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Celebrating autumn in Salamanca and the Seneca Nation in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains

The 39th annual

a c e n e S a Salamanc l a v i t s e F s e v a e L g n i l l a F Oct. 1 & 2, 2016 Sept. 30,

Downtown Salamanca This guide brought to you by

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2016 Falling Leaves Festival

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Plenty to do at the 39th annual Falling Leaves Festival

By Kellen M. Quigley City Reporter SALAMANCA — Just as the leaves begin to fall, preparations for the 39th annual Falling Leaves Festival are nearly finalized with many favorites returning.

This year’s festival, hosted by the City of Salamanca and the Seneca Nation of Indians, features many activities, events, contests, entertainers and more for the whole family between Sept. 30 and Oct. 2.

City officials and community volunteers have been planning for months trying to make this year’s Salamanca-Seneca Falling Leaves Festival bigger — and better — than ever.

After being city-run for three years, a group of community members and volunteers has taken the reigns of the festival, which was first held in 1976, with city officials playing a much smaller role.

2016 Falling Leaves Festival The weekend kicks off Friday night with the return of Friday Night Fights presented by Southern Tier Wrestling, a big hit with the kids last year that’s sure to entertain them again.

New this year is a large 80-foot-long, 40-footwide tent so festivities can go on regardless of weather. Whether to escape the hot rays of the sun or the raindrops, the tent will have you covered.

Once again with kids and families in mind, much of the festival is free of charge. The carnival rides, children’s activities through the Youth Center such as face painting and a bounce house, the Minute to Win It games are all free to the public.

Several games and contests will take place Saturday afternoon, including Minute to Win It, a pie-eating contest, the bed races and a hot dog eating contest.

For Saturday’s musical entertainment, Elvis Presley impersonator Terry Buchwald will return to the festival to perform his Elvis tribute show. Capping off Saturday is a dance at the American Legion on Wildwood Avenue featuring local band Zephyr from 9 p.m. to midnight.

And just like clockwork, the grand parade will be the finale of the festival weekend at 1 p.m. Sunday followed by the concert featuring the marching bands. It’s a festival send-off that is sure not to disappoint.

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Competitors sought as bed races return for second year

By Kellen M. Quigley City Reporter SALAMANCA — An old Falling Leaves favorite is returning for the second consecutive year when the unique beds wheel themselves down Jefferson Street.

After a few year’s absence, the bed races made a huge comeback last year after popular demand. With even more races coming Saturday afternoon, the eccentric competition series on Salamanca’s streets will be wackier than ever and with a new twist.

The races, headed by Edd and Kim Dry, will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday with teams racing down Jefferson Street between South Main Street and Park Avenue, getting a great view of the former Jefferson Street School and the festivities in the park below along the way.

“We’re doing things a little different this year,” Edd explained. “We’re going to supply two beds and then all the teams have to use those two beds.

“Anybody can come, any ages, whatever. We don’t care, because the more the merrier,” he added.

Teams of five people will each use one of two provided beds on wheels and navigate through a course and several challenges, but the organizers aren’t giving much away on what the teams have in store.

“I’m going to have to hold back on that because I want it all to be a surprise so nobody can practice,” Edd said.

If enough teams wish to participate, the races will be

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in a tournament bracket style with two teams facing off and the winner advancing to the next level. However, instead of a losers bracket, Edd said he’d like to have the team with the

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fastest losing time get back in the mix.

The champions from 2015’s races have also thrown out a challenge to anyone who thinks they can beat their times.

“The more people we get, the more fun we’re going to have,” Edd said.

Anyone interested in participating or with questions, call Edd and Kim at 450-6627.

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Fun-tastic time for kids planned

By Kellen M. Quigley City Reporter SALAMANCA — There’s something for everyone at the Falling Leaves Festival — even the community’s kiddies.

All kids activities at this year’s festival are free of charge and will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and it promises to be a fun time for the whole family.

“We want them to come out and enjoy themselves without paying a fee,” said Sandi Brundage, a Falling Leaves organizer and director of the Salamanca Youth Center. “We know and understand that many families struggle with whether or not to attend the festival and be proactive in their community. We never want money or a cost to be a prohibitive factor in their attendance.”

Brundage said activities include a bounce house, petting zoo, face painting, balloon animals, pony rides — which will cost only a nominal fee of only one or two dollars — and special bubble structure created by a friend of the youth center.

“All the events are all funded by the friends of the Salamanca Youth Center, Inc,” Brundage said.

Although the bounce houses and petting zoo are always among the kids’ favorites, the bubble structure is one activity sure to make a lot of memories.

“Priscilla Snyder’s Bubble Structure is what she’s calling it, weather permitting,” Brundage said. “If it’s really raining or nasty, she won’t bring it. Basically, you stand inside this device and pull a series of levers and it creates a bubble around you. It’s very cool.”

Planning for the activities begins in January, according to Brundage, with contacting various who also participate in other youth center events such as the Easter egg hunt.

“Then it’s a matter of fundraising and making sure we have the funds and the support to have the activities for the children,” she said. “And then, of course, there’s keeping in touch with the greater committee for the festival.”

