Nightmare Wharf Brings Entertaining New Fundraiser to Naval Park

By: Ella Wittman

Buffalo Naval Park introduced a brand-new haunted attraction this Halloween, running from Oct. 2 to Nov. 1. President and CEO Brian Luallen explained how Nightmare Wharf got started and what makes it unique.

The attraction features movie-quality makeup, costumes and masks, with a team of artists working behind the scenes to bring its characters to life. Head of makeup and costumes Mike McCoy also shared what goes into preparing the actors and creating the looks guests see throughout the haunted houses.

Nightmare Wharf offers a new way to raise funds for the Naval Park, supporting its educational programs and the preservation of its historic ships.

While creating a scary experience for visitors, the team remains respectful of the ship’s history and the stories of the sailors and soldiers who served on it.

As Buffalo Naval Park introduces this new Halloween attraction, Luallen sees a future for it and hopes it will continue for many years to come.

Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium brings Halloween spirit to Buffalo State campus

By: Lucas Lyon

Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium director Kevin Williams speaks on “Fright Lights,” the planetarium's annual Halloween laser show inside the Science & Mathematics Complex at Buffalo State University. 

Through the use of familiar Halloween tunes and classic horror movie soundtracks, Williams says the  show captures the Halloween spirit in a variety of ways, also ensuring that it isn’t too scary for the young ones. “Come and enjoy it,” said Williams. 

The show runs every Saturday until Halloween.

 Spooky Porches of Allentown Returns for Second Year

By: Adrianna Miller

The Allentown Association is hosting its second annual Spooky Porches event for the 2026 Halloween season. 

Jodi Kavanaugh and Will Tanberg stand outside their historic Allentown home, which they bought in September, 2025. 

They are participating in the contest for the first time. Kavanaugh said the inspiration for their decorations came from her sister-in-law, who visited from Maryland and thought she heard noises in the attic. “That’s why we have a doll up there, because she named our ‘ghost’ Gladis,” Kavanaugh said. 

Residents could decorate their porches and register them on the Allentown Association website by Oct. 15 to enter the competition. Voting for the best porch runs from Oct. 17 through 29.

 Uncovering Family Roots at the Jewish Museum of Buffalo

By: Annemiek Kashindi

Rachel Nicolosi, director of genealogy and archives at the Jewish Museum of Buffalo

Learning about family history can help people understand where they come from. The Jewish Museum of Buffalo is giving the public a new place to start that journey with the opening of the Stuart and Caren Shapiro Jewish Genealogy Center on Oct. 18. The center will allow people to research their family history using online databases, historical records and help from trained genealogists.

Rachel Nicolosi, director of genealogy and archives, said the center has different resources that people can use to learn more about their family history. All the resources will include Ancestry, MyHeritage, Newspapers.com, FamilySearch and JewishGen. These websites will help people find information about their relatives and learn more about their family backgrounds.

Appointments help the center prepare for people to come and connect them to the correct resources available and research needs. By scheduling an appointment it will give the center time to prepare for each person’s visit. People may come in with different questions about their family history, and some may come in with no prior knowledge of where to begin. With the information provided from visitors the center can help them find useful research options and records that will make the process easier to follow especially for those who are getting into genealogy for the first time.

“I can set up a time for them to work with one of our trained genealogists,” Nicolosi said.

The center is also preparing volunteers to assist with genealogy research. With training during the summer, a genealogist came in and helped community volunteers. This group includes retired librarians, teachers, and people who have researched their own family history. Librarians and teachers are familiar with finding information in historical records, while people who have researched their own ancestry can share what they have learned on their own journey.

With additional training, volunteers can use these skills to help the public understand the genealogy center's resources. Though some volunteers already have more experience with historical research, the training helps them develop specific skills within genealogy. With their new found knowledge it will help visitors research records and databases as they search for information.

Now opening to the public, the center welcomes anyone who is interested in learning more about their family history. With access to different resources and trained volunteers, you can begin your journey to find out more about your family. 

