By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Thursday at the Square returns to the Lafayette Square stage for its 16th encore season. And the summer long, once-a-week-music fest promises to be bigger and better than ever.
This year's blockbuster event kick-offs on May 23rd -- Thursday that is -- with that moody pop sensation the Cowboy Junkies. But there's a full slate of sensational acts - 56 of them to be exact. The event this year pulls in such national acts as Blood Sweat and Tears, Marcia Ball, The Derek Trucks Band, Suzanne Vega and more.
Count "Buffalo Rocks the Harbor" and you even get Peter Frampton as a parting summer bonus. Add to all that local acts that have their own star power -- and Thursday at the Square is a humble idea that has really taken off.
Anthony Colucci is vice president of the board for Buffalo Place, the organizers for the event. Colucci says Thursday at the Square has blossomed far beyond downtown.
"More and more, we as an organization view this event as helping define the character of what is Western New York," said Colucci. "It's noteworthy that this event, over the last couple of years in particular, has received a tremendous regional recognition, both in terms of who attends the event, as well as who covers it in the media. Canadian national media outlets are covering Thursday at the Square because this is a place that becomes a destination for the greater region - not just for folks from Western New York."
And that has meant an economic boost as well. It's estimated that the attraction generates about $4.5 million of revenues annually.