The city is in a boom of sorts and some cool airbnb's have popped at really cheap rates, especially if you are sharing. Except for the ones that say "Niagara Falls" and the one in South Buffalo, all are in the Allentown neighborhood. Just thought I'd share. I live in Allentown, so if anyone has questions, just ask.

http://stepoutbuffalo.com/10-totally-awesome-airbnbs-in-buffalo/

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  • Hi Pat,

    Would you explain what is going on economywise with Buffalo?

    I have done the Allentown Arts Festival, 2015 was my last year, though.

    Always liked the show.

    Thanks.

    • Sorry, Judy. Just saw this. Wendy did a good job for me :) Yes, the city is in a boom right now. Last year was my best a'town ever by about $1000. I was hoping to do even better this year, but sales were sluggish. Most artists agreed.  It was OK, but when you have a better than usual show, your hopes are high for the next year. Oh, who can figure these out, eh? Ironically, the "boom" may be hurting festivals like this because there is so much going on now, it divides the audience. Buffalo always had an active Summer event schedule but it has really exploded. I know this year there were several events drawing large crowds on the same weekend as the show. It was a topic of discussion among the artists but I'll be darned if I can remember what they were now. Typically, sunny hot days are not as good as cloudy/rainy ones because people will be on the water. The Canalside/Outer Harbor area is very active on weekends. A'Town starts the festival season in B-Lo in June and the Elmwood Avenue festival ends it on the weekend before Labor Day. Most vendors and customers enjoy Elmwood more and my sales are better there. It will be interesting to see how the shows evolve in this new atmosphere (if the uptick continues).

      • Thank you Pat and Wendy, I appreciate the info.

        I'm assuming that both of you live in the area?

        I did the Allentown Art show for several years when I lived in Cleveland. They almost seem like sister cities- we moved away 2009 (my husband) 2010 (me) due to Cleveland's economy, which is also improving now.

        I never did the Elmwood show as I was there in June for the Allentown show, but I have heard about it from friends who liked it.

        Maybe Elmwood would be a good choice now? I lost my good Allentown spot on the main street, right at the beginning of the show- and 1/2 block from my hotel- what could be better? (smile)

        • I live in the immediate area, about midway between the two shows. Walking distance. Makes no sense not to do them :)

        • NO!  

          Elmwood has the worst director of all time.  I watched an artist very nicely tell him the music was too loud to converse with her customer and he mocked her and embarrassed her in front of a ton of customers and other artists.  She was right it was too loud and only wanted another spot. Another artist did not hand in the comment card (which he collects so he can only send in the good ones) because she wanted to send it in herself... and he threatened to have her escorted out.  She was next to me.

          These are just TWO of the examples I have personally witnessed.  The load out is a nightmare and I would never recommend this show to anyone until Joe DisPasquale is no longer the Director.  He is unreasonable, mean and has a giant ego.  Three things that are very bad in an art show director.  DON'T DO IT!

          • I have been doing the Elmwood Show since the very first one when it was a bunch of artists calling each other and saying "Hey!Wanna do a show?" I know Joe and his wife. I have never, ever experienced him being that rude to anyone. I have never handed in a comment card and I have never been asked for it except in the most off handed way by a volunteer. I am not meaning to be disrespectful to you, but it makes no sense to me that he would threaten a person with removal for that reason. It defies logic. As for the music, I had a situation with a neighboring bar deciding to take advantage of the crowd and put on a very loud concert in their back yard. I could not hear my customers. He went there numerous times to try to get them to turn it down. They finally did and after that year there was never again an issue with bars and music. I agree that load out is difficult but you are in a city, on a main drag and there is the usual problem with artists bringing their vehicles in before they disassemble their booths.  That needs to be addressed. Joe has a healthy ego but my experience with him is polar opposite of yours. I find him accommodating, hard working and dedicated to the success of the festival. He works his butt off. Almost every artist I know loves the show and prefers it to A'town (if their sales are good). It is one of my favorites.

            •   With all due respect Pat while I believe you have had this experience with "Joey", yours is now not the norm.  I also believe that since you have been in the initial set of artists doing the show... the old guard if you will.... that he will not treat you like the dirt he treats all the other artists.

              While you might think that Joe would not threaten removal for a trivial reason, think again.  I watched him embarrass a woman personally and she was very nice to him.  

              I also had the personal experience that he got mad that I responded to an email that he sent to the press (and all of the artists which concluded with the words... email me with any questions).  I emailed him a 10 days before the show asking if my daughter could do a demo painting in her booth.  Either way it was fine.  He gave me a very nasty response for having the consideration to ask in advance.  He put a tone on my responses that was not there, and decided to kick my daughter out of the show without returning her fee based on her facebook post that she resided in Canada.  She went to college there and never changed it when she moved home.  So he was trolling her on facebook to figure out a way to get her out because he imagined her mother didn't respect him - which was not true.  He escalated our communication at every turn.

              I am not stupid and saw the writing on the wall and called my attorney - who also happens to be the attorney who set up the Non for profit for the show.  I emailed him all the communication and my attorney was shocked at his behavior.  Needless to say, Joe had to back off.  Joe reverts to tossing artists in such a common flippant way that you know it is his go-to.  Since you are his old guard this is not something you will see.... but the new artists will.  He feels they are expendable.  ..... only to a point.

              All chairman and CEOs are good for 10 years and then they should move on.  It would be in that shows best interest to get a new director or remove him from dealing with the artists in any way.  Problem is that this is his claim to fame, and he will not go willingly.  This show will feel the effects as they are TONS of artists who will never go/apply solely because of him.  I am sure he works hard, but so do directors who are nice to people.  It really doesn't take any effort to listen.

              ADVISE for anyone even thinking about applying to the ELMWOOD SHOW..... Do it at your own risk.  Know that you can and will be booted if you look at Joe DiPasquale wrong.  He has a fragile ego in my opinion and can not take anything that is even a request.  KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN and  DONT LOOK HIM IN THE EYE.  Also send in your review as I personally think we likes to collect them because he tosses the critical ones before Sunshine or Anyone else sees them.

              OR JUST DO A DIFFERENT SHOW!

              • I'm sorry for the experiences you had, Wendy. I can only speak from my own experiences and those of the other artists I know. This is the first I've heard of such things, but I will certainly "keep an ear to the ground" as they say.

          • Thanks again, Wendy.

            I am going on old info, from at least 8 years ago.

            I always liked going to Buffalo for the show, and I had a lot of customers, although at the last shows I heard a lot of " I like my piece that I purchased from you" and then no sale. The last time I did the show was 2015, a new spot far from my old one, also had my trailer parked in an expensive lot, then got it vandalized. 

            I also like Rochester although I have never done any of the summer shows because I'm always somewhere else. Maybe I should check those?

    • Buffalo is experiencing a re-build regarding the economy.  Downtown is beginning to  build with a lovely Canalside area.  However, it is a blue collar area and the lowest price points are going to be the strongest ones you will have... so make them the most profitable.


      Allentown has a feeder show called Allen West which is comprised of all the artists that didn't get in to Allentown.  The problem is that it is really hard to determine when you have walked from one into the other as they are on interwoven streets and the quality is very different from one to another.

      Fine Artists don't sell as well as other areas of the country but this event does pull from the entire area and it has every bit of the 200,000 people it advertises.  

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