For people interested in visiting and exploring their ancestry, the center provides a starting point for questions about genealogy and the research process which will involve tracing connections between relatives with the available databases that will help people in their search for information on their families.

For more information you can contact Nicolosi at rachel@jmbuffalo.org to ask about scheduling an appointment. More information about the center is available on the Jewish Museum of Buffalo’s website.

Additional clip: youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=MsKMTzmnbdQ

 Bundled up at Bidwell

By: Matthew Barton

Maggie (center) sits bundled up to read alongside her friends who draw and enjoy the sunshine in the 40-degree weather at the Elmwood Village Farmers Market in Bidwell Park on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The group attends the farmers market to  sit amongst the vendors, and the chilly October weather isn’t stopping anyone from showing up.

The three set up every week to read, relax, and people-watch. “Pull up a chair,” Maggie said.

Ralph Wilson Park in Phase Two 

By: Ella Wittman

Buffalo resident Kareem Lubin at the new Ralph Wilson Park

Construction equipment and unfinished paths are all around Ralph Wilson Park; however people are still gathering at the waterfront site as crews work to turn the old LaSalle Park into a 100-plus-acre waterfront greenspace.

The $200 million project will change the way people will use the waterfront. 

When the park is completed, it will have a whole new look with new recreational spaces, new trails, a natural shoreline and a whole new play garden. More information about the project can be found here.

Currently, the construction company is in phase 2 of building the park. Charles Torres, chair of the board of the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy said this phase includes building the new play garden, new landscaping, a playground, new pathways and also new shoreline improvements. “Phase 2, which includes the creation of the play garden, as well as significant landscaping, playground installation, pathway and roadway construction, shoreline improvements and completion of the remaining waterfront enhancements, began in early June,” Torres said.

Major construction areas remain closed at this time, but there are still some parts of the park that are open to the public. You can use the KABOOM! playground, temporary dog park and the skate park.

The new Ralph Wilson Park will be a very big change from the old LaSalle Park. The old park was mostly flat and bordered by a concrete seawall. The new design will have a natural shoreline, new parking spaces and a pedestrian bridge that connects the local neighborhoods to the waterfront park. “The most noticeable transformation is how the park interacts with both the water and the neighborhood,” Torres said.

Buffalo resident Kareem Lubin spent time at LaSalle Park before the construction began. Lubin said he would come to the park with his family and dogs to take walks, get some fresh air and enjoy views of Lake Erie and the Buffalo skyline. “It was a much simpler park, but that was part of its charm,” Lubin said.

The community had a big part in shaping the design and ideas for this park. More than one thousand local stakeholders went to public meetings during the planning process. Torres said the public's feedback helped make the change from the initial 30 to 40-acre project to what is now a 100-plus-acre project. 

"Public feedback was so impactful that the project expanded from an initial concept of redeveloping 30–40 acres to transforming the entire 110+ acre footprint, including the seawall and the pedestrian bridge,” Torres said.

LaSalle Park hosted lots of community driven events like the Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade, the Buffalo Funk Festival and even an Italian festival. Torres said he hopes the new park will continue to be a place where the community can celebrate, “I can't wait for people to experience our cultural celebrations, like the Puerto Rican Day Parade, utilizing features like the new Great Lawn, which was specifically designed to allow for all kinds of events, gatherings, festivals, and performances,” Torres said. More information about LaSalle Park's history can be found here.

Environmental improvements are another big impact of this project. They are replacing the 100-year-old seawall with a natural, armored slope and inlet, which improves the structural resiliency against the tough Buffalo weather. Torres said the new shoreline will help with protection from flooding and conserve wildlife habitats.

Construction will continue over the next year. The Conservancy is planning to open the splash pad and pool by summer, along with their Levitt VIBE concert series. Torres hopes the finished park will become a big part of the Buffalo community. “When the ribbon is cut, I hope Ralph Wilson Park is recognized as a 'forever park'—a welcoming home for all Buffalonians built by the community, for the community, that delivers pride, health, and joy for generations to come,” Torres said.

