As anyone in Buffalo knows, winter can be a tough time for a tour business. Summarized by our slogan “Ride…Before It Snows!”, we close up shop to plan next season and focus on winter projects. Still, we’re keeping things rolling and are taking programming inside for the coming months.
BUFFALO CHICKEN WING TOUR GOES VIRTUAL
Last week, Buffalo Bike Tours teamed up with Buffalo History Museum on a free zoom lecture, based around our Buffalo Chicken Wing Tour. The free Zoom lecture featured several “hot takes” on ‘“hot wings”, with presentations by Cynthia Van Ness, Arthur Bovino, Lina Brown Young, and Marc Moscato. More than 100 people joined the call, which included a Q & A, providing a lively discussion of many of the lesser known aspects of our city’s most famous and fabled dish.
Missed out on the fun? No worries! We have your back – check out the recorded lecture, courtesy of Buffalo History Museum, in its entirety below. Be sure to also check out press coverage via Buffalo Rising, WIVB, and WGRZ. Enjoy!
It was only appropriate to not just talk about wings, but to also try them, so, we brought the Wing Ride Chicken Wing Tour inside for a one-day-only pop up with Lina Brown Young, Tiny Thai, and Southern Junction. Guests ordered take out and were able to try some Buffalo’s most unique and best chicken wings.
Much to our surprise, we sold out of 80 dinners in a manner of a couple of days. It was incredible to see the community support, especially in such a challenging time.
Bringing together three different chefs presented some logistics issues and we apologize for any wait times. Still, an overall success and super positive event.
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: REMEMBERING JOHN YOUNG THROUGH NEW MURAL PROJECT
Buffalo Bike Tours is now launching a new project: we’re proudly partnering with the Young Family and Michigan Street Corridor to raise funding for a large-scale mural in remembrance of John Young, Buffalo’s pioneering restaurateur and owner of Wings N’ Things.
While most people know the 1964 Anchor Bar origin story, primary source interviews and written documentation show Wings N’ Things was serving chicken wings as early at 1961. Young’s restaurant was a cornerstone in Buffalo’s black community in the 1960s. The restaurant served whole chicken wings with its secret mumbo sauce, described as “lip smacking and liver quivering”.
Funds raised will enable us to tell his story through a new mural at the site of Young’s former restaurant at Jefferson Avenue and Carlton Street. The design of the mural will take inspiration from a mural by James Cooper and Dalton Easton that once stood in John Young’s restaurant.
Check out full details about the project and contribute here. Then, help spread the word to your friends and keep an eye out for more in the coming months ahead.
BUFFALO TOURS: EXPERIENCE BUFFALO ON TWO WHEELS!
Curious to learn more about the hidden history of chicken wings? Check out our Wing Ride Food Tour, where you’re be able to taste and experience Buffalo as you never have before. This will be of interest to anyone who loves wings, history, Buffalo, or all of the above.
Need more reasons? Check out our blog article, 7 Reasons To Try A Buffalo Food Tour. Our Buffalo food tours provide a new side of Buffalo you’ve never known – even if you’re from here. As always, bike rentals are available for all our tours. Don’t forget, you can purchase gift certificates for 2021 – great for Christmas gifts.
