January 15, 2026
The Summit will sponsor the Buffalo Wine & Chocolate Festival on Saturday, February 7th, at the Statler Buffalo. The festival features numerous regional wine, spirits, cider, and chocolate vendors, as well as other local businesses. Two sessions of the festival will be offered: an early session from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, and a later session from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
The Summit-sponsored Wine & Chocolate Festivals in Buffalo are highly rated and always anticipated. Each event also raises funds for a local beneficiary. This year, proceeds from the Wine & Chocolate Festival will benefit Home Beneath Our Feet. Rooted in agriculture, youth development, and food justice, Home Beneath Our Feet empowers young people, nourishes families, and strengthens neighborhoods through hands-on education, workforce development, and access to fresh, locally grown food. By meeting immediate needs while cultivating long-term pathways to stability, leadership, and opportunity, Home Beneath our Feet serves as a trusted partner in building resilient, healthy, and thriving communities. Festival attendees will be invited to make a cash or mobile donation and spin the wheel for prizes at The Summit’s booth. All donations collected will go to Home Beneath Our Feet. Additionally, $1 from the sale of each bottle of wine at the festival will go to that organization.
“We are again excited to sponsor this festival in the beautiful Statler – one of Buffalo’s most iconic buildings. It also allows us to showcase New York State’s vibrant and thriving craft beverage industry,” said Twanda Christensen, Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement for The Summit. “The Summit has been a supporter of Home Beneath Our Feet for several years and we are delighted to shine a light on the work that they do and the life skills that the organization teaches our young people here in Buffalo.”
“Home Beneath Our Feet was created in response to two realities that shape many Buffalo neighborhoods: the lack of access to fresh, healthy food and the lack of meaningful opportunities for young people,” said Dwight Lowe, Executive Director of Home Beneath Our Feet. “In communities long labeled food deserts, we use farms, gardens, and youth-centered programming to restore both nourishment and possibility. Young people participate in programs that support their growth, wellbeing, and long-term success, while also playing a role in expanding access to fresh, locally grown food to families and neighborhoods where it has been missing for generations. We are honored to be a beneficiary of The Summit Federal Credit Union’s Wine and Chocolate Festival. This support helps ensure that youth and families continue to have spaces where food, dignity, and community can grow, together.”
The Summit’s Buffalo branches and website will offer an opportunity to win a pair of passes to one of the festival’s sessions. Details about the contest, which runs to January 30th, can be found at www.summitfcu.org.
Tickets to the festival, which are $35 ($20 for designated driver tickets) + fees, are on sale now at galaxyeventscompany.ticketspice.com/wnc-buff-2026