 Handmade crafts return to Falliday Market

By: Myles Samuel

Nicole Hara, owner of Nikki’s Knotts, displays her handmade products Sunday at the Falliday Market at Front Park in Buffalo. Hara, participating in the event for her third year said the atmosphere is what draws her back.

Her products include hand-burned wood pieces, wooden pens and bowls, hemp jewelry and knitted items. “It’s all handmade, so anything you can give me an image of, I can burn by hand, including people, pets, business signs, logos, your favorite superhero,” Hara said. 

Another benefit of returning to the market is the convenience of keeping her products at her booth throughout the entire event. “I can leave my stuff here. I don’t have to clean it up every night, Hara said.

The event organizers are another reason Hara continues to return. “The girls that run this place are really, really great,” Hara said. “They’re wonderful to work for, so I just kept coming back.”

 Forest Lawn Cemetery: Home to History

By: Matthew Scott

Krista Douvlos, director of community engagement at Forest Lawn Cemetery, talks about events, tours, and how peaceful it is around the cemetery grounds on Oct. 5.

Douvlos and the team at Forest Lawn are working on more events coming next year. They plan on making it an even bigger hotspot for tourists to come and see.

The cemetery is also home to historic figures such as Millard Fillmore. The fenced-in obelisk marks the resting site of the 13th president of the United States.

“Once you get into the old part of the cemetery, it feels like a park and is so peaceful,” Douvlos said.

People can embrace the history and surrounding nature, forgetting you’re in a city.

Douvlos has a background in community engagement but also has an undergrad in history as well. The job married community engagement and her love for history, saying it felt “perfect.”

Goo Goo Dolls make their mark on history

By: Matthew Scott

John Rzeznik, lead singer and guitarist of the Goo Goo Dolls, would occasionally spend time at the Buffalo History Museum as a student at McKinley High School. The museum being right across the street, all he had to do was cross Elmwood Avenue.

Now decades later, Rzeznik and the iconic band have their own exhibit, remembering every iconic chorus and legendary performance of the past 40 years.

The Buffalo History Museum was closed to the public as its newest Goo Goo Dolls-themed exhibit opened up on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The opening featured an appearance by the Buffalo natives themselves, the Goo Goo Dolls.

The exhibit marks the group's 40th anniversary and is titled “Long Way Home,” after their song from the album “Boxes.”

Anthony Greco, director of exhibits & interpretive planning, talked about the grand opening being open only to VIPs until the doors were open to members at 7 p.m.

During the VIP tour, band members John Rzeznik and Robby Takac saw the exhibit, saying they loved it and even gave a shout-out to the team that made it happen. 

“The people that were with them when they got going, and the people that have been with them through their entire career were with them,” Greco said. “We limited the event tto 200 people.”

However, when the doors were open to the public, and all was said and done, an estimate of around 300 to 400 people showed up.

“It was great to see this building full,” Katie McIntyre, director of advancement, said. “The nicest thing for me to see was the new group of people coming into the museum.”

According to Greco, the new exhibit could boost attendance by 30 percent; their sports exhibit did the same.

The museum worked directly with the band, and the idea came up almost four to five years ago. Anthony talked to Goo Goo Dolls manager Pat Magnarella, floating the idea about doing an exhibit knowing that the 40th anniversary was coming up.

John and Robby said they loved the museum and would do anything for them, so it was perfect to do. Working with them, Anthony said that both John and Robby couldn’t have been any nicer, very humble, and down-to-earth. At the opening, John asked questions, curious about the museum and the history of Buffalo.

 “A huge positive response from not only the band but the management as well,” Emilie Burt, the museum communications coordinator, said. “It couldn’t have gone any better.”

Now, while making the exhibit, one thing many will miss is the color scheme. It starts off with dark greys and light greys. Towards the middle, it gets more vibrant, but at the end it goes back to grey. Anthony believes it to be reinforcing the title “Long Way Home.”

