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by Geoff Kelly
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When I was a child, my family would often spend summer weekends with the Ericksons on Lake Chautauqua, not far from Bemus Point. Skip was an attorney, a friend to my father and grandfather, and an avid sportsman who hunted moose in Maine and fished for salmon in Alaska.
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by Sarah Barry
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If you’ve ever seen images of your friends draped over a giant metal praying mantis or sitting inside the profile of an enormous human face, it’s likely they were at Griffis Sculpture Park.
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by Patricia Watson
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The New York State Thruway heading east from Buffalo may be one of the most boring stretches of roads around. In spite of that, it can lead to some of Western New York’s jewels. Taking Exit 48A and heading north on route 63 will lead you to Medina, in the western part of Orleans County. This small city has undergone a transformation from a once-bustling center years ago to its present rebirth with small shops and restaurants dotting Main Street.
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by Jon Wheelock
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Each fall, Rushford Lake drains into the Genesee River, a symbolic end-of-summer ritual that accompanies the winterproofing of this lakefront community in Allegany County. It’s a temporary hibernation, however, and each spring the lake fills up again, cottages are opened, lawn games are unpacked, boats are launched, beckoning Buffalonians, Rochesterians, and all who venture down with pristine waters and an abundance of warm weather activities. One of New York’s best-kept secrets is about 60 miles south of Buffalo and 80 miles from Rochester, a summertime oasis that makes a great option for a daytrip or long-term retreat.
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by Jazz Frazier
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Sinclairville, New York and local rap artist Keith Concept will host a three-day festival, Donnaroo, June 13-15, sponsored by Electric Avenue and Doap Records of Buffalo. The name is lifted from the famed music festival Bonnaroo, but this is a wonder of its own, chock full of nonstop local bands, DJs, comedians, and odds-and-ends acts. The festival takes its first step on Frosty Thursday (June 13) at 6:30pm, keeps on to Funky Fresh Friday (June 14), and rolls into Illuminati Saturday (June 15).
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by Sarah Barry
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If you’re interested in learning more about the history of Western New York, a day trip to North Tonawanda might be for you. Oliver Street has some of the most unique and surprisingly affordable antique shops in the area.
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by Amanda Ferreira
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What could be more exciting than watching burly men in kilts heave massive telephone poles for bragging rights?
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by Pat Pendleton
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Leave the buzz of the city to visit three restorative waters within 30 miles of Buffalo without going onto the Thruway. Western New York is nestled within Lake Erie and Niagara River and populated with abundant waterfalls, where a thriving number of mills once produced essentials of daily life. Route 5 begins at the Pennsylvania border in Chautauqua County and weaves up through Buffalo and eastward all the way to Route 9 in Albany, a 370-mile highway. The ribbon of road through the city and into the suburbs of Williamsville and Clarence is known as Main Street. Glen Falls, Akron Falls, and Indian Falls are all found off Route 5—an easy daytrip.
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