This July 15th & July 16th (716 Day), there’s only one place to be: Cobblestone Live Music & Arts Festival in the Historic Cobblestone District of Downtown Buffalo. This two-day festival takes place from 6pm to 11pm on July 15 and from 1pm to 11pm on July 16 with after parties set at Buffalo Iron Works and Lockhouse Distillery & Bar each night. Over the last decade, the Historic Cobblestone District has become a breeding ground for live music and entertainment. Cobblestone Live is a neighborhood of bars, restaurants, and venues coming together to put on a two-day festival which will continue to grow to a national-sized festival in the years to come.
“In 2017 we did about 1,500 people. In 2018, we did about 3,000 over the two days. In 2019, we were just under 5,000. We were really lucky to see the growth and it showed us that this was something that Buffalo would get behind, and everybody that came to the festival really loved the experience of being in the streets, especially the cobblestone streets,” says Josh Holtzman, Cobblestone Live festival founder and CEO of Twenty6 Productions.
Organizers from Twenty6 Productions, Buffalo Iron Works, and Lockhouse Distillery are excited to offer a unique festival and summer block party experience by curating a family-friendly, community-focused energy to this July’s gathering. In addition to the substantial lineup of international, national, and local acts, food vendors, and interactive programming that attendees have enjoyed in previous years, this year adds a Kid’s Village as well as a Vendor Village, sustainable and organic food options including the ever-popular ShuckShack, Mister Sizzles, and Effortlessly Healthy, music workshops taught by international musicians, yoga, live painting, fire dancing, specialty cocktails and mocktails, lounge areas, and more.
This year’s lineup features the following internationally-touring musicians: MisterWives, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Andy Frasco & The UN, The Hip Abduction, Mihali of Twiddle, and a supergroup featuring former members of Turkuaz performing a tribute to Alanis Morissette. National artists include Doom Flamingo, Dirty Work – Steely Dan Tribute featuring members of Aqueous, Funktional Flow, Grub, Canetis, and The Sideways. Locals like Funktional Flow, Workingman’s Dead, The Sideways, Grace Greenan, and Cypher will pull it all together with performances on both days. An SE2 presented Silent Disco inside Buffalo Iron Works will close out the festival on Saturday evening.
“This year is about bringing everyone together. We do everything in our power to make this experience accessible to all, and we like to think of it as THE summer block party to be at for locals and Northeasterners alike,” says Holtzman.
“We at Twenty6 have grown so much in the past two years – running events and festivals on a national level and honing our craft – so we have a whole new level of organization and experience to bring to this year’s festival,” adds Grace Vesneske, Cobblestone Live festival co-owner and President of Twenty6 Productions.
Tickets for this year’s festival are on sale now via cobblestonelive.com with pricing starting at $30. See pricing breakdown below:
● ADVANCE:
○ Two-day general access: $45
○ Single-day general access: $30
○ Two-day VIP access: $185
○ Single-day VIP access: $105
● DAY-OF FESTIVAL:
○ Two-day general access: $55
○ Single-day general access: $40
○ Two-day VIP access: $200
○ Single-day VIP access: $125
The Kid’s Village will be located on Illinois Street outside of Buffalo Iron Works and is being put on by the Junior Jerry Jam organization. It will include musical performances geared toward children, music workshops featuring international musicians, art workshops with professional artists, interactive displays from The Buffalo Collective and Treasures Around Us, face painting, fairy hair, and more.
“This year we are trying to hit different groups of people, especially families. The Kids Village is something we’re all really excited for this year because we’re trying to build on that family feel and have the kids come out and experience the music and the arts and it’s going to be just the whole community vibe,” shares Adrianne Salmon, marketing director for Twenty6 Productions and Buffalo Iron Works
VIP passes include private VIP-only tented areas, front-of-stage viewing areas at each outdoor stage, a premium bar with craft beverages, lounge area under VIP tent, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and snacks, private bathroom access at each VIP tent, a commemorative laminate, tables and chairs for seating options, and more.
To purchase tickets, please visit the Cobblestone Live website, and for festival news and updates you can follow Cobblestone Live on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Interested vendors can contact events@twenty6productions.com and interested sponsors should inquire at sponsorships@twenty6productions.com.
“I think that this festival has really been able to stand on its own and it’s allowed people to understand that there is more in this area than just the arena. We obviously love and support the arena and we love everything they do there, but I think that it’s also great that people know they can come down here seven days a week. It’s also helped to showcase the preservation that’s been done here, and just really the history of the entire area. But, ultimately it’s all about giving people, memories, experiences, and something to look forward to,” explains Holtzman.
Learn more about Cobblestone Live at cobblestonelive.com.
Photos by Matt Shotwell, Strawberry Island D.Weller
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