Buffalo hasn’t forgotten the Goo Goo Dolls, and sure enough, they haven’t forgotten about us. The exhibit took two years to make and is Greco's favorite one he’s worked on.

“How often do you get to do an exhibit about something so personal, something that is so part of your life?” Greco said.

Burt says her favorite part of the exhibit is the make-your-own mixtape section. Each of the band members made their own playlists. Songs that inspired them.

For McIntyre, she said her favorite part was actually the idea of how it all came to be, which was the scrapbook Robbie’s mom made. Each page was filled with every headline and story the band was in. Being a mother herself, she found that touching.

It’s a huge hit so far, boosting attendance with a newer generation walking through the door. The exhibit is up for a year before it’s taken down. The Goo Goo Dolls have made history once again in the city of Buffalo.

Kurt Treeby goes solo at Hallwalls

Prominent Buffalo artist makes a splash with latest exhibit, “I’ve Got Next”

By Lucas Lyon

Kurt Treeby is no stranger to Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center. He’s participated in its annual Members Exhibition for two decades and has been around the Buffalo art scene for nearly three decades.

He’s also no stranger to solo exhibitions, having showcased his work at the Burchfield Penny Art Center in 2021 and the Buffalo Arts Studio in 2005 and 2018.

A solo exhibition at Hallwalls, however? That’s treading into new territory, and the same can be said for the art he brought with him.

On Friday, Sept. 18, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, located at 341 Delaware Ave, opened Buffalo native Kurt Treeby’s latest exhibit, “I’ve Got Next,” to the public. It is scheduled to run through Friday, Oct. 30, with gallery hours from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Saturday.

The exhibit consists of five playable, retro-influenced video games, a complete departure from Treeby’s typical fiber-art work. Despite the style shift, he continued to draw inspiration from historical art to make the games, reimagining the work of Picasso and other renowned artists in an unexpected
medium.

He was wrestling with two deceptively simple questions. “Could I make a video game and present it as art? And, what can this old imagery say?” Treeby said. He put those pending questions to the test,
starting in 2023, as he set out to find an answer.

His transition from fiber-based artwork to software-based artwork came with trials and tribulations. Luckily, through watching numerous YouTube tutorials, including a 13-hour tutorial series, he started to get the hang of the video game-making process, completing his first game, “Endless Column,” within
six months. That’s when trouble arose.

“Then I kind of stopped, because I knew that if I was going to keep going, I would need funding for tech,” Treeby said. He was stuck at a crossroads …until he wasn’t.

“I found out about a grant through the New York State Council on the Arts… I applied to that, and got it,” Treeby said. This gave him funding for 2024, and it was off to the races. Now equipped with everything he needed, he completed two more games and, by the end of the year, was on the hunt for a hosting venue.

No dice.

Treeby got back to work, keeping his creative juices flowing. He went on to complete two more games in 2025, reaching five in total. That’s when Hallwalls came knocking.

“In my world of art and artists … I’m amazed that nobody ever really talks about video games,” John Massier said, the curator at Hallwalls who accepted Treeby’s exhibition. He is now the chief curator at the Burchfield Penny Art Center. “In a way, they’re the most interesting art form that we have in our popular culture,” Massier said.

Massier has known Treeby for many years, and his artistic career curveball caught him by surprise, though he knew he’d find success. “He’s diligent, he’s attentive … when you’re dealing with professional artists, people that are committed to their art career, they tend to step up to the plate,” Massier said.

The exhibition’s confirmation gave Treeby, Massier, and Hallwalls a great sense of pride.

Now, after countless years of hard work and many artistic accomplishments, it feels fair to ask: how does an artist like Kurt Treeby stay committed? The love of art? Yes, but something else too.

Teaching.

Treeby has been teaching all across Western New York for almost as long as he’s been an artist. He currently teaches studio art and design at SUNY Erie Community College.

“It keeps me active; I think that’s what’s most important,” Treeby said. “Teaching art, being in an art department, and being around other people who are making art, either your colleagues or students … I’m always in it.”

