Strawberries, music and art: Buffalo festival season starts with these 14 June events (2024)

When the calendar turns to June, we are officially in festival season.

Some events are fairly new, such as the second Bite of Lackawanna on June 23. Others come with a slice of history, like the Strawberry Festival at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Youngstown, which was first hosted as a strawberry social in World War II for soldiers stationed at nearby Fort Niagara. On the menu that day: strawberry ice cream topped with fresh strawberry. It returns June 22.

Read more on both events, among 14 happening in June (listed by date).

Albion Strawberry Festival

11 a.m. to 9 p.m. June 7, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. June 8, village of Albion.

This annual two-day event celebrates the strawberry harvest with a farmers market, entertainment, craft booths, a family fun center, 5k/8k race and cruise-in, all located throughout Courthouse Square and the downtown Albion Historic District. A chicken barbecue and strawberry social is 4 to 6:30 p.m. June 7 at First Presbyterian Church. A food court is on East Bank Street. The parade is at 10 a.m. June 8.

Allentown Art Festival

11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 8-9 along Delaware Avenue.

The 67th art festival returns to Allentown with more than 300 artists and artisans from across the country lining Delaware Avenue with sculptures, paintings, artwork, jewelry and décor. There will be demonstrations, music in front of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site and food trucks on Franklin Street.

Juneteenth Festival (Buffalo)

June 15-16 at Martin Luther King Park, 778 Best St.

This is the 49th year of this Buffalo festival honoring Black history and celebrating the abolishment of slavery. The parade starts at 10 a.m. June 15, ending at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, where there will be arts and cultural displays, historical tours, a vendor market, and a health and wellness pavilion, plus activities for children. Visit buffalojuneteenth.com.

Juneteenth (Niagara Falls)

Noon to 8 p.m. June 16 at the Niagara Arts & Cultural Center, 1201 Pine Ave., Niagara Falls.

Niagara County hosts its own Juneteenth celebration with live performances, vendors, cultural exhibitions, food and community engagement.

Lewiston GardenFest

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 15-16 throughout Lewiston.

The Lewiston Garden Club again hosts this outdoor event where 74 vendors will line Center Street selling gardening products, plants and handmade artisan crafts, as well as jewelry and other items. There will be open gardens throughout the village, plus demonstrations and a container garden contest. Garden experts will speak in front of the Frontier House.

Strawberry Social

4 to 7 p.m. June 19 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church-Blossom, 360 Main St., Elma.

It’s more than a social. It’s a summer picnic – but you don’t have to cook. Picnic favorites include Sahlen’s hot dogs, corn on the cob, baked beans, potato salads, ice cream and strawberry shortcake. Takeout is available.

Zoomagination Festival of Lanterns and Lights

Opens June 21 at the Buffalo Zoo, 300 Parkside Ave.

When the sun goes down and the animals are tucked in for the night, the lights go on at The Buffalo Zoo during the annual Zoomagination event. Lanterns depicting Asian and African animals and culture light up the zoo, while visitors enjoy cultural performances, Asian-inspired food and artisan-made goods. The event is from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays from June 21 to Sept. 22.

New York State Craft Brewers Festival

3 to 6 p.m. June 22 at Canalside.

You not only get to try beer at this festival, but you can talk to the people who make it. Owners and representatives from more than 50 New York State craft breweries will be on hand. There will be food trucks, music by Mayday and wrestling by Grapple Pro. General admission tickets are $45 advance, $55 at the gate (if available). General admission-plus, which gets you in at 2 p.m. (an hour early) and includes a $5 merch voucher, is $65/$75. Designated driver tickets are $15/$20 and include a $5 food voucher. It is a 21-and-older event.

St. John’s Strawberry Festival

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 22 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Main and Chestnut streets, Youngstown.

Enjoy grilled foods prepared by the Youngstown Lions Club, in addition to fresh, homemade strawberry shortcake. Kids will be entertained by Donuts D. Clown from noon to 3 p.m. The Nickel City Blues Band performs at 2 p.m. Tours will be given of the church, built in 1878 and listed on the state and National Registers of Historic Places.

West Seneca Community Days

6 to 11 p.m. June 20, 6 p.m. to midnight June 21 and noon to midnight June 22 at Veterans Memorial Park, West Seneca.

It’s the 50th anniversary for this annual West Seneca event, which takes place in the park behind West Seneca Town Hall off Union Road. Kids can enjoy rides from Hammerl Amusem*nts. (Ride specials are $25 on June 20-21 and $30 on June 22). Music is by Flipside (7 p.m. June 20), Nerds Gone Wild (7:30 p.m. June 21) and Hit N’ Run (7:30 p.m. June 22). The parade starts at 2 p.m. June 22; later that day the West Seneca Town Band performs from 4 to 6 p.m. in the band shell. Fireworks are at dusk.

A Bite of Lackawanna

2 p.m. June 23 along Ridge Road, Lackwanna.

This food and music festival celebrates restaurants and other Lackawanna businesses. Ridge Road will be closed to traffic between South Park and Electric avenues, where 16 Lackawanna restaurants will be serving everything from subs to Italian food, hot dogs and burgers to baked goods from 2 to 6 p.m. Participants include Al Sultan Resaurant & Bakery, Chopstick House, Curly’s Grille, Mulberry Italian Ristorante, Pats Submarines, Sonny Reds, Stack Burger and Winfield’s Pub. There will be artisan craft vendors, a fun zone for kids, DJ music by 97 Rock’s DJ Jickster (a Lackawanna resident), plus music by the 4-Pages featuring David Hardy at 3 p.m. and The Strictly Hip at 6 p.m. Fireworks close out the event. It is cash only. ATMs will be available. Visit lackawannany.gov.

Taste of Diversity Festival

11 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 29 at Grant Street at Lafayette Avenue.

This festival celebrates local diversity through live music, dance and food that represents the many ethnic and cultural groups and communities throughout the Buffalo area. 007 Dim Sum, Abyssinia Ethiopian Cuisine, Jolito’s and KT Caribbean Cuisine are among the food vendors already lined up for the event. There will be a DJ stage with other entertainment, including the dance company MahataMmoho Collective, the Henri Star and Muhammad School of Music Chamber Players and B.flo Girls. Visit tasteofdiversity.com for the schedule.

South Buffalo Porchfest

Noon to 5 p.m. June 29 throughout South Buffalo.

More than 150 musical acts will perform on porches and driveways throughout South Buffalo during this free event. Music ranges the gamut from acoustic to punk, classic rock, blues, country, R&B, jazz and ‘80s party rock. Find bands and locations at southbuffaloporchfest.org.

Strawberry Moon Festival

2 to 8 p.m. June 29 at Artpark, Lewiston.

Indigenous cultures of the Niagara region will be celebrated through storytelling, music, dance, and arts and crafts. Performers include Robert “Freightrain” Parker, Tonemah (Kiowa/Comanche/Tuscarora), violinist Geneviève Gros-Louis Salamone (Huron-Wendat Nation) and Haudenosaunee singers and dancers. There will be a smoke dance competition and Indigenous market.