Brundage said the committee had been great with reaching out to the youth center, asking what they were going to do, how the committee could be helpful and help organize the activities.

“It’s always worth it,” Brundage added. “It’s always a good community event. The committee members do an excellent job, and I think it shows in the event every year.

It’s a time-honored tradition in Salamanca.”

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The Falling Leaves Festival Grand Parade set for Oct. 2

By Kellen M. Quigley City Reporter SALAMANCA — The big finale of the Falling Leaves Festival should be music to the ears of everyone who attends the Grand Parade Sunday afternoon.

Shortly after both the carnival rides and the beer tent open, the parade will strike up at 1 p.m. down Main and Broad streets with an expected six bands, several floats and banner carriers.

“Units are still coming in, but I expect that there will be more than last year,” said Donna Raahauge, parade organizer. “Everything is weather dependent as usual.”

Registration for participation in the parade will remain open through Sept. 30, the Friday before the parade, and organizers encourage any community groups to participate.

“Don’t worry, we’ll make room for them,” Raahauge said.

Among the bands signed up are 23 Skidoo, of Hamburg; the Renegades, of Lancaster; the Northcoast Brass

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Co., of Erie, Pa.; the Rushford Town Band, of Rushford; the Marilla Fireman’s Band, of Marilla; and Western New York Alumni Drum Corps from Dunkirk.

Those participating in the parade will meet and begin lining up at 11 a.m. at the former Dudley Hotel on North Main Street, but Raahauge said the earlier marchers arrive the better.

The parade marshal’s tent will be in the lot across the street from the Dudley.

As the parade makes its way down Main turns west up Broad, marchers will pass the reviewing stand at Jefferson Park, one of the best places to watch everyone go by. The parade will make its way down Broad and end at Triangle Park.

“My favorite part is standing at the corner of Main and Broad and thanking all the units as they go past me,” Raahauge said. “That makes all the work worthwhile.”

Some of the work that can be challenging is setting a budget and obtaining funding, according to Raahauge, as well as getting the word out to new units.

“I’m always looking for new groups to have in the parade,” she added. “Everything is a highlight. They are all exciting to watch.”

The two shriners groups — McKean County Roadrunners Mini Cars, of Bradford, Pa., and the Gowanda Mini Motorcycles, of Gowanda — are always crowd favorites that are scheduled to appear again. Some units from the high schools are also planning to march in the parade.

Make sure to stay around after the parade, as three of the bands — the Northcoast Brass Co., Marilla Fireman’s Band and the WNY Alumni Drum Corps. — will be doing concerts in the park. All their concerts should take about an hour total.

“It’s a great tradition because it’s like a wrap-up of all the activities,” Raahauge said. “And who doesn’t like a parade?”

For more information or to register, contact Donna Raahauge at raahauge@atlanticbb.net or call 278-5468.

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By Kellen M. Quigley City Reporter

Buchwald’s back

In October 1991, Terry Buchwald unexpectedly found himself on stage with a local band, launching what has rapidly grown to be a professionally greater accomplishment than he could have ever imagined.

More than 10,000 scarves later, Buchwald has sold over 40,000 CDs and has opened for national acts such as Diamond Rio, Rick Springfield, Grassroots and the Charlie Daniels Band as the one — the only — Elvis Presley.

And Saturday afternoon, Oct. 1, at 4, he will be rockin’ in Jefferson Park performing his Elvis tribute show for the second year in a row.

See Buchwald, Page 14

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Buchward from Page 12 Buchwald has performed for such celebrity functions as the Variety Kids Telethon, WNY Make a Wish Foundation’s “An Evening With the Stars,” NYS Governor Pataki’s New Year's Eve Ball and former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly’s NFL retirement party.

These performances have taken Buchwald to many major cities in the United States and Canada and as far away as Puerto Rico, Mexico and Japan.

Locally, Buchwald was the subject of a three-part ABC special on Buffalo’s Channel 7 News. He is also a spokesman, guest DJ and entertainer for Buffalo radio stations Classic 104, 97 Rock, Star 102.5, WYRK 106.5 and Kiss 98.5.

Outside performing, Buchwald takes part in volunteer work, charities, fundraisers and awareness events for organizations such as United Cerebral Palsy, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Muscular Dystrophy Association, AIDS Rochester, Hospice and Food Bank of Western New York.

Buchwald has recorded four CDs on the Rhapsody Music Recording Label which have hit the shelves of 13 Walmart stores, Sam’s Club, Media Play, Borders and Barnes and Noble. He is the first local artist to ever sell CDs in Walmart stores.

In 2010, Buchwald was one of the first to be inducted into the Buffalo Music Awards Hall of Achievement and in 2011 he was awarded the Night-Life Lifetime Achievement Award from the Buffalo Night-Life Music and Club Awards.

In 2012, Depew High School, Buchwald’s alma mater, honored him for his work in the community and with local charities and was one of the first to be honored on the Depew High School Alumni Wall of Fame.

Rain or shine, Buchwald will perform in Jefferson Park under the big tent.

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