Lacrosse enthusiasts, mark your calendars and prepare for an exhilarating night of high-stakes action as the Buffalo Bandits face off against the Colorado Mammoth! Get ready to witness the clash of these lacrosse titans as they battle it out in the final game of the NLL Finals (best of three series) on Saturday, June 3 at 7:30 PM at KeyBank Center (AKA Banditland). This final game will decide if the Bandits bring home their fifth NLL Cup.

Whether you’re a die-hard lacrosse fan or a newcomer to the sport, this game promises excitement, skill, and edge-of-your-seat moments. Head over to www.ticketmaster.com/event and secure your tickets to this highly anticipated lacrosse showdown.

Witness the thunderous shots, lightning-fast passes, and jaw-dropping saves as the Bandits and the Mammoth go head-to-head. Bring your friends, family, and fellow lacrosse enthusiasts to experience the thrill of this matchup together. From the pre-game buzz to the final buzzer, this event promises to be a night you won’t forget.

Get your game faces on because the Buffalo Bandits and the Colorado Mammoth are ready to ignite the field and create lacrosse history!

The post <strong>The NLL Finals will be decided in Banditland! Don’t Miss the Epic Showdown this Saturday</strong> appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Buffalo is heating up for the summer… and this event roundup is no exception. In addition to enjoying the incredible weather that Western NY has to offer, (and visiting its many outdoor green spaces) why not take in something new? This guide features events that might be totally new experiences for Buffalonians, including musical theater (Hello, Dolly! in concert), axe throwing (Hatchet and Hops), new cuisine (Food Truck Tuesdays), and music (Bruce Cockburn and Dar Williams, and Rhythm and Blues). Let these new experiences spring you into an unforgettable summer.

Event: Hello, Dolly!

Starring Buffalo
Shea’s 710 Theater
710 Main Street
June 2 and 3 | 7:30 PM evening, 2:00 PM Matinee
$42-$56 | Tickets

Broadway star, and Buffalo native Michele Ragusa comes back “where she belongs” in this concert version of the beloved musical. Check out our article and podcast about the show here.

Event: H Boone: TRANS HUMAN

The Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art
30 Essex Street
June 2 | 7 PM – 10 PM
Free | Information

Artist H Boone creates glitched, biomorphic sculptures by augmenting 3D scans of Buffalo’s trans and gender-nonconforming community. This ongoing project reflects the artist’s desire to combine science fiction, queer world-building, and building trans community through art. The exhibit is on display through July 2, 2023. 

Event: Food Truck Tuesdays 

Larkin Square 
745 Seneca Street
June 6 – August 29| 5 PM – 8 PM
Free | Schedule 

Dozens of food trucks from Buffalo, Rochester and beyond come together to celebrate a night of food, live music and fun in the square! Each week hosts different trucks and bands, so check out the website to see if your favorite is there. 

Event: Axe Throwing 

Hatchet and Hops
Black Rock 
68 Tonawanda St. 
Reservations Required 
$40 per person | Book Here 

Drink a beer, and (safely) throw an axe with friends!  A match made in heaven!  This unique venue has two Buffalo locations, downtown and Black Rock, but both offer the same fun, excitement, and brews. 

Concert: Bruce Cockburn and Dar Williams

Babeville Buffalo, Asbury Hall
341 Delaware Avenue
June 12 | 8 PM
$45 – $50 | Tickets

One of Canada’s finest musical  artists, musician Bruce Cockburn has enjoyed an illustrious career shaped by politics, spirituality, and musical diversity.  He is joined by prolific artist, and writer of ‘As Cool as I am,’ Dar Williams.  This evening is a dream for fans of singer songwriters. 

Event: DL Hughley

Helium Comedy Club
30 Mississippi Street
Jun 9 – June 11 | 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM
$42-$52 | Tickets

One of the most popular and highly recognized standup comedians, and an ‘Original King of Comedy,’ Hughley brings his insightful, savvy, and observational style to Buffalo.  Please note: In addition to the two-item minimum, there will be an 18% administrative fee in the showroom.

Event: Rhythm and Blues

Kleinhans Music Hall
Mary Seaton Room
3 Symphony Circle
June 16 | 6 PM – 9 PM
$45 | Tickets

Kleinhans Music Hall’s beloved annual fundraiser Rhythm and Brews returns! Sample a number of local brews and incredible food, and enjoy live music provided by My Cousin Tone’ and The John Bacon Quintet. Proceeds from the event will benefit Kleinhans Music Hall’s programming, and the upkeep of this National Historic Landmark building.

The post Must-Attend Events (June 1-15) | Discover the Best of Buffalo’s Summer Scene from Hello, Dolly! to Hatches and Hops; Rhythm & Brews; legendary Canadian musician, Bruce Cockburn; and more… appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

We know that you have your choice of awesome things to do and see here in Western New York, especially when it comes to festival season. But we have over 20 reasons why you NEED to check out the Hertel Alley Mural Fest on June 10 and 11.

