BUFFALO, N.Y. — In a normal year, this would be the weekend we would be celebrating the Elmwood Arts Festival.
For the second year in a row, however, it has been canceled because of the COVID pandemic. But there is a miniature version of the festival planned, and it will be happening this weekend.
The Elmwood Street Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday. There will be sidewalk sales, pop-ups from local artists, and musicians. It will all be socially distant, of course.
Unlike the annual festival, the street will still be open, because this event will be just on the sidewalks and in the small businesses that call Elmwood Avenue home.
"The energy is so amazing," said Therese Deutschlander, the president of the Elmwood Village Association.
Deutschlander added, "I completely understand them not having (the arts festival). But you know, we're business owners, we're hustlers. We're not just going to sit idly by and say, 'Well, there goes a nice weekend,' you know, so we're making the most of it."