Rotary Rink

Located in the historic and architecturally stunning Market Arcade in the Theater District and funded by CEPA members as well as charitable foundations, the CEPA Gallery's mission, according to its website, is "to present contemporary photo-related art, to support working artists, and to promote a greater understanding of photography and its associated aesthetic and cultural issues", with a particular focus on the work of local photographers as well as those who come from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in the field. To that end, exhibitions of work by CEPA members and others are frequently held in the gallery space.

Founded in 1985, Squeaky Wheel is a nonprofit, grassroots, artist-run media arts center that periodically screens locally-produced independent and avant-garde film and video projects.

This Theater District mainstay started out as a small jazz club but has branched out into roots, rock, soul, R&B, and world music with an emphasis on mid-level national acts as well as local bands.

Opened in January 2016 in the former home of MAIN(ST)UDIOS, the Main St. Gallery represents a proud continuation of its predecessor's dedication to the downtown arts community that has coalesced around the 500 Block of Main Street. In this large, two-story combination art gallery and performance space, curator Cole Pawlowski hosts a diverse range of temporary art exhibitions as well as live music, poetry readings, and even film screenings and theatrical pieces.

The obligatory axe-throwing bar that any city that aspires to any level of coolness has to have nowadays. The procedure at Hatchets & Hops sees groups divided into teams of a maximum of six people which each face off in a round-robin, bracket-style tournament lasting about two hours. Admission is by advance reservation only (though the policy says 24 hours, they're usually booked out several weeks in advance, so reserve early) with a $100 deposit required at the time of purchase that can be transferred to a new session date and time within the window of the 2-week rescheduling/cancellation policy, but is nonrefundable. Prices are quoted per lane rather than per player, with no discount for teams of less than six people, so to maximize the bang for your buck you should try to come in a group numbering in a multiple of six. And, as you can imagine in a place with sharp objects flying around, they're dead serious about safety here — you have to sign a liability waiver before you begin, as well as review an exhaustive set of safety rules. Open-toed shoes are prohibited; loose-fitting or dangly clothing is strongly advised against; and you'll be escorted out if found to be intoxicated. (Notwithstanding that, there is a bar onsite — while tournaments are ongoing they only serve Snowy Owl Kombucha and Public Espresso, but afterwards you can freely indulge in a decent selection of local craft brews, wines, and ciders.)

The eight screens show the typical big-budget Hollywood fare, but in terms of amenities, this is easily Buffalo's swankiest cinema experience: ticketless entry, heated reclining seats, and a full bar (the Market Arcade 8 is the only movie theater in New York State with a liquor license!) are but a few of the additional touches that elevate it a cut above the competition. As anywhere downtown, limited parking is the Achilles heel of this place: if you're not arriving by Metro Rail, best practice is to head for a spot in the M&T Bank parking lot across Washington Street, which is open to non-bank employees beginning at 4PM (10AM on weekends) at a flat rate of $3.