Next on Treeby’s plate is finding more venues to exhibit “I’ve Got Next,” and during that process, he plans to continue making video games while circling back to his expertise in fiber-based artwork.

“It’s important, as artists, that we challenge ourselves.”

Very few artists challenge themselves like Kurt Treeby.

 

Major Renovations Coming to Historic Shea’s Performing Arts Center

Shea’s Performing Arts Center embarks on a new journey with a $34.5 million project to expand
and renovate the historic building. Brian Higgins, president and CEO of Shea’s Buffalo discusses
the changes coming to the theatre as it celebrates its 100th year in operation. “We clearly need
more space,” Higgins said. The renovations are being done in hopes to make the theatre more
accessible and comfortable for patrons, adding a number of additional bathroom fixtures and
concessions throughout the new space. The construction is expected to be completed in September 2027.

By: Adrianna Miller

 Traveling artist showcases paintings and positivity

Traveling artist Meagan Jean stands behind a rolling cart, making her next piece of jewelry. She set up on Elmwood Avenue outside the bustling Caffe Aroma on Saturday, Sept. 26, showcasing her business, Creative Infinite Being, to the community.

She sells handmade necklaces and bracelets, along with vibrant paintings. Everything comes with positive affirmations to rid one of self-doubt and spread good vibes.

“It’s a really nice community full of creativity,” Jean said. “This is a great street to be on in general, anyone is welcome to set up here.”

Jean said that this isn’t a job she has to do. Instead, it’s a job she “gets” to do. Meeting amazing people along the way and working on her social skills is a bonus that comes with it.

By: Matthew Barton

 F.A.T. Brings Late-Night Food to Allen Street

Zach Russell, owner of F.A.T.

Allen Street in Buffalo, has a new late-night restaurant now that F.A.T., or Food After Ten, has opened at 253 Allen St. in spring 2026. The restaurant, which was previously a food trailer, is now open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. and serves food from a scratch-only kitchen. The owner, Zach Russell, said opening the restaurant has been a goal of his for many years. The food trailer served as a way for Russell to test the business before moving into a permanent location. “The food trailer was what we always called, like, the sandbox to see what worked and what didn't work with people,” Russell said. After moving to Allen Street, Russell hopes F.A.T. can help bring more activity to the area in hopes of bringing back the liveliness of Allen Street.

By: Ella Wittman

 Britesmith Buffalo Offers Vibrant Spot for Bills Fans to Watch Games

Britesmith Brewing owner Dave Schutte discusses how Buffalo Bills games affect the restaurant at 1250 Niagara St. in Buffalo. Schutte said the Bills season brings larger groups and more reservations, so the restaurant adjusts staffing based on expected customer volume. “It just kicks everything up a notch,” Schutte said. “It makes people excited.” Britesmith also offers game-day specials as fans come for food and drinks during the season.

By: Myles Samuel

 More Than Coffee: The Intersection Builds Community on Buffalo’s West Side

Barista Rachel Terrana marks five years working at The Intersection, a neighborhood café on Buffalo’s West Side. Terrana expressed that connecting with people is one of her favorite parts of the job. “I like talking to everybody,” Terrana said. She also helps people experiencing homelessness who come into the café for coffee, explaining that “a lot of homeless people don’t get options, so if they need a coffee we provide it for free.” The Intersection connects coffee with local art by hosting an art opening on the first Friday of each month, when the café stays open later, and visitors can enjoy coffee, view new artwork and meet the featured artist. “Every month, the art on our one wall is all different,” Terrana said. As fall approaches, Terrana encourages people to visit the neighborhood café. “Come on down … everyone is welcome,” Terrana said.

By: Zion Pentelton

The Bridge Filled With Buffalo's Heroes

Event organizer Laurie Kostrzewski leads one of the four moments of silence in the middle of the Scajaquada Pedestrian Bridge on Sept. 11.

By: Matthew Barton

The Scajaquada Pedestrian Bridge sits empty and quiet most of the time. 

