2026 Festival Guide

Ready to Eat? Grab your food tickets at the ticket tent (located at Grant & Lafayette)—cash and cards accepted!

  • Global flavors. Local vibes.

    🍴 195 Grant Street Kitchen - Smashburgers, French fries, cheese curds, Irish spice bag, Italian ice, fruit smoothies.

    🍴 Abyssinia Ethiopian Cuisine – lentils, chickpeas, spinach with injera and rice, vegetarian sambusas, chicken tibs, plenty of vegan choices!

    🍴A-Maize-Ing Roasted Corn and More - roasted corn on the cob, jerk chicken bowls, Philly steak, Italian sausage, chicken fingers, fish, shrimp and fries.

    🍴Bee Sweet Cakery - bakery serving packaged cookies and cake slices.

    Buffalo Dum Biryani - BBQ chicken, chicken biryani, and special king sub - chicken, beef, fish.

    🍴 Caribbean Taste – pinchos, pastelitos, grilled jerk wings, blue raspberry lemonade.

    🍴 Chef Big Wayne Jamaican Cuisine - jerk chicken, jerk pork, curry chicken, rice and peas, mac and cheese, cabbage, and Jamaican beef patties.

    🍴 Chēz - grilled Chēz (gourmet and basic), mac and Chēz bowls (with choice of beef, chicken, pork or seafood), Nanna's puddin’.

    🍴Juicey Quartz - water-based juicery and health-focused beverage company crafting refreshing drinks using natural ingredients and thoughtfully selected herbs and botanicals.

    🍴 Kings & Queens Ice Cream – Mobile ice cream truck selling a wide variety of cool treats and baked goods.

    🍴KT Caribbean Cuisine - Caribbean street food: Doubles, pholourie, oxtail sliders, loaded jerk chicken fries, jerk & mango-flavored wings, island drinks.

    🍴Nema's Café - Yemeni coffee trailer serving espresso drinks, refreshers, energy drinks, smoothies, and desserts.

    Pattaya Street Food - sesame seed cookies, Pad Thai, Pad Kra Pao, coconut noodle soup, egg rolls, samosas.

  • What’s happening? Everything.

    11:00 AM
    🎧 DJ Universal (DJ Stage @ Lafayette)

    11:15 AM
    🌟 MahataMmoho Collective (Main Stage) – Cultural unity dance

    12:30 PM
    🌟 North East Zouk (Main Stage) – Brazilian Zouk mini-class
    🎨 Young Royalty – Chess Demo (Family Fun Zone)

    1:00 PM
    🌟 Henri Star & Muhammad School of Music (Main Stage) – Empowering youth through classical music
    🎨 FATE (Families Aimed Toward Excellence) – STEM Activity Demo (Family Fun Zone)
    🎧 DJ Cutler (DJ Stage @ Lafayette)

    1:30 PM
    🎨 International Child Advancement (ICA) – Bracelet-Making Demo (Family Fun Zone)

    2:00 PM
    🌟 Saranaide (Main Stage) – Latin jazz & soul

    3:00 PM
    🌟 HayatiDance (Main Stage) – Middle Eastern dance
    🎧 DJ KO (DJ Stage @ Lafayette)

    4:00 PM
    🌟 DJ Desirez (Main Stage) – Gospel, hip-hop & global beats

    5:00 PM
    🌟 El Batey Puertorican Center (Main Stage) – Youth dance & percussion
    🎧 DJ Universal (Encore Set) (DJ Stage @ Lafayette)

    5:45 PM
    🌟 Sawa Sawa Band (Main Stage) – Rhythms from Central & Southern Africa

  • Meet the artists bringing the festival to life.

    🌟 Main Stage

    MahataMmoho Collective (11:15 AM)
    A multicultural dance company from Buffalo bringing artists together through “stepping together as one.” Founded by Megan Rakeepile in 2014, MahataMmoho uses Afro-Caribbean and Afro-fusion forms to foster unity and healing through workshops, school touring, and community performances.

    North East Zouk (12:30 PM)
    Brazilian Zouk World Champions Pedro & Ana blend 20+ years of dance experience across contemporary, jazz, and classical ballet. They bring an interactive mini-class—no partner or experience required.

    Henri Star & Muhammad School of Music Chamber Players (1:00 PM)
    Founded in 1999, this Buffalo-based initiative empowers Black and minority youth through classical music training, performance, and mentorship opportunities.

    Saranaide (2:00 PM)
    A Western New York vocalist, songwriter, and flutist with roots in Panama and Puerto Rico. Saranaide fuses jazz, soul, and Latin influences to create a globally inspired sound.

