The YIMBY [Yes In My Backyard] festival celebrated the work of vital grass roots efforts and the people that make them happen throughout the Buffalo-Niagara area. The 2017 version was  “BUFFALO: BLOCK BY BLOCK” and it highlighted the ultimate grass roots organization; the Neighborhood Block Club! YIMBY brought Block Clubs, Community Organizations, Neighborhood Associations, and individuals working hard to improve their Buffalo communities under one roof to get to know each other, to share success stories and challenges, and to learn more about hands-on, simple actions to make our city better, one block at a time.  It offered an opportunity to spread the word about the often volunteer citizen-driven work being done, celebrate achievements and identify new challenges and opportunities in an atmosphere focused on listening, learning and engaging.

The festival included keynote addresses, panels, tabling, workshops/brainstorming, music and dance performances, art and competitions with prizes.

Keynote speakers: Pat Whalen–Executive Director, the Niagara Global Tourism Institute and former COO of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus; and Sam Magavern–Executive Director, Partnership for the Public Good.

The Engage City Hall Panelists session featured Oswaldo Mestre,Jr.-Director, Division of Citizen Services; Rashied McDuffie, Assistant Corporation Counsel, Buffalo Legal Department; Captain Steve Nichols, Buffalo Police Department; Emerson Barr III, Executive Director, Buffalo Arts Commission; Lou Petrucci, Assistant Director, Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services.

The Go Green, Save Green Panelists session featured Julie Barrett O’Neill, General Counsel/Buffalo Sewer Authority; Dennis Elsenbeck,National Grid Regional Director (Retired); Susan Attridge, Director at Department of Public Works, Parks and Streets/Refuse and Recycling; Melanie McMahan, CIR Electrical Business Development, Technical Sales and Green Building Consulting; Luana (Lou) DeJesus, PUSH Green Program Director.

Tabling attracted 70+ participants from both the not-for-profit and the business community.

Workshops & Brainstorming included Free CPR Certification by Strictly Business WNY; bicycle tune-up from GoBike/Slow Roll; Creative Problem Solving from The International Center of Studies in Creativity and Joy Kuebler of JKLA.

Music & Dance was provided by Pine Fever Band; Buffalo Public School’s All-city Jazz Ensemble; DJ Leon; Verve Dance Studio; The Bird’s Next Acro/Aerial Troupe.

Art on display from Starlight Gallery, Kristin Maggio, Axel Sack, Alexandra Grisanti and Matthew Nagowski.

The Awards from the Competitions were the People’s Choice Award to Waste Not Want Not ($500 courtesy of the BNMC Rotary); and the Buffalo YIMBY Kickstart Award to the Allentown Association (courtesy of Designing to Live Sustainably).

Coffee was provided by Plume, and Juices by Ashker’s.

YIMBY 2018 will continue to acknowledge the geographic and socio-economic divides in the Buffalo-Niagara Region, and in response, highlight some of the amazing work people are doing to address these divisions and embrace unity.

We welcome your interest and input in advance of the 2018 YIMBY Festival.  More information about the Festival is available at the Buffalo YIMBY Facebook page.