This weekend in Cheektowaga, NY

This full-day celebration of Asian heritage features food, music, and culture. Now in its seventh year and organized entirely by volunteers, the festival offers cuisine from local restaurants, live performances, and exhibits that highlight traditional arts, crafts, and customs. Interactive activities encourage learning and connection, with a focus on community and cultural exchange. Admission is free and open to all.

Delve into a six-week exploration of the early Middle Ages, tracing how the once unified center of Jewish life in Babylonia gave rise to two lasting traditions, Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jewry. The series weaves together stories of pirates, royal courts, pioneering communities, and the emergence of Torah centers in Spain, North Africa, Germany, and France, illuminating how a single people and shared Torah blossomed into distinct cultural paths. Presented at the Jewish Discovery Center, with a lavish brunch served and the program open to all.

The Paws & Pints 2026 fundraiser returns as a free event at Resurgence Brewing Company, presented once again in partnership with Resurgence. Guests can browse vendors, meet adoptable dogs, connect with local rescues, and take part in a large basket raffle and a 50/50.

Southern Junction BBQ presents a summer Sunday tradition with a brunch menu and live music on the back patio. Jenuine Cello, a looping cellist connected to Buffalo and South Padre Island, fills the space with layered cello grooves as guests relax and mingle. This weekly gathering highlights easygoing vibes, good food, and a mellow soundtrack throughout the brunch.

This free blues performance is part of the FREE Blues Sundays series and features Nickel City Blues Band. The series highlights a different act each week, including artists such as The FEAST, Rusty Fisher, Jony James, Son Henry, Growlers Blues Band, Speedy Parker, and Cold Shot. Outside food or beverages are not permitted, which helps keep these events free.

At Buffalo RiverWorks, the Queen City Hockey Expo welcomes players, families, coaches, and fans of the sport. Explore a bustling gear exchange with budget-friendly new and pre-owned equipment, check out vendors featuring the latest sticks, skates, and apparel, and connect with coaches, trainers, and local hockey organizations. Interactive games, skills challenges, contests, giveaways, and activities for all ages keep the energy high. Whether refreshing your setup, hunting for deals, or celebrating the game, this expo brings the hockey community together for a lively day of action and connection.

RationAles hosts a brunch celebrating the music of Billy Joel, with Captain Jack performing live on the patio. This tribute features Buffalo musicians Gary Styn on keyboards and vocals and Brad Moser on vocals. The RationAles Live Music Series is sponsored by Eric Houlahan State Farm Agency and presented in partnership with EWM Promotions. Admission is free, and the venue offers fresh food and local drinks.

St. Mark is hosting a chicken BBQ fundraiser to support the St. Mark Preschool Scholarship Fund. Each ticket includes a half chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, a roll with butter, and plasticware. Presale tickets are $16 and day-of tickets are $17. Purchasing in advance is appreciated to help meet the required minimum. Tickets can be purchased after weekend services or from the church office, either in person or by calling 716-693-3715. Phone orders can be paid via Venmo or by mailing a check. In-person presale tickets remain available up until the event. Early pickup is available for church members. For additional questions, contact Sharon Heim at 716-870-0862.

A $15 donation includes a meal with a half chicken, salt potatoes, coleslaw, a roll, and dessert. Clam chowder and drinks will be sold separately. Meals can be taken to go or enjoyed at a table on site. A 50/50 raffle will be held, and every ticket also enters a giveaway for a Ninja ice cream maker. The winner does not need to be present. Advance tickets are available from firefighters, or call Nate at (716) 310-8264.

A theatrical tour aboard a climate-controlled trolley explores the cemetery’s history, its art and architecture, and the grounds’ trees, waterbodies, and wildlife. The route also highlights notable permanent residents, with chances to meet a few along the way.

A warm celebration honoring Jerry during the Days Between.

Enjoy a Buffalo Bisons game from the comfort of a private suite at Sahlen Field. Spina Bifida of Western New York is offering a limited number of tickets for $10 each, available to children and adults with Spina Bifida and their families. If additional tickets are released, an announcement will be made.

Explore the Benjamin Long Homestead, a cedar-sided stacked log house set along the Erie Canal, open for docent-led tours. Enter through the ground-level side door and move through ten rooms furnished in period style while guides share insights and answer questions about life when the Canal was a main route to the West. The property also includes a book shop, restrooms, and an herb garden. Interior stairs are steep and can be challenging. Admission is $5, and entry is free for Society members and for children under 14.

A 75-minute, family-friendly celebration of feline antics fills the big screen with a curated mix of fresh submissions, animation, music videos, and beloved internet classics, creating a joyful shared cinema experience. The program collaborates with local cat charities, animal welfare groups, and shelters to raise both funds and awareness for cats in need, and a portion of proceeds supports local efforts including Second Chance to help place area strays in homes. Since 2019, CatVideoFest has generated more than $150,000 for shelters and has also spurred adoptions, fostering, and volunteer involvement at screenings. A pre-show features audience-submitted photos and videos on the big screen, with submission details shared on social media.