    HayatiDance (3:00 PM)
    Led by choreographer Bogdana, HayatiDance blends Middle Eastern, North African, Hellenic, and Turkish dance traditions. Their work includes traditional and fusion pieces that celebrate movement and heritage.

    DJ Desirez (4:00 PM)
    Buffalo DJ, educator, and host of The D‑Mix on WBNY 91.3 FM. She brings gospel, hip-hop, and international flair to stages across Western New York.

    El Batey Puerto Rican Center (5:00 PM)
    A nonprofit organization uplifting youth through traditional Puerto Rican dance and percussion. Their engaging performances celebrate culture, heritage, and rhythm.

    Sawa Sawa Band (5:45 PM)
    A joyful fusion of rhythms and melodies from Central and Southern Africa, designed to get the whole crowd moving.

    🎧 DJ Stage @ Lafayette

    DJ Universal (11:00 AM–1:00 PM & 5:00 PM–7:00 PM)
    Founder of Steppin’ Out Sound, host of Reggae Radio on WBNY 91.3 FM, and a staple of the Buffalo music scene, DJ Universal brings reggae, roots, dancehall, and more.

    DJ Cutler (1:00 PM–3:00 PM)
    Buffalo-based DJ known for his deep crate of rare grooves, breakbeats, and soulful mixes. Find his sets and originals on SoundCloud.

    DJ KO (3:00 PM–5:00 PM)
    Spinning a global mix of Afrobeats, hip-hop, and house, DJ KO brings both local energy and international flair to the stage.

  • The world’s marketplace, right on Grant Street.

    🧴 Askana Beauty
    Beauty store on Grant Street! Personal and professional hair and skin products.

    🍪 Bee Sweet Cakery
    West Side bakery offering packaged treats including cookies, brookies, strawberry shortcake, and peach cobbler.

    🧿 Bue’s Beads
    Bue's Beads, a couture handcrafted spiritual waistbead business that promotes body positivity, confidence & self healing through body adornment. We create many one-of-a-kind strands to embrace the individuality of each individual using high‑quality materials.
    Our handcrafted waistbeads, anklets & gemstone bracelets are infused with positive affirmations & healing vibrations to enhance your power, connection to source & self awareness. Energy is the building block and source of everything. It all starts with Energy; it all starts with YOU!

    🧴 En Care Of
    Handmade hair and body care products such as shampoo bars, body butters, and hair oils.

    🎲 Gather & Game
    Board games and RPGs on Buffalo’s West Side.

    💎 GlitterbyBridget Paparazzi Accessories
    Beautiful, affordable and fashionable costume jewelry – it’s the $5 bling, something for everyone! Lead and nickel free.

    🎨 Mahagony Gniaye
    Cultural artwork from Senegal, Gambia, and Buffalo, NY.

    🫖 Najah Corporation
    Najah Sauces and Seasonings, Najah Dried Fruits, Najah Chai Tea.

    👘 Sasmita Batik
    Clothing, accessories, and crafts from Indonesia.

    💍 SC Pretty Boutique
    African jewelry, body jewelry bracelets, earrings, ankle bracelets handcrafted from Ghana.

    👕 Stronger
    Tee‑shirts and more.

    🎨 Vaanavil Arts and Crafts
    I create vibrant dot mandala art on canvas, wood, mugs, bookmarks, and jewelry. Each piece is handcrafted with care, blending color, symmetry, and tradition. I also explore other beautiful forms of Indian art, bringing culture and creativity to life in every design.

    🍬 Yendy’s Chucherías

  • 🎲 Elmwood Village Charter Schools

    TOD Bingo — 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

    ✂️ Braid Boot Camp

    Braiding demo

    🦅 BRICK Buffalo Charter School

    Arts and crafts activity where kids can make their own eagles—the school’s mascot.

    ♟️ Young Royalty Chess

    Learn about chess
    Demo at 12:30 PM

    🎨 International Child Advancement, Inc. (ICA)

    Bracelets and chalk mural
    Demo at 1:30 PM

    🔬 FATE (Families Aimed Toward Excellence)

    STEM activity demo
    Demo at 1:00 PM

    🖍️ WNED PBS

    Coloring sheets

    📚 Taste of Diversity Table

    Make your own comic book!

TASTE OF DIVERSITY SPONSORS


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Use the hashtag: #TasteOfDiversity


Check out the ticket sales tent at the corner of Grant and Lafayette for some great Taste of Diversity merchandise: buttons, tote bags and stickers!

Thank you for joining us at the 2025 Taste of Diversity!

Thank you for joining us at the 2025 Taste of Diversity!

Thank you for joining us at the 2025 Taste of Diversity! Thank you for joining us at the 2025 Taste of Diversity!