Buffalo summers are short and glorious, and the good weekends fill up fast. If you've got a Saturday to spend with the family and you want it to actually count, here are three ways to fill it that everyone from the toddlers to the grandparents will enjoy. Bonus: none of them will empty your wallet.
1. Spend the day at a county fair
There's no more Western New York way to spend a summer weekend than at a county fair, and in August you've got your pick of them.
The headliner is the Erie County Fair in Hamburg (August 12 to 23), one of the biggest county fairs in the country and a full 12 days of animals, food, rides and grandstand shows. This year's free entertainment alone is worth the trip, with a Prince tribute kicking off opening night and the Marshall Tucker Band the very next evening, both included with admission. Wander the 16 barns of animals, ride the midway, and eat something you would never order any other week of the year.
If Erie’s dates don’t line up with your weekend, you’re still covered. The Niagara County Fair in Lockport (August 5 to 9) offers an affordable, youth- and agriculture-focused day out with livestock shows, mini golf, the Buffalo Zoo Mobile, puppets and magic, robotics, and live music. Down in the Enchanted Mountains, the Cattaraugus County Fair in Little Valley (August 1 to 8) brings racing pigs, the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show and a monster truck rally, with the rides included in your gate ticket. And the Wyoming County Fair in Pike (August 15 to 22) closes things out with a classic car show, the Firemen's Grande Parade, and this year's "Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights" theme.
Find a fair near you at FindYourFair.com.
2. Meet the animals at the Buffalo Zoo
If the fair gets the kids hooked on animals, keep the streak going at the Buffalo Zoo. Tucked into Delaware Park, it's one of the oldest zoos in the country (founded in 1875), and it's an easy, shady half-day with little ones in tow. Say hello to the giraffes, catch a sea lion feeding, and let the kids run out some energy between exhibits.
When you're done, the rest of Delaware Park is right there. Pack a picnic, rent a paddle boat on Hoyt Lake, or, if you can stretch the day into the evening, catch a free performance of Shakespeare in Delaware Park. It's a Buffalo summer tradition, and a surprisingly easy one to pull off with kids since you can spread a blanket on the lawn and come and go as you please.
3. Hang out at Canalside
When you want a weekend afternoon that costs almost nothing, head downtown to Canalside on the waterfront. It's free to wander, there are lawn games set up all over (cornhole, giant Jenga, ping pong), and you can rent a paddle boat or a water bike to take out on the historic canals. If the weather turns or the little ones need a break, Explore & More, the children's museum, sits right there on the water.
There's almost always live music, a market or a festival happening on a summer weekend, so it's worth checking what's on before you go. Grab a bite from one of the vendors, find a spot by the water, and watch the boats go by.
One very Buffalo weekend
Three stops, and a Saturday everyone will remember. Just start with the fair while the season's still on, because before you know it the Ferris wheels come down and it's pumpkin everything around here. Find the fair nearest you at FindYourFair.com.