The 20+ artists were chosen to participate in Hertel Alley Mural Fest from a pool of 99 applications for their strong artistic voice and their excitement for the community engagement element of the festival. For some, this will be their third or fourth time painting a mural but for many this will be their first opportunity to create a work on this large of a scale and you’ll be able to see it all unfold live at Mural Fest.

Please join us in congratulating the following artists taking part in this year’s festival:

XIII

Red Wizard

Danger Benzin

Tim Cornelius

Danielle Saeva

Jay Hawkins

Scar Markham

The Left Handed Bandit

Mark Zastrow

Chuck Tingley

Haley Spadlin

Savion Mingo

Saira Siddiqui

Bree Gilliam

Princessa

Edreys Wajed

Markenzy Cesar

Teouria Morris

Courtney Haeick

Keshanta Cleveland

Sabrina Parsons

The Solo Roths

Jordan Weaver

Julia Bottoms

Nick Bonvissuto

Justin Suarez

To stay up to date on all things Mural Fest including festival FAQs, weather updates and more, check out the link below and respond to the Facebook event here.

The post Artists announced for Hertel Alley Mural Fest appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

All campaign committees involved in primary elections this year were required to file their financial disclosure reports with the state Board of Elections on May 26.  Several Democratic and Republican primaries are worth noting.  The campaign account information for transactions reported since January 2023 includes the following:

Buffalo, Ellicott District Councilmember, Democratic primary.  Matt Dearing;  raised $11,816; spent $8,742; has $3,073 remaining.    Leah Halton-Pope: raised $45,644, with approximately a third of the money coming from donors with addresses in New York City and other parts of the state outside of Erie County; spent $10,224; balance $35,420.  Neither Cedric Holloway nor Emim Eddie Egriu had a financial report on file as of May 30.

Buffalo, Lovejoy District Councilmember, Democratic primary.  Incumbent Bryan Bollman:  raised $16,631; spent $5,176; balance $22,268.  Mohammed Uddin: raised $ 15,716; spent $11,835; balance $3,881.

Buffalo, Masten District Councilmember, Democratic primary.  Zeneta Everhart: raised $63,858, about 10 percent of which came from donors with addresses outside of Erie County; spent $43,809; balance $20,049.  India Walton: raised $22,280, of which $4,270 was unitemized; spent $11,902; balance $13,165.  The Walton Committee did not file its required January 2023 report.

Buffalo, North District Councilmember, Democratic primary.  Incumbent Joe Golombek:  raised $24,894; spent $20,596; balance $55,211.  Eve Shippens: raised $14,488; spent $18,107; balance $3,774.

Buffalo, University District Councilmember, Democratic primary.  Incumbent Rasheed Wyatt: raised $6,490; spent $12,618; balance $10,218.  Kathryn Franco: raised $7,846; spent $5,943; balance $2,421.

Erie County Legislature, 10th District, Republican and Conservative primaries. Incumbent James Malczewski raised $37,527; spent $6,673; balance $31,342. Lindsay Lorigo: raised $10,930; spent $1,593; balance $9,337. Expect spending in this race to ramp up considerably over the next four weeks.

City of Tonawanda, Council President, Democratic primary.  Incumbent Jenna Koch: raised $878; spent $728; balance $590 .  Mary Ann  Cancilla: has no financial data in her report.

Alden Supervisor, Republican primary.  Neither Alecia Barrett nor Colleen Paulter had a financial report on file as of May 30.

Grand Island Supervisor, Republican primary.  Peter Marston: raised $1,170; spent; $4,269; balance $2,516. Michael Madigan: raised $2,925; spent $2,925; balance $0.

Marilla Supervisor, Republican primary.  Neither Incumbent Earl Gingerich nor Jennifer Achman had a financial report on file as of May 30.

There are 8 Democratic and 10 Republican primaries including those for the offices of highway superintendent (Cheektowaga); councilmember (City of Tonawanda, Alden, Orchard Park, Wales); town clerk (Marilla); and town justice (West Seneca).  There are 10 Conservative Party primaries for County Legislature, Lackawanna and City of Tonawanda offices, and town offices. The Working Families Party has two primaries for town offices.

The next financial reports are due on June 16th.  The primary elections will be held on June 27th.

Asylum seekers

When they cannot come up with relevant issues to discuss in a campaign, some candidates gravitate to matters that can create confusion or fear.  Such is the discussion now occurring about housing or not housing asylum seekers.

An alien who seeks asylum is a person who has left their country where their life or freedom may be threatened on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion..

As far as I can determine there were no Casilio’s; or Lorigo’s; or Malczewski’s; or Kruly’s on that first shipload of asylum seekers who landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. 

