The 25th anniversary of the National Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival is happening this weekend at Sahlen Field.
The festival moved from Labor Day Weekend to the preceding weekend because of the Buffalo Bisons' schedule.
Among the many new features this year are chicken nuggets, which festival founder Drew Cerza — the 'Wing King' — said was a big community request. Even if he might feel differently.
"Well, you know, chicken nuggets and ranch dressing in Buffalo are like blasphemy, right?" he told BTPM News. "I think it's a misdemeanor, punishable up to 10 days in jail.
"But there are people who still like ranch and still eat chicken nuggets, and chicken nuggets are big across the country, and kids like them. People who don't like to eat with their hands like them. So it's about customer service, and we had a lot of requests through the emails and from people on site. So we decided this year it's time."
Other features debuting include a new jumbo chicken wing from Perdue Farms, Buffalo wing mac and cheese, and 57 new styles of sauce.
This anniversary will also honor "legends" with the creation of the Buffalo Wing Hall of Flame. Inductees include competitive eater Joey Chestnut, Buffalo Wild Wings co-founder Scott Lowery, and celebrity chef Bobby Flay.
The festival was created in 2002 as the offshoot from the movie "Osmosis Jones," where there was a chicken wing festival in Buffalo, Cerza said.
"It's been 25 years, and each year you try to do something new, spice it up a little bit," he said. "And this year we're going to be celebrating 25 years with the 25 legends of the wing fest."
Cerza hopes to build on the previous success of recent festivals. Last year people traveled to the Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival from over 46 states and 26 countries, he said.
"When you think about chicken wings, you think about Buffalo, right? And when you think about Buffalo, you think about the people, the food, the camaraderie. Everybody interacting, meeting each other. We've created a culture here at the festival that combines the love of chicken wings, the love of people, and just good people," he said.
The festival is Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Military get in free from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.
General admission is $20. Proceeds benefit Feedmore Western New York and the Alzheimer’s Association. Over the past 25 years, the festival has raised more than $550,000 for various charities.
Additional details for the festival can be found here.
