I’m looking forward to heading up to Buffalo, New York, in March. Visit Buffalo/Niagara is hosting our Select Traveler Conference, and our opening day takes place during their St. Patrick’s Day celebration on March 17. That event is widely considered to be among the best St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in America.
I’m not Irish and I’m not Catholic, but I absolutely love being around people who are celebrating their heritage in boisterous downtown settings. For me, it feels like being adopted for a day.
In September, my wife and I and friends were lucky enough to be in Salzburg, Austria, on the weekend they celebrated their patron saint, St. Rupert. The streets were filled with Salzburgers, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen more stylish people in my life. Entire families were decked out in traditional Austrian dress, and it was a blast just to be among them for the music, the sausages, the beer and the camaraderie.
That’s the way Buffalo residents love their city. They love the Bills, their arts organizations, their craft breweries, their Buffalo wings and the city’s authentic neighborhoods. When I discovered the late Tim Russert, the widely respected political commentator, was a Buffalo native, it made perfect sense. He personified the very best characteristics of that city.
Unless you have somewhere else to be on St. Patrick’s Day, I hope to see you with us, out on the street in Buffalo, on March 17.
