ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — It's one of those festivals in Buffalo celebrating one of our region's tastiest delicacies.
"We love wings," Christy Falter said.
"I've always loved wings since I was a kid," Stefan Correa added.
And if anyone knows about wings, it's these two. They both have been coming to the National Buffalo Wing Festival since it began 20 years ago, before they even started dating.
"We must have just never saw each other. Then when we met in college it was like Wing Fest? Wing Fest," Correa said.
A tradition for Western New Yorkers is not just a way to enjoy the local favorites.
"Danny's (is my favorite) because they have the chicken wing soup. That's just a local thing, and it's the best," Falter said.
It's also a chance for wing lovers to try sauces from all over.
"Wings Army over from Mexico. Woah. They've got some great, flavorful wings. I'm a huge fan," Correa said.
Even a restaurant from the U.S. Virgin Islands — Barefoot Buddha — is serving up drums and flats this year.
"It's been a blast. It's been a journey getting here and it's been fun and everyone is really great here. I'm loving it," Barefoot Buddha co-owner Cory Baker said.
And apparently festival-goers are loving the curry jerk sauce at Barefoot Buddha the most. Their other sauces include rum and coke, guava sweet and sour, and chipotle aioli.
Barefoot Buddha is the second restaurant from the U.S. Virgin Islands to make an appearance at Wing Fest. The first didn't even specialize in wings.
"Crazy story. It was actually Buddha Sushi. So I guess Buddha is the good luck. Buddha Sushi is a local sushi spot we have back at home and he tried his hand at the wing competition and he came up here and he won. Now we have Barefoot Buddha," Desiree Wilkes with the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism said.
This marks the second year for Wing Fest at Highmark Stadium. Tickets are $20.
Proceeds are supporting both FeedMore WNY and the Alzheimer's Association of WNY.
If you weren't able to make it Saturday, the festival will be back on Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.