ROCK THE BLOCK 2026
When: Wednesday, August 19, 2026 from 5-8 p.m.
Where: Inside and outside West Side Community Services (161 Vermont Street)
This is a rain or shine event! We will move most of the activities inside our building in the case of poor weather.
Cost: Everything is free unless otherwise noted below! (Purchases are required for food trucks.)
What: Family-friendly block party with lots to do! Expand the headers below to learn more about all the activities we have planned!
Sports and Other Physical Fun
- 🏃 Inflatable obstacle course
- 🏃➡️ Inflatable bungee run 3-in-1 game
- 🫧 Foam party from Buffalo Foam Parties (6-7:30 p.m.) – wear clothes/shoes that can get wet (and consider bringing a towel)!
- 🏒 Street hockey with Buffalo Sabres – Youth Hockey
- 🥏 Lawn games with Molina Healthcare
- 🎡 Carnival games with prizes by West Side Community Services
- 🎲 Activity dice with UB Division of Behavioral Medicine
Creative Activities
- 🎶 Music by DJ Tru Journey
- 🐖 Piggy bank decorating station with Good Neighbors Credit Union
- 🎨 Face painting with MATTERS, Dinorah, and Tamra
- 🎈 Balloon art by Jim the Balloon Guy
- 🖌️ Paint your own picture frame with City Year Buffalo
- 🔘 Make your own pinback button with Isaías González-Soto Branch Library
- 🫧 DIY bubble wands with West Side Community Services
Educational Activities
- 💉 Interactive immunization games with UB School of Nursing
- 🐢 Animal ambassadors and biofacts from the Buffalo Zoo
- 🍎 Hands-on nutrition activity with Cornell Cooperative Extension – SNAP ED
- 🍓 Strawberry DNA extraction with Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences STEM outreach and GEM
- ℹ️ Information and resources from Neighborhood Health Center, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Buffalo Public Schools Adult Ed and Community Schools
Food, Beverages, Giveaways, and More!
- 🥟 Tasty eats by Moneybags Dumplings (bring $$ or card)
- 🍦 $1 ice cream bars by The Ice Cream Men (bring $) – thank you to our Give 716 donors for subsidizing this!
- 💜 Free harm reduction supplies from MATTERS and the Erie County Department of Health Office of Harm Reduction
- 🚲 Free kids’ bike and scooter raffle, thanks to the Buffalo Police Department’s community police officers
- 🩸 Free period products from Bflo Period Pantry
- 🪥 Free toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss from Erie County Department of Health
Sponsor Rock the Block!
Is your company or family interested in sponsoring Rock the Block? Check out our sponsorship packages or call Director of Operations Mary Schaefer at 716-884-6616 x105.
ROCK THE BLOCK IS GRACIOUSLY SUPPORTED BY OUR SPONSORS!
PRODUCERS
ROCK STARS
SUPERFANS