Those of us with ancestors who came long after that date, particularly in the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century, got into this country at various locations and under rules and regulations that were certainly different and in many cases looser than the immigration laws that we know about today.  Many came to escape various forms of persecution in their native lands.  Not all of those who arrived 100 to 175 years ago became good citizens, but most did.  Some had names that were difficult to pronounce.  They didn’t all speak English.  They accepted some of the most backbreaking jobs available in order to support their families.  You know their descendants today as your family, friends and neighbors.

History has a way of repeating itself.

Ken Kruly writes about politics and other stuff at politicsandstuff.com

The post Campaign financials in Buffalo Council, Legislature and town and city primaries; a note about asylum seekers appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

A three-story Theater District building is for sale. 426 Pearl Street, a four-story, 12,760 sq.ft., circa-1930 building has a $1.276 million asking price and is being listed by Howie Green of HomeSmart Homes and Estates as redevelopment-ready. It has been owned by Charles Davis and Suzanne Houenstein since 1997.

From the listing:

Great opportunity in Downtown Buffalo Theater District. Retail on first level, three upper levels with exposed brick ready for redevelopment. 11-foot ceilings! Full dry basement. Zoning is for mixed-use urban core. Owner is willing to leaseback ground level retail space. Building comes with 6-space parking lot.

Get Connected: Howie Greene, 845.547.0005

The post On the Market: 426 Pearl appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Work is underway to convert a former warehouse building into the local offices of Bitwise Industries.  Douglas Development is undertaking the project. The three-story, 32,698 sq.ft. building was constructed in 1949 and was most recently occupied by Concept Logistics.

Fresno-based Bitwise is expected to play a key role in expanding the region’s tech workforce. The firm works with primarily marginalized communities to obtain the skills and resources to access opportunities in the tech industry and provides paid apprenticeships to students to learn tech skills. It has a proven model of providing pathways into the technology industry for people coming from stories of poverty and/or exclusion.

Bitwise’s facility will include classrooms, space for its own business, a daycare center, café, and additional space for other companies to co-locate there.

The post Construction Watch: 368 Sycamore Street appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

“First Bangladeshi Street Food in Buffalo”

The former Jankowski Cigar Factory building, now home to the Cigar Factory Apartments, has added a new tenant to its roster – Zia Coffee Shop. The addition of the Bangladeshi street food café is great news for the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood, which has seen a number of crucial investments over the last few years. This particular eatery is located just down the street from The Central Terminal. It’s also kitty-corner from Torn Space Theater, housed in the Adam Mickiewicz Library and Dramatic Circle.

According to a neighbor, Zia Coffee Shop is not as much of a coffee shop, as it is a great place to grab a bite to eat. Menu items posted on the shop windows indicate that a few of the Halal offerings include lacchi (or lassi, Indian yogurt–based beverage) smoothies, fuchka (Indian street food with spiced mashed potato filling), chotpoti (spicy Bengali street food), jhalmuri (puffed rice street food), chitoi pitha (Bengali rice-based steamed pancake), and shahi kulfi (pista ice cream). There are also some basic American-style offerings such as tuna and egg sandwiches.

Zia Coffee Shop is the perfect addition to this culturally-significant corner. For those living in the neighborhood, catching a performance, or on their way to The Central Terminal, this timely enterprise could become quite the hub for anyone frequenting Fillmore Avenue.

Zia Coffee Shop | 595 Fillmore Avenue | Buffalo NY | 716-400-9994

The post Zia Coffee Shop appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

A new slap fighting movie, “Slapped Straight.” had its premiere in Buffalo last month. 

In almost one year, the film was conceived, written, filmed, and debuted locally by Luminary Figures Group, a local Film production company run by David O. Anderson and Raynel T. Almonte. 

In 2021, the filmmakers brought their production houses together, ComposedIMAGE (David) and FrameArt Pictures (Raynel), to form Luminary Figures Group or LFG. The duo are responsible for all aspects of the movies they produce. They are the writers, cinematographers, directors, and editors of their films, and with local talent from Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls, NY, they produce quality work everytime. 

Company has created 4 short films and 1 series which is still in post production.  “Slapped Straight,” is their first feature length production.  

The film had its debut screening in April 2023 at the Capitol Theatre in Niagara Falls, NY where they also held a red carpet premiere. To the delight of the studio, the film was a hit with the crowd and received a standing ovation. 

The idea for this unique film came to Anderson and  Almonte while they were on the set of their upcoming show “Unusual Attraction” after  Raynel asked David to slap him on camera. It was there that “Slapped Straight” was born.

Conceived with a hip-hop flair and energy, production began in April of 2022 and spanned a total of five months. Central to the film, The Luminary Brothers were careful to showcase the beautiful scenery in Buffalo and shot in various locations throughout the city. 

