Cottage District Festival Of Lights
Do you remember a few years ago when they had that crazy 'festival of lights' around the jogging track at Delaware Park? That was pretty bizarre... but the idea of a Festival of Lights is a good one. Some day I would hope that Buffalo could pull off a classy downtown light festival - we are the City of Lights, are we not? Of course Elmwood Avenue puts on a good show each year thanks to the business owners who like together to show off the neighborhood. But what about other parts of the city? Some neighborhoods put up holiday flags on the light standards. Others carol up and down the streets. And this year, one neighborhood in particular has opted to go for the gusto. Yes Santa, there will be a Festival of Lights this holiday season.
Some of the neighbors in the West Side's Cottage District are busy organizing a neighborhood Festival of Lights. I first spoke to community member Richard Potwora about this idea and he told me that the event was fashioned as a way to not only bring the neighborhood closer, but to draw visitors onto streets that they might not normally make it to. If you think about The Garden Walk, that must have started with just a couple of streets too. And look what happened. Actually, I'm surprised that it took a neighborhood this long to organize a Festival of Lights.
According to Richard, members of the neighborhood have gone out and landed sponsorships from at least sixteen businesses. Starting November 26th and lasting until January 6th, the initiative has attracted celebrity judges and has even launched a website - how did they get the URL www.cottagedistrict.com at this stage in the game? Luuuuucky!
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Jolopy
This is a great idea. It not only brings the neighborhood together but also allows you to see who in the neighborhood takes pride in it. I can honestly say I couldn't wait for this to actually start and have had my lights on for the last few weeks haha.
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STEEL
This will be spectacular if if catches on like Garden Walk
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RaChaCha
What a great event, in a great neighborhood - one of my favorite parts of Buffalo. And one of my favorite bits of writing about any part of Buffalo was written by Mark Goldman about the west end of Summer Street, in the neighborhood. You can read it online at Chuck LaChiusa's website: http://www.buffaloah.com/a/summer/388/index.html
You can tell from reading this that Goldman was truly enchanted by the neighborhood - visit during Festival of Lights and you will be, too.
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Harvey
This is going to be so great.
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dagner
Buffalo was known as the City of Light (singular and better) not Lights. Sorry to be a pest, but as you might use it in the future thought you should know. Good item.
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Username
And one of the cottages at 388 Summer Street, the subject of Mark Goldman's article, is for sale!
(Sorry, shameless plug from the homeowner...)
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Username
And one of the cottages at 388 Summer Street, the subject of Mark Goldman's article, is for sale!
(Sorry, shameless plug from the homeowner...)
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knock_knock
On 14th We are gathering up our lights and aluminum Christmas trees already.
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blackrocklifer
jolopy said it all, efforts like this build community and bring pride to all involved. For the holidays our block club used to put lights in the trees on the traffic islands at Amherst and Tonawanda St and it was always a good time. Glad to see this happening.
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EricOak
Richard is such a terrific guy--a gentleman and a generous neighbor. He's been the engine of a lot of positive development in the Cottage District, and he has gifted the city with a truly charming experience.
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crisa
QUEENSEYES: I think you are referring to the title The City of Light.
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Kirk
This is such a great initiative!! It will build pride and cohesion in the Cottage District!!! People Like Ellie Dorritie Richard Potwora and others should be commended for all of the amazing work that they are doing to make the Cottage District GREAT!!!
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