BUFFALO, N.Y. — Organizers from the Taste of Buffalo announced Monday the event will be held virtually this year on July 11 and July 12 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two-day food festival will be held through Facebook and Instagram this year, according to organizers. The event will have a core focus on the Taste Takeout initiative, to support local restaurants since many have been hit hard by the pandemic. Organizers said over half of the original participants will have special food items and deals available for takeout during the virtual festival.
“Every year the Taste of Buffalo showcases the delicious foods our city and region are known for, as well as shining a light on our many diverse restaurants. Going to a virtual format will continue the tradition of the Taste of Buffalo by making great foods available via take-out and food trucks," said Mayor Byron W. Brown. "The virtual and interactive food festival will allow the long tradition of the Taste of Buffalo to continue in a safe and innovative way."
Though the event is fully-online, organizers still wanted to make a way to raise money for the community. The event will give festival-goers the opportunity to buy $5 virtual food tickets to benefit FeedMore WNY.
"“The Taste of Buffalo has been a longtime partner of FeedMore WNY, and we are grateful for the continued support of this wonderful event and our compassionate community,” said Tara A. Ellis, president and CEO of FeedMore WNY. “There is an incredible need for food assistance in Western New York as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis. Thanks to the support of events like Taste of Buffalo at Home, we can continue to provide nutritious food to our vulnerable community members of all ages.”
The online festival will also have cooking demonstrations, a wheel of prizes presented by Tops and live music from local performers on the Taste Facebook page.