Town Run Down: Opportunities, Community Conversations & Fresh Energy on Buffalo’s East Side

Buffalo… one thing about our city? There’s always something happening when people are serious about building community, creating opportunity, and making sure our neighborhoods keep growing the right way. This week’s Town Run Down is full of events that are all about connection, ownership, and showing up for the future of the East Side.

If you’re outside complaining there’s “nothing going on,” this your sign to tap in.

First up, if you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, side hustler, creative, or somebody thinking about stepping into business for yourself, Erie County Equal Employment Opportunity is hosting something you absolutely need to be in the room for.

Elevate & Connect is more than just another networking event where people exchange business cards and disappear. This is an intentional space designed to connect Minority and Women-Owned Businesses with real resources, real information, and real opportunities across Western New York.

The event takes place on Thursday, May 21, from 9 AM to 3 PM at the Northland Workforce Training Center. If you’ve been trying to figure out how to get connected to contracts, certifications, partnerships, or just the right people in the room, this is where you need to be. Don’t sit on opportunities because you waited too long to register.

Speaking of the future of Buffalo, the East Side community is also being invited to have a direct voice in what happens next in our neighborhoods.

On Tuesday, May 12 from 5:30 PM to 7 PM, the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning will host a community planning conversation at the Northland Workforce Training Center focused on future improvements across four East Side neighborhoods.

And honestly, this matters.

Too often people say decisions are made without community input, so when opportunities come for residents to sit at the table, ask questions, and share ideas, we have to show up. This is a chance to hear directly from city planners, learn what developments and improvements are being discussed, and make sure the voices of the people who actually live in these neighborhoods are heard.

The East Side deserves intentional growth, resources, beauty, investment, and opportunity  and community conversations like this are part of that process.

Now let’s talk summer because one thing Buffalo is going to do is come alive when the weather breaks.

Masten’s Rooted in the Park Farmers Market is officially coming to Martin Luther King Jr. Park this summer, and I love everything about this initiative. Starting June 6 through September 26, every Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM, the park will be filled with fresh food, local vendors, community resources, and positive energy right in the heart of the East Side.

This is bigger than just shopping local.

This is about creating healthy access, supporting entrepreneurs, building community gathering spaces, and bringing life back into spaces that belong to us. The market is currently looking for vendors and volunteers, with applications due by May 25, so if you’ve been wanting to get your business outside this summer or simply want to support the movement, now is the time to lock in.

Buffalo, the energy is shifting. The opportunities are here. The conversations are happening. The question is… are you showing up? Stay tapped in to the district, ADRI.V's Go Getta District Monday - Friday 3PM-7PM