Snow or No Snow…
Buffalo WinterFest and Powder Keg Festival is Still a Go!

3rd Annual Buffalo Winter Fest & Powder Keg Festival Set for Feb. 11th and 12th

BUFFALO, N.Y. – February 7, 2012 – Buffalo has experienced a winter like no other. Warm temperatures and rain has been a common occurrence this year replacing snow, ice and freezing readings on the thermometer. On Feb. 11th and 12th, the 3rd annual Buffalo Powder Keg Festival, part of the Buffalo Winterfest weekend, comes to downtown Buffalo, with more FREE fun than ever before. The festival will feature outdoor events in Niagara Square, along two blocks of Delaware Avenue, as well as indoor events in the historic Statler City building. There will be activities that have no need for snow.

Outdoor highlights include the BlueCross BlueShield Snowman Making Challenge, ice carving and wood carving, ice-skating at Rotary Rink, and a Buffalo historical hike. For the sport lover there will be broomball and touch football competitions, a Police vs. Fire Olympics and the Best Fitness Strongman competition. Kids will be entertained with a petting zoo, hockey shot competitions, Kan Jam, a Scavenger Hunt, Hay Rides and a visit from the SPCA Whisker Wagon.

This year will also feature the Red Bull Butter Cup Series, a snowboard competition open to snowboarders of intermediate to advanced skill levels. The snowboard venue will be set up in front of City Hall in Niagara Square. One hundred tons of snow will bring the mountain to the streets, setting the stage for the best local athletes to compete for cash and prizes. Festival organizers feel this is a great opportunity for Buffalo to showcase a group of local athletes doing what they love to do.

Inside Statler City, the Grand Ballroom will transform into the “City of Lights Live” Buffalo music fest, with live music all weekend long. Saturday features the "City of Light Live" Buffalo Music Fest with local artists Free Henry, Critt's Juke Joint and the Mick Hayes Band. Sunday is Country Music Day featuring West of the Mark and 90 WEST.

Of course, no festival would be complete without great food featuring wintertime favorites from local restaurants in the Terrace Room. The building’s 2nd floor will feature a family entertainment area with carnival games, face painting and winter crafts. Other activities include a chili cook-off and local food trucks that will be set up long Delaware Ave. the entire festival weekend.

On Friday, Feb. 10 a craft beer and wine tasting will take place inside Statler City to launch the festival weekend. The Buffalo Winter Bash sponsored by Consumer’s Beverages and Try-It Distributors runs from 6-9pm and will feature tastings of craft beer and wine from some of Western New York’s best local wineries. Tickets which are $30 per person, $35 at the door include chicken wings from local eateries, Yancey’s Fancy Artisan Cheeses, Rosina Meatballs, light snacks and live music all night. Tickets are available at the festival website, Consumers Beverages and at the door while they last.
“We wear the label ‘snow belt’ like a badge of honor, thumbing our frosted noses at the wintery misconceptions and stereotypes that pervade the national consciousness,” said festival organizer Drew Cerza. “This is Buffalo’s opportunity to show our wintery civic pride.”

Veteran festival promoter Drew Cerza, founder of the National Buffalo Wing Festival, organizes the Buffalo Winterfest & Powder Keg Festival. Partnering with the Buffalo Auto Show that takes place in the Buffalo Convention Center the same weekend, Cerza promises this will become Buffalo’s biggest downtown winter weekend. Last year’s event drew more than 30,000 people.

Major sponsors of the Buffalo Winterfest are BlueCross Blue/Shield, New Era, Tim Hortons, Red Bull, Cricket, Yancey’s Fancy and The Buffalo News. Partial proceeds from the festival will benefit the Buffalo Police Athletic League. Festival sponsors include Freed Maxick, Coca-Cola, TGI Friday’s, and VSP Marketing Graphic Group.

To learn more about the festival, visit www.BuffaloWinterfest.com.