There’s a great story behind this benefit for the Buffalo Zoo, 12P-3P at Flying Bison Brewing, and we’ll let our friends behind the party tell you all about how Buffalo is overtaking Punxsatawney, PA in Groundhog Day celebrations before you feast your eyes on the hottest instagram uploads this cold week has ever seen.
First, your playlist, courtesy of the groundhog, Buffalo Mack, himself:
Groundhog Day party in Buffalo?
In 2013, four of us traveled to Punxsutawney, PA in what was billed as the biggest Groundhog Day party ever.
What we found were thousands of people standing on the side of a hill anxiously awaiting the arrival of the most famous Groundhog in all of the land, Punxsutawney Phil.
These people seemed to be having fun, standing there, freezing, talking to each other about what prediction Phil might bring. There was hot chocolate, a small bonfire, and a group of high schoolers dancing to PSY’s Gangam Style on a stage. Once the sun rose, the ceremony was over rather quickly, and everyone sort of scurried away quickly and quietly to climb on a shuttle bus and be taken back to town to go through what can only be considered a town-sized souvenir stand.
After beginning our journey back home we all felt, underwhelmed…we would hate to say we were disappointed, but we all had this feeling of what Punxsutawney could/should be. We all sat in silence until one of us finally spoke up, “How much better would Groundhog Day be if it was held in Buffalo?”
Our city should be the central location for this event, because although we may not be the “Weather Capital” of the world, we are certainly the “Winter Capital” of the world. Why not bring the yearly winter weather predicting ceremony to a place that encompasses all of the qualities.
It’s the perfect storm. The perfect, drinking, laughing, eating, and embracing-of-winter storm.
In 2014, we held a small gathering at Colter Bay. 35 people showed. It was fun.
In 2015, 150 people came! And we raised some money for the Buffalo Zoo.
For 2016, we’re going to make the entire event much larger in order to raise much more for the Zoo. We’ve partnered with Flying Bison Brewery and Lloyd Taco Truck so you’ll be well-fed while you drink Buffalo’s best craft brews.
The Legend of Buffalo Mack
Born on the second day of the Blizzard of ’77, Buffalo Mack is first cousin of the famed Punxsutawney Phil. As a youngster, Mack was ridiculed by friends and family alike due to the fact that everyone knew he would never reach the same magnitude of fame as his prognosticating cousin.
It wasn’t long before Mack realized that his cousin wasn’t very good at predicting the weather. In fact, Mack reckoned that he could do a better job as Mack could not remember a time where he was wrong about his predictions. After bringing this up to Phil he was asked to keep this secret quiet. But Mack could not, he would not allow his cousin to continue living a lie. Mack decided to expose his cousin’s truth but was sent away by his family in order to not ruin the family name.
It was at this time, that Mack happened to find four stand-up gentlemen, who were looking to relocate the Groundhog Day Celebration to Buffalo, NY.
Mack knew he could do a better job, and could not turn down the opportunity to move to what he had heard time and time again was the greatest city in the world, Buffalo, New York.
Does your fundraiser, album release party, grand opening, or anything else need more feet in the door? Email us! We’ve got interactive, creative social campaigns to hit thousands of Buffalonians with on top of Feature Friday. risecollaborative@gmail.com.
Enjoy the Instagrams of the week, and our 2016 resolution challenge to you remains in place: Follow every new account you see!
