Winterfest is moving to Niagara Square

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Food is just part of the fun of Winterfest, but this year it's all being served up at a new location.

This year's Winterfest weekend in Buffalo will be very different from the last. That's right. The venue will be moving from Seneca Street, where the Skyway was turned into the ever popular sledding ramp, to Niagara Square. But PowderKeg Festival organizer Drew Cerza says it wasn't perfect.

"There really wasn't enough of an incline. You couldn't get any steam. You could try grooming it, we just didn't have the right temperatures. Dads had to pull their kids. We'll have some kind of sledding for their kids in Niagara Square," said Cerza.

The PowderKeg's new location will also be further away from the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament, which may have to be canceled for lack of ice.

Cerza said, "Yeah, I think psychologically, it hurts a little bit."

But it is closer to the Auto Show in the Convention Center, and the addition of Statler City this year might be a big draw.

"You can go inside and get warm. We're going to have a huge beer pavilion in the Grand Ballroom. The Terrace Room is going to be the food court and the whole second floor is going to be a huge activity center for all the kids," explained Cerza.

But you can't ignore the "elephant in the square." Occupy Buffalo protesters have been there for months, and they were shocked when they learned from News 4 that Winterfest was moving to their turf.

Cerza says he wants the protesters to pack up camp that weekend and move to Lafayette Square.

Cerza argued, "You can look around and just see the look of it with the tents and I don't think this is how I want to portray Buffalo from a beauty aspect."

Occupy protester Robert Albini countered, "It was said in the agreement that that's for snow emergencies and not for festivals, but we will discuss the terms with the event planners."

Both sides are willing to compromise.

"We have our agendas but we're also in support of people having a good time and the city coming together," said Albini.

Cerza agreed, "There's a great Buffalo spirit here and I think everything will work out in the long run."