Special events planned for the 175th Erie County Fair in August include a high-wire act by daredevil Nik Wallenda and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's first solo concert at the fair in nearly 60 years. Wallenda's last performance at the Fair was with his family in the 1990s. Earlier this year, he announced a summer residency at Darien Lake theme park with shows twice daily from June through September in an indoor show titled "Nik Wallenda: Beyond the Falls."
"I believe that Western New York has adopted Nik Wallenda and I'm so excited to be here for the Erie County Fair," Wallenda said Thursday.
Wallenda says the walk on August 10 at 8 p.m. will be longer than his famous walk over Niagara Falls in 2012 and will take place more than 100 feet above the ground.
BPO Music Director JoAnn Falletta says the orchestra's August 6 concert will be "All American," featuring works by Aaron Copland, George Gershwin and Duke Ellington.
Falletta says it will be the first concert she has ever conducted at a fair.
"We're celebrating our neighbors, our history, our region here. It's going to be a glorious day," she said.