Settle into a relaxed patio vibe with The Kitchen serving food promoted as the best in town. Music from two genres rounds out the scene.

This community dance and sharing circle takes place in the Parish Hall at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo. Use the garden entrance. It begins with a brief circle to set intentions and simple guidelines, then flows into a curated music journey that gradually rises in energy and settles again. Participants are free to move in their own way, whether dancing, stretching, resting, or getting playful, and it all wraps up with a concluding circle. The environment supports authentic self-expression and free-form movement in a supportive shared space. It is family-friendly and open to all ages. Late arrivals and early departures are welcome, and attendees are asked to sign in. Organized by volunteers with no profit motive, the gathering invites contributions of $5 to $10 or more to cover a $75 space rental paid to the church, and no one is turned away for lack of funds. Support from those able to contribute, including volunteers, helps keep this practice accessible to the broader community.

This stage musical celebrates classic hits from the 1980s.

This music-focused event brings together two closely linked styles, country and western. The focus stays squarely on these two sounds.

Buffalo blues legend Jony James performs live at Sully’s Harbor Bar as part of the Music Matters Summer Concerts and the Sunday free concert series. This free show takes place on the outdoor patio with views of Lake Erie and Buffalo Harbor, offering an easygoing waterfront setting for an afternoon of blues.

A free, weekly Pokémon league centered on open play and trading. All experience levels are welcome. Play casual matches, learn the basics, trade with fellow attendees, or simply hang out in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

Take part in a One Piece Deck Limited tournament that uses the Banned Leaders format. The event runs with Swiss pairings and single-game matches, and the entry fee is $5. Every participant receives a promotional item, the champion earns a One Piece Winner Card, and a random dice roll will award a One Piece Judge card to one player. Extra prizes in store credit are available and scale with attendance. All ages and skill levels are welcome, and the environment is LGBTQ+ friendly. Registration is available through the Bandai TCG+ app, and the latest Banned Leaders list can be found on the organizer’s Discord.

Meet the Bacons, a harmony-driven duo, brings a blend of Americana, folk rock, country, and more to the 42 North Brewing Company taproom in East Aurora. Enjoy live music along with beer and barbecue from Fat Bob's at 42N.

Get ready for a weekly Gundam CG 2v2 team battle tournament featuring Swiss pairings and single-game rounds. Every participant receives a promo, the tournament winner takes home a Gundam Winner Card, and additional store credit prizes scale with attendance. Entry is $5 per person. The event is open to all ages and skill levels and is LGBTQ+ friendly. Registration is available through the Bandai TCG+ app.

Crafted Cob visits The Yard at Perry for a summertime highlight centered on sweet corn. The visit puts this seasonal favorite front and center for a warm‑weather gathering.

Set out on a community cruise aboard the Grand Lady at Buffalo RiverWorks, all in support of cats in need. This annual benefit brings people together for scenic views and a shared purpose, with every ticket helping fund rescue, care, and adoption efforts. Order a favorite beverage and make an even bigger impact, since 15 percent of bar sales will be donated to Ten Lives Club. This is a non-meal cruise, and only light bagged snacks will be available for purchase, so consider eating before or after. Tickets are $40 for adults ages 13 and up and $28 for children 12 and under. Space is limited.

Set sail aboard the Grand Lady for a 90 minute harbor cruise that supports Ten Lives Club, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of cats by rescuing and rehoming stray and unwanted kittens and cats. Adult tickets are $40, and $8 from each ticket is donated to help cover medical care, supplies, and other essential services for the cats in their care. Enjoy scenic views along the Buffalo River out to Lake Erie with a cash bar offering drinks and light snacks, and know that 15% of bar sales also benefits Ten Lives Club. This outing does not include a meal, and only packaged snack items are available for purchase. Availability is limited.

Fans of tacos can look forward to fresh tastes from Bobo’s Taco Box at The Yard at Perry.

QCL performs at Shores Waterfront Rest- Marina with a set spanning dance, classic rock, pop and R&B. The show offers a broad mix across these styles and more.

The Bomb Band brings a polished, soulful sound to Cheektowaga Town Park, mixing classic Motown grooves with the punch of modern dance hits that keep the dance floor moving. This free concert takes place at the Cultural Center Stage, also known as the Mega Shelter, within the park. Sponsored by NYS Legislator Tim Meyers.

Presented by Funtime, Get The Led Out brings a celebration of the Mighty Zep to Town Ballroom. Guests must be at least 12 years old, and those under 16 need to attend with a parent. A government-issued ID is required for entry.

Get The Led Out delivers a tribute performance honoring Led Zeppelin at Town Ballroom. The show is devoted to the band's music.