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2007
KICKOFF PRESS CONFERENCE
New Restaurants, Music Legend Highlight National Wing Fest! 6th Annual Event Set for Dunn Tire Park! After drawing more than a quarter of a million people, serving a million and a half chicken wings, and raising $95,000 for local charities over the past five years, the NATIONAL BUFFALO WING FESTIVAL returns to Buffalo's Dunn Tire Park, with new national restaurants and music legend Terry Sylvester, formerly of "The Hollies". This year's annual event will take place Labor Day weekend, September 1st and 2nd, and promises to be even more fun and exciting that its five predecessors. Saturday hours are Noon to 10pm, and Sunday hours are Noon to 7pm. According to festival founder Drew Cerza, better known as the "WING KING", more than 30 local and national restaurants will participate in this year's event, including several new entries. Among them are Ker's Wing House, a Texas chain owned by former Dallas Cowboy Crawford Ker, and Native New Yorker, owned by a former Grand Island family with 17 restaurants in Arizona. Returning to this year's event will be the numerous contests and competitions which have become festival favorites over the years, including the U.S. CHICKEN WING EATING CHAMPIONSHIPS, which will be held on Saturday at 6pm. Sanctioned by the International Federation of Competitive Eating, this year's competitors will include the return of 2006 Champion Chip Simpson of Alabama and World Chicken Wing Eating Champion Sonya Thomas. Other contests include the Hot Sauce Recipe competitions, Miss Buffalo Wing Contest, Baby Wing Contest, Blue Cheese Bowl Competition, Buffalo Buffet Bowl, and the .5k "Running of the Chickens". Entertainment at the 2007 NATIONAL BUFFALO WING FESTIVAL will feature the return of the very popular Jimmy Buffett tribute band "PIRATE DREAMS", which will appear on the festival's main stage on Sunday at 2 and 6pm. On Saturday, local Elvis impersonator Terry Buchwald will perform from 2 to 6pm, followed by a very special performance by music legend Terry Sylvester, formerly of "The Hollies", at 8pm. His songs include Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, The Air That I Breathe, and He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother. New this year is a special interactive entertainment area, including a U.S. Navy mobile simulator, featuring the live action ride film adventure "F-18 Carrier Experience". Designed specifically to capture the imagination of future Navy recruits, this ride film presents a pilot's perspective of an aircraft carrier take-off and landing, combined with low level flying. This exhibit is FREE or all festival attendees. Other attractions include a mini remote-control Nascar race track, a quad-trampoline jump, and a 22-foot inflatable slide. This Kid's Zone also returns to the festival, with crafts and entertainment. The NATIONAL BUFFALO WING FESTIVAL has received considerable attention from the national media over the years. And, Drew Cerza says this year's event will be no exception. Among those covering the 2007 festival will be a television crew from the FOOD NETWORK'S very popular "EMERIL LIVE" Show. Cerza says the show will be taping on Saturday for an upcoming episode on Buffalo Wings, to be featured in New York City with Food Network legend Emeril Lagasse. PBS will also return to the NATIONAL BUFALO WING FESTIVAL, to record a segment for its "ROADSIDE ADVENTURE" series. In addition, the festival will be the final stop for filmmaker Matt Reynolds, who is producing a project called "The Great Buffalo Chicken Wing Hunt". Ticket prices for the 2007 NATIONAL BUFFALO WING FESTIVAL are just $5.00, and kids eight and under are admitted for FREE. Charities to benefit from this year's festival include the Food Bank of WNY, Meals on Wheels, and Variety Club. |
