Shakespeare in the Park in Delaware Park which runs Tuesdays through Sunday evenings and again, great place to bring a basket and enjoy the evening.

Just over the boarder is Niagara on the Lake which is a quaint, touristy little town and there are many wine, music and theatre festivals, as well as fine-dining and shops. There are also some nice festivals in the Town of Ellicottville, about an hour south of Buffalo. In addition, there are numerous outdoor activities in the surrounding state parks and the many wineries and festivals of the Finger Lakes region.

Best sources of information on the various festivals can be found in Buffalo Spree Magazine and on buffalorising.com. Enjoy!

[homeward bound]

Can we add a warning to this thread?

DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE HUNGRY AND STUCK IN A LAND FAR, FAR AWAY FROM N.Y. STATE'S TAPESTRY OF FINE EATING OPPORTUNITIES.

You're all driving me so nuts with this food description that I'm ready to eat Appalachia's deep-fried NASCAR stickers!

[homeward bound]

Is the Towne Restaurant in Buffalo (on Allen St., as I recall) still there and still good?

And is the Allentown neighborhood okay--improving, degrading, stable? It was very mixed when I lived in Western NY. Often festive, sometimes dicey, but with great potential to be a great place all over again...

[bellafinzi]

If you run of things to do in Western NY, Syracuse is just a short drive away. Here's a list of some of the festivals and events in the Syracuse area...

Jazz Fest http://www.syracusejazzfest.com/
Balloon Fest http://syracuseballoonfest.com/
CNY Scottish/Celtic Fest http://www.cnyscots.com/frame.html (broken link)
Festa Italiana http://www.festaitaliana.bizland.com/festa.html
Harborfest http://www.oswegoharborfest.com/
Irish Fest http://www.syracuseirishfestival.com/
St. Patrick's Parade http://www.9wsyr.com/content/special...s/default.aspx (broken link)
Greek Fest http://www.greek-fest.com/cgi-bin/displ_fest.pl?821
Apple Festival http://www.lafayetteapplefest.org/
NY State Fair http://www.nysfair.org/fair
Arts and Crafts Fest http://www.artmakers.com/syracuse.html
Lights on the Lake http://lightsonthelake.com/
Syracuse Nationals http://www.rightcoastcars.com/shows/syn/ (broken link)
Taste of Syracuse http://www.tasteofsyracuse.com/
Winterfest http://www.syracusewinterfest.com/
Dicken's Christmas http://www.skaneateles.com/dickens.html (broken link)
Flower and Garden Show http://www.cnyblooms.com/
K-Rockathon http://www.krockathon.com/
Fright Night at the Fair http://www.frightnightsatthefair.com/
Islandfest http://island-fest.com/
JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge http://www.jpmorganchasecc.com/
Jazz in the Square http://www.jazzinthesquare.org/ (broken link)
Syracuse Latino Festival http://www.rmpromotions.net/quepasa.html
Syracuse Oktoberfest http://www.germanamericanscny.net/
New York State Blues Festival http://www.nysbluesfest.com/
Syracuse Jewish Festival http://www.syracusejewishfestival.com/
Syracuse Euro Festival http://www.eurofestsyracuse.com/
Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament http://www.syracuseinvitational.com/#

Didn't list the smaller ones that do not have a website. During the summer, there is at least one festival going on each weekend in Syracuse. Plus there is "Party in the Plaza" every Wednesday in the summer.

[homeward bound]

Thanks, Bellafinzi!

That list is as much testimony to your generosity as it is to the region's treasure-trove of great traditions.

[kerrye]

Homeward Bound,

The Towne Restaurant is still operating in Allentown, along with many other new restaurants that have sprung up in that area. Some of them are Allentown Hardware Cafe, a small wine bar featuring live acoustic music and wonderful appetizers, salads and panini sandwiches. Sample is another small place with wonderful tapas and small plate options. Fiddleheads and Mothers are still operating and offer more high-end fare with Mothers' kitchen operating well into the night. There is Fat Bob's which is a bar/restaurant specializing in barbeque as well as a couple of Irish pubs/restaurants such as Colter Bay, Gabriel's Gate and K.Gallaghers. Even better Greek restaurants can be found just up from Allen on Elmwood such as Ambrosia, Mythos and a wonderful little place called Astoria (a personal favorite) which features wonderful meat and fish selections prepared in a mediterranean style.

Anyway, in short, check out the following website for a guide to local restaurants in the Buffalo/greater Western New York area:

http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/restauran...ed.index.shtml

[homeward bound]

Thanks, kerrye! We try to go back to my old hometown once a year. Won't make it this year, but it's great to know Allentown is doing okay and to learn about restaurants I didn't know about. Buffalo is truly one of the great eating locales in the country. Oughta be a law to distribute enough Greeks, Italians, Indians, Vietnamese, and Thai (actually, I could make this a long, long list) throughout the country. You wouldn't believe how rare, if not impossible, good food is in Virginia outside the college towns and biggest cities. I like typical and traditional American food just fine, but you can't beat a city (and state) of relatively recent and very varied immigrants for the best food.

Thanks again!

[ebina49]

Rochester during the summer? Charlie's Frog Pond on Park for brunch. K.C. Tea/Noodles on Park and also now just around the corner from Monroe for asian/sushi/bubble tea. Panzari's in Corn Hill or Pomodoro (with the patio bar!) for Americanized Italian. Distillery for more American and beer. Le Lemongrass for Vietnamese on Monroe.

Fun? That's tougher. The festivals are great, however.