The Buffalodown, Vol. 2, Issue 31
Stories & Events for Social Connection
By Seamus Gallivan
- Join the Foolish Club for Ralph Wilson Park
- Musings on Music: 9th annual Folkfaces Fest
- Featured Events: 24 this week, always encouraging submissions!
- Links to the Deep End: Investigative Post, Buffalo News, New York Times
Thank you for your attention!
Please forward this to kindred souls, and subscribe here if you haven’t yet!
Another cool thing alert on behalf of the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy – please join us in founding the Foolish Club, and say hey if you see me at the launch party this Thursday!
From conservancy director Katie Campos:
In 1959, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. and seven others risked it all to create a new football league. They were called the Foolish Club for daring to believe in something that didn’t exist yet – a competitive American Football League in unproven cities like Buffalo. Ralph believed in Buffalo and invested $25,000. His gamble gave Buffalo the Bills — and a legacy of bold action.
Ralph Wilson’s belief in Buffalo persists today through this once-in-a-city’s-lifetime transformation of Ralph Wilson Park.
Now, inspired by Ralph’s bold legacy, we’re launching the Ralph Wilson Park Foolish Club.
For just $25 a year you can join thousands of Buffalonians in sustaining our new, world-class waterfront park— keeping it vibrant, clean and free for everyone.
Every member gets the exclusive Foolish Club t-shirt and the pride of knowing you’re part of something bigger: a movement to sustain Ralph Wilson Park.
Celebrate with us on Oct 2 at BriteSmith Niagara, 5pm and pick up your tee. Foolish Club members get their first drink on BriteSmith – and a bold new reason to believe in Buffalo.
Be Bold. Be “foolish.” Believe in Buffalo.
Become a paying member to support social connection!
Musings on Music
Folkfaces Fest is “Feline & Cloud 9”
I’ve written repeatedly here about my love and appreciation for Tyler Westcott and his music – such a gift he’s been to Buffalo since moving here some 15 years ago, and he takes his gifts as far as he can go, including another European trip this past summer. A true troubadour, he goes wherever he can find people coming together to share stories through music, and in the process brings many of them back through Buffalo.
Perhaps Tyler’s grandest labor of love is the music festival that bears the name of his band Folkfaces, as Folkfaces Fest 9 will once again bring together a massive amount of musicians and fellow folklore lovers at the Cherry Hill Campground in Darien Center from tomorrow through Saturday.
I just received the weekly Hive Buzz from the Buffalo Hive thanks to editor Elmer Ploetz – recommend subscribing to that, too! – which includes a preview of Folkfaces Fest 9 by Bob McLennan, in which Bob got a lineup breakdown from Tyler that helped me find a few intriguing acts to show below, in addition to a favorite clip of Tyler joining the Buffalodown: Living the Dream at Kleinhans last year along with a video I took of featured act Buffalo Choro at Porchfest 2024 – also note that there’s a “Night Before Folkfaces Fest” show tonight at Nietzsche’s, as part of Tyler’s first Wednesday “bluegrass & old-time string band jam” residence there.
Let me know if you go, or if you’d like to meet me at Nietzsche’s one of these Wednesdays!
Tyler leads the house band in his MLK-inspired “We’re on the Move Now” at the Buffalodown” Living the Dream
The Flying Clouds of South Carolina – “legacy gospel band from the Grassroots fest”
Perry Gordon — From France, trad jazz from ’20s and ’30s New Orleans
Trombone Charlotte – guitarist & trombonist, “she’ll be sitting in with a lot of the acts”
Buffalo Choro — Brazilian mandolin
Become a paying member to help us present and promote more music!
Events in the Week Ahead
Thanks to all who’ve submitted their events! Welcoming submissions with a flyer and link to seamus@reconnecter.org
Become a paying member to help us promote community events!
Links to the Deep End
Deeper dives into subjects that matter for social connection
Buffalo Carshare is back: ‘It’s got a transformative impact on people’s lives’ – article, The Buffalo News – “‘These are places where you need a car to get by, but a lot of folks can’t afford to own their own car,’ Randall said. ‘We see this as part of the social safety net.’”
MAGA’s media takeover – article, Investigative Post – “…what’s happening right before our eyes is a full frontal assault on journalism, the First Amendment — and democracy.”
The Democrats’ Big Shutdown Gamble – podcast, The New York Times – “The U.S. government shut down on Wednesday morning. For the Democrats, it is an act of resistance against President Trump’s second-term agenda. The question is now whether their gamble will pay off or backfire.
Thank YOU for reading this far and being part of it all – extra thanks to everyone supporting this work with a membership at www.reconnecter.org!
Please share with friends to sign up for next week’s Buffalodown, and reach out with any feedback, all ideas welcome!
Related Posts
