The Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival will not be at Sahlen Field come this Labor Day weekend. Festival founder, Drew Cerza, announced on Wednesday that it will be replaced with “America’s Greatest Chicken Wing Party.”
“This is an unprecedented reimagining of an American food festival. No other such event has ever attempted something like this before,” said Cerza.
The organization has teamed up with chicken wing eaters in 50 cities across the nation to host watch-parties for football fans at their favorite local restaurants. Since the Wingfest is typically a fundraiser–having raised over $400,000 for local charities since its inception–it will be expanding those fundraising efforts to local foodbanks in their respective cities.
“The Wingfest has been an outstanding partner to our organization over the last two decades, and we’re thrilled to have found a way to continue building on that relationship at a time when our organization – and those like ours across the country – need help the most,” said Tara Ellis, president and CEO of FeedMore WNY.
The party will kick off on October 4, with Buffalo Bills Backers Fan Clubs hosting parties to watch the Buffalo Bills versus Las Vegas Raiders game.
Festival coordinators have also launched a council to oversee the execution of this nationwide celebration of one of Buffalo’s staples. Additionally, they are currently solidifying plans to officially name October National Chicken Wing Month.
Cerza said that while this isn’t the festival that Buffalonians know and love, it’s still a way to carry on the 18-year tradition.
“You know, the exciting part about all of this is keeping the spirit of the Wingfest alive,” said Cerza.
