Talk about a changing landscape; it seems only a few years ago that Best Festival comprised the Allentown Art Festival, which is almost a half-century old, and the Italian Festival, and that was about it. Today, Artvoice readers vote for literally dozens of other festivals that are relatively new: Elmwood Festival of the Arts; Music Is Art; Pride Festival; Artvoice Street Festival; Wingfest; Wingstock; Irish Festival; Guitar Festival; Rock the Harbor; Canal Fest; etc.

On a similar note, given the economic stress of both the city and Erie County, Buffalo’s capacity for fundraising is quite remarkable. There are lot of good nominations in Best Annual Fundraiser, all great, all quite different and all exceptionally successful.

While the nominees for Best Building are unquestionably some of our finest architecture, heavy voting pointed out a considerably larger list of buildings that included the modern Hauptman-Woodward Institute, a refreshing choice; the Church, home to Hallwalls and Ani DiFranco’s Righteous Babe Records; the Butler Mansion; M&T’s gold domed building on Main St.; the Albright-Knox and many others.

While we obviously can’t print the thousands of comments sent to Artvoice in the categories for Best Reason to Live in Buffalo, Best Reason to Leave Buffalo or Best Way to Improve the City’s Image, it is worth pointing out some things that are not evident from simply looking at the nominations. Citizens by the thousands expressed frustration with politics—no surprise there. One of our favorite suggestions was to require that all politicians live in homes on the East Side. Our readers said they want dilapidated buildings demolished or rehabbed and architectural gems restored. They are particularly vocal that city developers should build urban-style developments instead of “fake suburban.” Our readers also complained about the proliferation of billboards for injury and divorce attorneys that are “ruining our landscape.” Maybe it’s time for attorney Steve Barnes to do what his hair did, and disappear…

Many, many people want the Skyway down and Main Street open to traffic; they also want to “vote down the casino”—which, unfortunately, they were never given a chance to do since Pataki and the state legislature never allowed any voter participation in the Seneca gambling compact.

On a more humorous note, it is suggested that we find a way to stop people outside of Buffalo from making wings and that we teach people coming from the suburbs how to drive. And of course, everyone wants the Sabres to continue winning.

Best Annual Festival

Music Is Art/ Ellicottville Summer Festival of the Arts

Italian Heritage Festival

Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts

Artvoice Street Festival

Allentown Art Festival

Best Annual Fundraiser

Variety Club Telethon

Ride for Roswell

Artvoice Mardi Gras Hospice Fundraiser

American Red Cross M*A*S*H Bash

AIDS Community Services “Cause for Celebration”

Best Bowling Alley

Voelker’s Bowling Center

Transit Lanes

Kenmore Lanes

AMF Thruway Lanes

AMF Lancaster Lanes

Best Buffalo Tourist Attraction

The waterfront

The city’s architecture

Darwin D. Martin House

Anchor Bar

Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Best Building

The Guaranty Building

H.H. Richardson Complex

Ellicott Square Building

Darwin D. Martin House

Buffalo City Hall

Buffalo Central Terminal

Best Cultural Organization

Shea’s Performing Arts Ctr

Shakespeare in Delaware Park

Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center

Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

Big Orbit Gallery

Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Best Place to Shoot Pool

Slick Willie’s Billiard Hall

Pearl Street Grill & Brewery

Hippodrome Billiards

Classic Cue Billiards & Cafe

2-2-3 Allen (The Old Pink)

Best Place to Take the Family

Shea’s Performing Arts Ctr

Delaware Park

Buffalo Zoo

Buffalo Museum of Science

Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Best Place to take Out-of-town Visitors

Niagara Falls

Erie Basin Marina

Elmwood Strip

Anchor Bar

Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Best Place to Take Pets

The Waterfront

Losson Park

Isle View Park

Delaware Park

Chestnut Ridge Park

Best Playground

Shoshone Park

Maple East Elementary School

Delaware Park Rose Garden

Como Park Elementary School

Chestnut Ridge Park

Best Reason to Leave Buffalo

The weather

The politics

The economy

Lack of jobs

High taxes

Best Reason to Live in Buffalo

The weather

The people

The food

The cost and quality of life

Family

Best Way to Improve City’s Image

Promote small business

Promote & market the arts

Develop the waterfront

Clean up city streets

Be upbeat

Best Street Corner

Niagara Square

Elmwood and Cleveland

Elmwood and Bidwell

Elmwood and Allen

Delaware and Chippewa