Sweetest Day Did Not Start In Buffalo, New York

Sweetest Day is fast approaching in Western New York, and so many people celebrate the holiday. Many people believe that the day started in Buffalo, and while we were one of the first places to celebrate it, another city is credited with the origin of Sweetest Day. 

Buffalo is the City of Good Neighbors, and with a holiday like Sweetest Day, tons of Western New Yorkers jump on board with the celebrations. 

That’s why it is easy to think that it is a Buffalo thing, but turns out that another city may have beat us to it.

Sweetest Day is on Saturday, October 21, and if you’re a buffalo transplant, you may have no idea what that is because it’s only celebrated by a handful of cities in the United States.

If you’re not sure, don’t worry – when I moved to Buffalo, I also had no idea.

Sweetest Day is a holiday that is a day to share romantic deeds or expressions…acts of charity and kindness. It sounds a lot like Valentine’s Day, but there is actually a slight difference between the two: Sweetest Day focuses on love and appreciation toward anyone, while Valentine's Day is primarily for the more romantic side of love. 

While Buffalo is one of the first cities to celebrate Sweetest Day, it was actually Cleveland, Ohio that is known for creating it. 

The Origin Of Sweetest Day

Back in 1922, a Cleveland candy maker named Herbert Birch Kingston decided to give candy and small gifts to the city’s orphans, who were often forgotten and neglected. He gave these little gifts to those who often felt like they were forgotten by society in hopes of bringing some happiness to their lives. 

With the help of friends and neighbors, he distributed these small remembrances on a Saturday in October.  Eventually, other Clevelanders began to participate in the tradition, which came to be known as "Sweetest Day.”

It makes sense why the City of Good Neighbors would adopt such a sweet tradition. And now, 101 years later, the tradition continues!

Save the date for Sweetest Day, and start making your plans now. October 21 will sneak up on you before you know it!