365 days out of the year, it grants every biker or walker safe passage above the busy expressway, into or out of the sprawling trails of Delaware Park. 

But for one day out of the year, the bridge is louder than ever, not by noise, but by remembrance.

On Friday, Sept. 11, dozens of American flags were draped over the metal guardrails of the bridge. Each flag righteously flapped in the wind, serving as a reminder to drivers who passed by of the tragedy endured by our country 25 years ago. 

At the end of each flagpole stood a friend, a neighbor, or a child of the Buffalo community. Veterans wore hats, shirts and jackets filled with patches showcasing where they’ve served. Active military personnel stood stoically in uniform, alongside the Buffalo Police Department, Buffalo Fire Department and local EMS. The bridge was filled with Buffalo’s heroes. 

As the event was just getting started, a woman came walking up the bridge. She was sporting an American flag button-up, holding a speaker, a headset, and an American flag. After embracing an old friend, she found her spot on the bridge and unrolled her flag. The wind did the rest of the work, and passing cars honked in acknowledgement.

This woman is Laurie Kostrzewski, a Buffalo resident and the organizer of this remembrance event. What started as a small way to pay tribute in 2003 turned into a can't-miss ceremony, growing larger and larger each year. 

“There’s people from Cheektowaga, from Eden, from all parts of Western New York, and they’ve come here,” Kostrzewski said. “I think the significance is that it’s here in Buffalo, because Buffalo’s central to Western New York, and that we come together like this has a lot of meaning.”

Kostrzewski made sure to check in with everyone on the bridge, delivering hugs, thank-yous, and even bending down to check on a couple of patriotic pups who sat respectfully at their caretakers' feet. 

From 8:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., Kostrzewski led all four moments of silence, each recognizing one of the plane crashes on this day 25 years ago.

During these moments, Kostrzewski read the names of victims who resided in the Western New York area. A sense of togetherness lay heavy on the bridge during these times, along with the continuous honks of respect from below. 

“It connects us somehow,” she said. “I didn’t actually know anybody who died, but still, as a country, we feel this because it was the worst attack ever.”

Kostrzewski is a strong advocate for education on this difficult, yet important topic. One way she wants to ensure that we always remember is by renaming the bridge to the 9/11 Heroes Bridge.

It’s been a 15-year mission, and she’s been able to get through the Senate, but the assemblymen have “ignored it.” She plans to push hard in January when the legislature reconvenes.

On the south end of the bridge, Jackson Fisher stood in solidarity alongside his fellow members of the United States Coast Guard. None were born before 2001, but all still felt compelled to attend. 

“It means a lot for what they did, for what we currently do, and what we’re going to do in the future,” Fisher said about the gathering. He wants to set a positive example for younger people because that’s the impact that the previous generation left on him.

“I have family who have prior military service,” he said. “So seeing them serve for our community and our country is something I wanted to always do.”

One of the first people on the bridge Friday morning was Navy veteran Derek Sansone. It was Sansone’s third or fourth year attending, and as the sun beamed off his black Navy hat, he remembered the impact of this tragedy. 

“At that time, the guard and reserve call-ups really affected swaths of greatly middle America, arguably greater than previous conflicts that had drafts,” Sansone said. “Because of that, you’d be hard-pressed to know somebody on Main Street, U.S.A., who wasn’t personally impacted by the conflict.”

Sansone believes remembering this nationwide tragedy in small communities like Buffalo helps teach the next generation.

“We have an obligation to set the example by remembering it or talking to our kids about it, even if they are busy in school and can’t make every event like this,” he said. “If we don’t show up, then we don’t remember.”

 

Queen City Vintage Ushers in the Beginning of Bills Season

On Sept. 5, thousands of Buffalonians flocked to Elmwood Avenue, dying to get their hands on the goods of Queen City Vintage’s season-opening Bills sale. The flourishing Elmwood staple listed 4,000 new items for the sale. “Between online and in-store, we’re at about 1,500 [sold],” said co-owner Nick Kirby, who’s been with Queen City Vintage through their transition from your typical vintage spot to the biggest Buffalo sports store on the West Side. To take the sale to the next level, the store teamed with neighbor Hand of Doom Tattoo to offer Bills-inspired flash tattoos, proving that Elmwood Avenue may just be, as Nick states, “the best place for business” in Buffalo. 

