buffalo, new york and the elmwood avenue festival of the arts

<em>Founders of the Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts Joe DiPasquale and his wife, Tanya Zabinski. Photo Credit: Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News</em>

Founders of the Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts Joe DiPasquale and his wife, Tanya Zabinski. Photo Credit: Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News

Today, daughter and I took our second trip in as many years to the Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts or as we call it, the Elmwood Arts Festival.

It’s in its 10th year and I remember its early years…it has grown significantly and impressively since 1999. Joe DiPasquale and his wife, Tanya Zabinski began the festival with a team of equally dedicated volunteers.

I went to high school with Joe. He was a perfectly nice guy in school but I had no idea he had this kind of gumption within him. This show, with its artisans, music, kids area and food within its seven block reach (a bit over a half mile I would estimate), is family friendly, neighbor friendly and image friendly. It is different in many ways than any other festival the City of Buffalo offers and the City is damn lucky to have it.

Aside from a booth to sell their wares, Joe, his wife and anybody else working on the show make nothing…if they break even, it’s cause for celebration.

<em>Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts</em>

Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts

Call it volunteerism, giving back, paying it forward.

I call it laudable, applaudable and awe-inspiring.

To do an event like this once is swell, to do it for TEN YEARS is incredible and not something Western New York should ever take for granted.

Joe, Tanya and everybody else involved: thanks very much! We deserve none of your selfless generosity but will gladly immerse ourselves in this great spectacle. It runs through Sunday and is usually the last weekend in August every year. Come enjoy it if you can. If you can, you should.

Comments are closed.