About Us

41 Years of Tasting

The Taste of Buffalo presented by Tops is the largest two-day food festival in the United States. It began in 1984 with 22 restaurants on Main St and now we are celebrating our 41st year in 2024. The Taste is a not-for-profit corporation registered with the State of New York and is run by an all-volunteer board of directors, and event management and sponsorship agency and supported by approximately 1,000 dedicated volunteers.

The mission of the Taste of Buffalo is to promote the City of Buffalo and showcase the greater Buffalo area restaurants and businesses by providing an affordable and enjoyable weekend festival that takes place in an inclusive and socially responsible manner for all.

Join us Saturday, July 13th and Sunday, July 14th, 2024 in celebration of our 41st year of sharing food, drinks and good times with the great city of Buffalo!

41 Years of Giving

The Taste awards annual scholarships to high school seniors pursuing a major in culinary arts or the hospitality field. Each year the Taste of Buffalo awards stipends to local organizations that man the festival's ticket and beverage tents. Over $606,000 has been donated by the Taste. If monies remain left over after expenses are paid, the Taste Chair and Board of Directors make additional donations to local charitable organizations.

Admission to the Taste is Free! Food and beverages are purchased with tickets.

Food and beverage tickets can be purchased at one of three ticket tents located throughout the festival. Tickets are sold in $6 sheets. You’ll receive 10 tickets for $6. Food items range between 2 and 10 tickets.

You can purchase Pre-sale Food Ticket Vouchers at the register at participating Tops Markets locations beginning the second Sunday in June through 5 p.m. on Sunday of the festival. Vouchers are redeemable for food/drink tickets at any festival ticket tent and are available in $10 increments OR you can take advantage of the Family Freebie and purchase the $60 Pre-sale Food Ticket Voucher and get 4 free non-alcoholic drinks at the Taste.

The future dates of the Taste of Buffalo are:
July 12 & 13, 2025
July 11 & 12, 2026


2024 Board of Directors

Officers

Chair

Thomas Mahoney, SAHD

Treasurer

Lori Rizzo, Gibraltar Industries

1st Vice Chair

Matthew J. Reis, Tallinger Associates, Foodservice Design

Assistant Treasurer

Rozana Ayanbadejo, Nova Healthcare Administrators

2nd Vice Chair

Adam C. Roma, Principal Financial Group

Past Chair

Elizabeth Cohen, Aventra

Secretary

Cheryl Goldstone, Retired – School Counselor Williamsville South HS

 

Directors

Paul Avery, Esq., Bond, Schoeneck & King Brendan Orr, Bolton St. Johns
Greg Beckwith, NFTA-Metro Valerie E. Pillo, Clarivate Analytics
Paula Bilski, Retired Rachel Rajan, MergerShark
Douglas Boehm, Bureau Veritas Consumer Product Service Mark E. Reimann, Joblio, Inc.
Becky Chambers, Delaware North/Erie Sportservice LLC Peter Sass, A-Kleen Windows, Inc./Bugg Control, Inc.
William Fahs, HSBC Matthew Testa, M&T
Timothy Herzog, Flying Bisons Brewing Company Mark Zawodzinski, Integer Holdings Corporation
Rob Hummel, First Student Inc. Amanda Ziegler, University at Buffalo
   

Ex-Officio

James K. Morrell, NFTA-Metro
Thomas P. Muscarella, Erie County Department of Health
W. Morgan Smith, Buffalo Place, Inc.

Advisory Committee

Luke Baecker, Roofers Local No. 74/203 Benefit Funds
Erin Collins, Linde
Ann Hackett, aHa! Designs

Festival & Sponsorship Management

Connie Wendling, Sell-utions Inc.