Fri, Jul 31st 2026 03:55 pm<\/p>\n
Submitted by the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park<\/p>\n
\u201c716 Celebrates: Stars, Stripes, & Signers\u201d will feature live entertainment, historic ships, military history, local food, and a spectacular fireworks finale.<\/p>\n
The Western New York Community is invited to gather on Buffalo\u2019s waterfront this Sunday, Aug. 2, for a full day of patriotism, history, music, and family fun as Erie County hosts its signature America 250 celebration at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park and Canalside.<\/p>\n
\u201c716 Celebrates: Stars, Stripes & Signers,\u201d presented by Erie County, the Erie County Historical Commission, and the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, commemorates America\u2019s 250th anniversary with free public programming beginning at noon and continuing through an evening fireworks spectacular over Buffalo\u2019s Inner Harbor.<\/p>\n
Spend the day exploring Buffalo\u2019s historic waterfront, tour the Buffalo Naval Park\u2019s historic ships, experience military living history encampments, enjoy historical presentations and interactive exhibits, listen to live music, sample food from local vendors, and watch performances that celebrate the many traditions that have helped shape the American story. Throughout the day, guests can also explore the New York State America 250 exhibit and discover the people, events and ideas that continue to define this nation.<\/p>\n
A centerpiece of the celebration will be what organizers believe is New York\u2019s largest reproduction of the Declaration of Independence. Created by the Erie County Historical Commission, the interactive display invites visitors to add their names in recognition of Ratification Day, commemorating the historic occasion when members of the Continental Congress began signing the engrossed parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence on Aug. 2, 1776.<\/p>\n
Throughout the afternoon, visitors will also have a unique opportunity to tour Buffalo\u2019s historic E.M. Cotter fireboat, the oldest active fireboat in the world, before the beloved vessel returns to the harbor for its signature water display during the evening ceremony. Neighboring Canalside attractions including Explore & More Children\u2019s Museum, the Buffalo Heritage Carousel, Waterway of Change exhibit at The Longshed, and the Buffalo Maritime Center\u2019s Erie Canal Boat \u201cSeneca Chief\u201d will also be open with extended hours. As the celebration moves into the evening, guests will gather for a patriotic ceremony featuring George Cleveland, grandson of President Grover Cleveland; a public reading of the Declaration of Independence; a performance by the acclaimed 10th Mountain Division Avalanche Rock Band; and a spectacular fireworks finale over Buffalo\u2019s Inner Harbor.<\/p>\n
Set against the backdrop of Buffalo\u2019s historic naval ships and revitalized waterfront, the celebration offers a uniquely American setting to honor this nation\u2019s past while enjoying one of Western New York\u2019s signature summer events.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmerica\u2019s 250th anniversary is a chance for Erie County residents to come together and celebrate the history, values and people that unite us,\u201d Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said. \u201cWe invite everyone to join us on Buffalo\u2019s waterfront for a memorable day of patriotism, family fun, and community.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRatification Day reminds us that America\u2019s story was built by ordinary people who believed in extraordinary ideals,\u201d said Richard Pyszczek, chair of the Erie County Historical Commission and New York State America 250 commissioner. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to bring that history to life through an event that invites everyone to be part of the celebration.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery day, these ships tell the stories of the Americans who defended our freedom,\u201d said Brian Luallen, president and CEO of the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park. \u201cAmerica\u2019s 250th is the perfect time to experience that history together, and we can\u2019t wait to welcome Western New York to the waterfront.\u201d<\/p>\n
Admission to all public programming is free.<\/p>\n
Whether you stop by for an afternoon or spend the entire day on the waterfront, \u201c716 Celebrates: Stars, Stripes & Signers\u201d offers something for every generation. Visitors are encouraged to review the event’s website at www.buffalonavalpark.org\/716-celebrates\/<\/a> before attending for additional details including the full schedule of events.<\/p>\n More about the Buffalo and Erie County Military & Naval Park: The Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the nation\u2019s largest inland naval park and the home of four U.S. Naval vessels: USS The Sullivans, USS Little Rock, USS Croaker and PTF-17. Located on Buffalo\u2019s waterfront, this unique family destination is committed to its mission, which is to honor, educate, inspire and preserve. The Buffalo Naval Park also features a museum, U.S. military exhibits, and a veterans park with 15 monuments and memorials dedicated to those who served this country. More information about the Buffalo Naval Park is available at buffalonavalpark.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fri, Jul 31st 2026 03:55 pm Submitted by the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park \u201c716…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":154862,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[136,138,137],"class_list":["post-256938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-erie","tag-erie","tag-erie-headlines","tag-erie-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=256938"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256938\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=256938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=256938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=256938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}