By: Lucas Lyon

 

Stitch Buffalo is True Representation of Good Neighbors

Founder Dawne Hueg, finance director Linda Crist and the seamstresses of Stitch Buffalo.

By: Adrianna Miller

What started in the basement of a church flourished into the far reaching organization it is today. Stitch Buffalo, located at 284 Plymouth Ave., is on a mission to provide Buffalo’s immigrant and refugee community with a dedicated space to create, teach and hone their skills. “A non-profit organization on a mission to stitch communities together, using textile arts as that thread,” said Linda Crist, the business and finance director of the organization.

From the basement of a church on Lafayette Avenue, the founder of Stitch Buffalo Dawne Hueg started a gathering where women from the community could come together to embroider and build a community. Realizing they needed a way to create some profit for the women, they started selling intricate embroidered “Buffalove” pins that became very popular at pop-up events.

The success allowed them to grow into the much larger organization they are today. They now continue to sell the original “Buffalove” pins along with many other embroidered designs, and have expanded to selling purses, ornaments, clothes, tablecloths and runners, pillows, and jewelry.

Stitch Buffalo operates on three different programs, the first one being their refugee women's workshop. This provides a space for women all over Buffalo who have immigrated from various countries to design and create products that are then sold in the Stitch Buffalo retail space and throughout the community. The program has about 200 women working in it with about 40 to 60 women being paid every two weeks, some earning over $1,000 for their work. As the organization grew, it naturally evolved into a manufacturing center as well, requiring them to hire on some of the women from the program. “It is the true representation of a good neighborhood," said Munawara Sultana, a participant of the program turned hired seamstress and class instructor.

The second program focuses on community outreach and education. Offering many classes hosted in their Plymouth Avenue address and offsite as well, teaching classes in Buffalo public schools, D’youville campus and anyone looking to use textile arts for meditation and mental wellness. The list of classes offered includes sewing, embroidering, crochet, knitting, leather working and even holiday themed classes such as a witch hat making class. Stitch Buffalo also works closely with the students in the Fashion and Textile Arts program at Buffalo State, providing them with cheap and recycled materials, sometimes even creating specific materials they need for their projects.

Jane Cameron, a sewing instructor at Stitch Buffalo, reflects on how her work affects the community, stating that it develops greater interest and keeps people sewing. This aspect of the organization makes Stitch Buffalo a great "third space" for the city of Buffalo, helping to create a stronger community. To see what classes are being offered and when, visit Stitch Buffalo’s Calendar.

Their third program "Second Stitch" focuses on sustainability. By accepting donations from the community from fabrics to knitting needles they are able to expand their work. Collecting useful items for the seamstresses and women in the refugee workshop program to use in their art work, while also providing shoppable items for their retail section of the organization. “Community fabric” is one of those very projects that came out of the "Second Stitch" aspect of the organization.

Using cut up donated denim they create a large patchwork like fabric that is then sent out into the community where the people can paint anything they want. That fabric is then used to create jean jackets, bags and clutches for the retail section of the organization.

To donate to the organization you can visit Stitch Buffalo’s website. Hear from the business and finance director Linda Crist how the organization got started.

 Fistful of Vintage Bringing Back Styles

Fistful of Vintage owner Matt Santora discusses the inspiration behind opening his

vintage clothing store at 194 Grant St. in Buffalo. Santora, who started collecting vintage

items as a hobby, said his collection “got out of control,” inspiring him to expand from online

sales to an in-person store. He shares his passion for vintage fashion, the growing interest among Gen Z shoppers and why vintage clothing has made a comeback. Santora also explains what makes Fistful of Vintage unique from other thrift and vintage stores in Buffalo.

By: Annemiek Kashindi