Buffalo’s fourth annual festival features 15 garden walks (including America’s largest), workshops, open gardens, a Buffalo-Style Garden Art Sale and more

Buffalo, N.Y. - May 20, 2013 - The fourth annual National Garden Festival will take place from June 21 to Aug. 4 in Buffalo, N.Y. and it is, by far, the largest garden festival in America.

The six-week-long festival offers something for anyone with (or without) a green thumb:

15 garden walks and tours throughout the Buffalo Niagara region, totaling nearly 1,000 private gardens. The most popular of the tours is Garden Walk Buffalo - the largest free garden walk in the country, with more than 350 private gardens on view - on July 27 and 28.

A series of luxury motorcoach tours, operated by AAA Western and Central New York’s Horizon Club Tours. Expert gardeners will provide behind-the-scenes tours of some of Buffalo’s finest gardens, from secluded private yards to the city’s Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks. The tours each include a sit-down lunch. Read more »

Tourism Summit Generates New Ideas to Bring More Visitors to New York State
Governor: NYS Tourism Equals Business

Albany, N.Y. (May 8, 2014) - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of New York’s largest tourism campaign in decades, committing nearly $60 million to grow the industry, create jobs and attract even more visitors to the Empire State.

The Governor’s announcement came at the conclusion of the New York State Tourism Summit, where hundreds of tourism experts gathered in Albany to discuss ideas and new ways to bring tourists to every corner of the state. As the fifth largest employment sector in New York, tourism supported 714,000 jobs and generated more than $29 billion in wages in 2012. One out of every 12 jobs in New York is tourism-related. The more than 202 million international and domestic visitors to the Empire State last year resulted in $57 billion in direct tourism spending, and generated $7 billion in state and local taxes.

“New York State has some of the most beautiful tourist attractions in the world. From the peaks of the Adirondacks to the beaches of Long Island, no matter what you’re looking for you can find it here,” Governor Cuomo said. “I want the world to know about these assets, too, and am committed to making the State a ‘must see’ global destination and creating new jobs and investments in New York.” Read more »

“Buffalo Niagara: Bring the Kids!” highlights kid-friendly fun, from Niagara Falls to the Buffalo Zoo

Buffalo, N.Y. - With peak travel season just around the corner, Visit Buffalo Niagara is highlighting Western New York’s family attractions in its newest video, titled “Buffalo Niagara: Bring the Kids!”

Over the course of three minutes, the video shows how you can experience the wonder of Niagara Falls, get soaked on a Whirlpool Jet Boat Tour, stand where Teddy Roosevelt took the oath of office, meet exotic animals at the Buffalo Zoo, explore WWII warships, hear the thunder of cannons at Old Fort Niagara, set sail on the Spirit of Buffalo, root for the Buffalo Bisons and more. Read more »

From tall ship visits to battle re-enactments, events will celebrate two centuries of peace in a big way

Buffalo, N.Y. - It’s easy to take America’s strong, friendly relationship with Canada for granted, but 200 years ago, the two countries were at odds in the War of 1812, a war that lasted three years. In 1813, American and British/Canadian forces faced off on the waters of Lake Erie and in battles on both sides of the border, with Buffalo getting burned to the ground by British troops in retaliation for the American burning of present-day Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Throughout 2013, our countries will commemorate these events and celebrate the two centuries of peace that have followed. Officials from the Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council, Erie County, Niagara County, Visit Buffalo Niagara and local attractions have announced an exciting schedule of 2013 events - from tall ship visits to battle re-enactments. Read more »

Niagara County, N.Y. - The Niagara Wine Trail, USA has announced the launch of the new NIAGARA WINE magazine. It is the first publication dedicated to promoting the Niagara Wine Region as a world-class wine destination. The premier issue, published by Flint Mine Press, will be available in late Summer 2013.

“NIAGARA WINE magazine is an opportunity to showcase the diversity of the our wineries to visitors, and those in the area,” says Niagara Wine Trial president, Oscar Vizcarra. “To fully show what really makes our region unique just can’t be expressed in a simple brochure. A magazine is the perfect vehicle to attract wine enthusiasts to the Niagara region, and to delve into what sets our wine making styles apart from other areas.” Read more »

Buffalo.ForRealTV episode highlights Darwin Martin House Complex and Graycliff

Buffalo, N.Y. - April 8, 2013 - Just in time for the Society of Architectural Historians to bring its 2013 conference to Buffalo from April 10 to 14, Visit Buffalo Niagara is highlighting a pair of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed projects - the Darwin Martin House Complex and Graycliff - in the latest episode of its Buffalo.ForRealTV webisode series.

Buffalo.ForRealTV host Nelson Starr takes a “man on the street” approach to interviewing tour-goers from across North America and as far away as the United Kingdom who give rave reviews of each location. The video, titled “Buffalo.ForRealTV: Architecture Done Wright,” clocks in at 4 minutes and 29 seconds and it can be found on YouTube at www.youtube.com/buffalocvb. Read more »

Albany, N.Y. - As spring spreads its warmth across New York State, festivals and activities celebrating the state’s bounty, outdoor attractions and heritage are sprouting up. New York State ranks among the top wine, fruit, dairy and berry producing states in the nation, and farms, wineries and breweries across the state are increasingly opening their doors to visitors. Factor in its protected wilderness–more state-designated wilderness land than any state (except Alaska)-and New York State’s many pivotal roles in the history of the country, it’s easy to see why the season of awakening is filled with activities for visitors.
 
What follows is just a sampling of the many festivals and special events happening statewide this spring: Read more »