September in Buffalo marks the beginning of the end of summer and the anticipation of cooler days ahead. While fall doesn’t officially begin until September 22, it’s never too early to embrace one of the best seasons to experience everything the Queen City has to offer.
From football and festivals and food, there are countless things to do in Buffalo in the fall that make this time of year unforgettable. Here are our top activities to help you make the most of the season.
Cheer on the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium
Fall in Buffalo is synonymous with football. On Sundays, the city is powered by the Buffalo Bills, and there’s no better way to feel the local spirit than by experiencing a game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. The atmosphere inside the stadium is electric, especially since this season is the last at the stadium before the team moves across the street to the new Highmark Stadium.
Even if you don’t have tickets, the Bills Mafia tailgates are a sight to behold. Fans gather hours before kickoff to fire up grills, play music, and celebrate together. Tailgating in Orchard Park is a Buffalo tradition that has to be experienced at least once. It's more than sports; it's a Western New York cultural event. If you’re visiting in the fall, check the Buffalo Bills home game schedule and plan your weekend around it.
Take in Fall Colors at Buffalo’s Parks and Beyond
Buffalo is home to some of the most beautiful green spaces in New York State, and in the fall, they transform into brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow. Delaware Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, is a favorite spot for locals who want to stroll around Hoyt Lake or enjoy the tree-lined walking trails.
If you’re willing to venture a bit further, Chestnut Ridge Park in Orchard Park offers hilltop views of the city surrounded by fall foliage. Hikers looking for even more adventure can travel through the park to the picturesque Eternal Flame Falls. For a true day trip, head about an hour outside the city to Letchworth State Park to take in dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, and a dense forest of changing leaves.
For the artists who love to capture the beauty of the fall in Western New York, BTPM is giving you the opportunity to have your artwork on an official limited-edition BTPM Tote Bag through our Seasonal Impressions Contest!
Submit your artwork by Sept. 15, and the community will vote! Voting takes place until Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 7 pm. Each vote is $1, which goes towards public media. Submit now, and your creativity, quirky or classic, could be carried through the season and beyond!
Taste Buffalo’s Seasonal Food and Drink
Buffalo is a city that knows food, and fall is the perfect time to indulge. The season kicks off with apple cider, fresh donuts, and pumpkin-flavored treats at local farms and bakeries. The Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence is famous for its cider and donuts. It's also one of the largest fall attractions in the region, featuring pumpkin picking, hayrides, corn mazes, and family-friendly activities every weekend from September through October. Becker Farms in Gasport offers both apple picking and a winery for adults to enjoy.
Buffalo’s breweries also get into the fall spirit. Resurgence Brewing Company and Community Beer Works release limited-edition fall beers, like pumpkin ales and harvest-inspired brews. And of course, no trip to Buffalo is complete without sampling the city’s classics: Buffalo wings, sponge candy, and beef on weck.
Experience Buffalo’s Arts and Theater Season
Fall is also the start of Buffalo’s theater season. The 42nd Annual Curtain Up! celebration kicks off the local theater year on Sept. 19, bringing life to the Theatre District in downtown Buffalo. The event features live performances and plenty of opportunities to support local theater productions. Shea’s Performing Arts Center recently revealed its newly renovated Shea's 710 Theatre lobby and lounge just in time for their production of “Dream Girls,” which runs through Sept. 28.
If visual arts are more your style, Buffalo has plenty to offer. The Buffalo AKG Art Museum, the Burchfield Penney Art Center, and the CEPA Gallery all host seasonal exhibits that highlight both local and national artists. Spending an afternoon at one of these cultural landmarks is a perfect way to escape the chill while still experiencing the best of Buffalo’s fall arts scene.
Erie Canal Bicentennial Voyage
Wednesday, Sept. 24 will mark 200 years since Governor DeWitt Clinton’s historic 1825 journey from Buffalo to New York Harbor. Buffalo Maritime Center’s replica of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief will take the 33-day voyage, beginning from Buffalo’s Commercial Slip and traveling to Pier 26 in New York City.
If you want more on the Erie Canal, attend a screening of “America’s Stairway” on Sept. 25 at the Lockport Palace. The program places the historic Flight of Five locks on the Erie Canal in Lockport, New York, squarely in the American narrative as a symbol of what a young and developing nation could achieve. It draws a direct line from the Flight of Five to the birth of American tourism and today's heritage tourism industry, which is inextricably linked to grassroots preservation efforts and a community's pride and sense of place.
“America’s Stairway” will air on BTPM PBS on Monday, Oct. 20, at 9 pm.
Whatever your style is to bring in the fall, Western New York has it. Whether it's a festival with food and drinks, or a football game... with food and drinks, there is something here for you to embrace the dropping temperatures, the cozy sweaters, and beautiful fall colors.