 “Slapped Straight” is now available on all major streaming platforms. 

Whether you’re a competitive slapping, which got its start on the internet thanks to some viral videos, or a fan of action-packed comedies, “Slapped Straight” is sure to keep you rolling in your seat with laughter. 

The post The Luminary Brothers’ Feature Film Debut ‘Slapped Straight’ Hits Buffalo appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

WNY has just upped its game in the category of aquariums. The Aquarium of Niagara has announced that it has tapped Turner Construction Company as the project manager for its $5 million Great Lakes 360 project. Once complete, the Great Lakes 360 project will be “a living museum featuring the notable wildlife of the Niagara River and larger Great Lakes ecosystem.”

This is a win-win for the Aquarium, not only because of Great Lakes 360’s significant tie-in with the region, but also because the project augments the Aquarium’s geographical footprint and establishes the organization as a campus in downtown Niagara Falls. 

Interestingly enough, this is the first expansion in the organization’s 58-year history, making the project of utmost significance in, and for, Niagara Falls.

Here are a few items of interest to consider:

Under an agreement with New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, the Aquarium will renovate the vacant Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, also known as the Schoellkopf Geological Museum. 

The 5,000 square foot building is situated just 500 feet southwest of the Aquarium’s main building, within the boundaries of the Niagara Falls State Park, and at the precipice of the Niagara Gorge. 

The Aquarium will celebrate its proximity to the natural wonder of Niagara Falls by ensuring a seamless guest experience that spans across indoor and outdoor spaces.  

“We are embarking on something extraordinarily significant for ecotourism in our region thanks to a fortified alliance with New York State Parks,” said Gary Siddall, President & CEO of the Aquarium of Niagara. “Visitors will have the opportunity to feel the mist coming off the falls, take to the trails to explore unique areas of the Niagara Gorge, then come to Great Lakes 360 and really get to know the animals they may have just encountered outside through hands-on experiences and compelling interpretation.” 

The Great Lakes 360 project builds upon a strategic commitment to rebranding the Aquarium inside and out, including more than $10 million in new exhibits and visitor amenities.

“NYS Parks is thrilled to be partnering with the Aquarium of Niagara on this innovative project to reimagine the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center,” said Mark V. Mistretta, Niagara Region Director, New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. “The Niagara River and the Great Lakes are incredible natural resources unique to our region so to have an opportunity to tell their stories is exciting. We look forward to the opening of this new attraction that will only add to the already dynamic offerings of the Aquarium of Niagara, and the state park as a whole.”

Once complete, there will be enough space to increase the Aquarium’s exhibit potential by 40 percent. Open opening, 15 brand new exhibits will be viewable, featuring turtles, amphibians, insects, and many species of fish, all of which are native to the Great Lakes. CPL Architecture and Tenji Aquarium Design + Build has been retained to create the educational, visually stimulating, and interactive exhibits.

The indoor, year-round attraction will be accessible in tandem with the Aquarium’s main building via a single general admission ticket and is expected to welcome more than 200,000 visitors annually. 

“The Aquarium of Niagara is a destination and one of the best places to visit in the Falls. Being a part of the Great Lakes 360 Project Team is thrilling for Turner and our employees. We know and value the significant impact this project will have on education, conservation, research, and recreation for both our community and visitors from outside the region. While all our projects are significant to us, the ones that provide direct benefits to our community hold a special place,” said Steven Perrigo, VP and Business Manager, Turner Construction Company. 

  Construction is projected to be complete in Spring 2024. 

The post Update on $5 million Great Lakes 360 project @ Aquarium of Niagara appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

XGEN Elite has announced that it has begun its search for top level players and coaches for its inaugural American Basketball Association (ABA) season, with tryouts taking place at XGEN Elite Sports Complex in West Seneca. League play for Buffalo’s ABA team – “The Buffalo eXtreme” – will kick off in November 2023 (part of the league’s Northeast Region). Anyone interested in the tryouts and coaching opportunities can visit www.BUFFALOEXTREME.com.

The ABA men’s professional basketball league consists of over 180 teams in the US. For some players, they are stoked to play for a regional men’s professional basketball team. For others, this is a stepping stone towards a shot for stardom. Past ABA players include Rick Barry, Moses Malone, Dr J (Julius Irving), and George Gervin.

“We are very excited to explore all of the possibilities having our own ABA organization brings,” says Darren Fenn, one of the owners of XGEN Elite and the Buffalo eXtreme. “This will be great family entertainment in addition to providing exposure for highly skilled players looking to work towards the G-League or even the NBA.”

Stay tuned: Games will all be held at XGEN Elite Sports Complex in West Seneca. Go to www.BUFFALOEXTREME.com to sign up to receive updates. 

The post ABA Basketball: “The Buffalo eXtreme” appeared first on Buffalo Rising.