West Seneca’s fourth annual BurchFest event, a celebration of the life and legacy of world-renowned artist Charles Burchfield and family, will take place at multiple venues throughout the town on Saturday, Oct. 3.
Born in Ohio in 1893, the watercolorist moved to West Seneca in 1921 where he and his wife Bertha raised five children, including Martha Burchfield Richter and Catherine Burchfield Parker, who both followed in their father’s artistic footsteps.
The BurchFest Fall Fest on Oct. 3, sponsored in part by Western New York Federal Credit Union, will include the following:
• Charles Burchfield Home & Studio, 3574 Clinton St. Hours: 12 to 3 p.m. Charles Burchfield’s former studio, and the first floor of the Burchfield family home, will be open for tours, and a number of Burchfield prints will be on display across the property. Burchfield-related music will also be highlighted. The West Seneca Town Band’s French Horn Ensemble will perform from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
• Burchfield Nature & Art Center and Burchfield Park, 2001 Union Road. Hours: BNAC 12 to 3 p.m., park open dawn to dusk. There will be a fiber arts show on display in the gallery, and various craft activities will await those who stop by and wish to get creative, including rock painting for kids and adults and an opportunity to color a leaf in fall colors for the BNAC tree. Members of the West Seneca Art Society will also be present, and photographer Steven Diloia of Virgil Creek Photography will have an exhibit of his work in the parking lot from 12 to 3 p.m., weather permitting. The park will also host West Seneca Youth & Recreation for some craft-related activities, and the West Seneca Town Band’s Brass Sextet will perform from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
• Christian Metz House, 12 School St. Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit West Seneca’s oldest house and view historic displays courtesy of the West Seneca Historical Society.
• Fourteen Holy Helpers Church, 1345 Indian Church Road. Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dating back to the mid-1800s, Fourteen Holy Helpers Church will be open for tours and will also have on display an original painting by Martha Burchfield Richter. Their parking lot will be available for general use.
• Martha Burchfield Richter Atrium, 1300 Union Road. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. An exhibit featuring the work of members of the West Seneca Art Society will be on display, and members will also be on-hand for a “paint-in” event.
• Painting With a Twist, 1054 Union Road. Hours: 1 & 6 p.m. Located in the Southgate Plaza, Painting With a Twist will host two Burchfield-inspired painting events, one for all ages at 1 p.m. and one for adults only at 6 p.m. Fees apply. Please contact the venue to reserve a seat.
• St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3512 Clinton St. Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. John’s will host an artisan/craft/vendor show and will also host food trucks in their parking lot. The West Seneca Town Band will offer a free outdoor performance from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., so bring your lawn chairs! The parking lot is open for general use during BurchFest until 4 p.m., and the church’s youth group will also be on-hand throughout the day to sell refreshments.
• West Seneca Central School District will have student volunteers and art teachers from each West Seneca High School, along with a student art display, at Burchfield Park. They will also participate in plein air painting and host an art activity for kids.
• West Seneca Public Library, 1300 Union Road. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Members of the West Seneca Art Society will host craft projects for kids in the library’s Makerspace area from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additionally, Mary Marino Kozub from the Burchfield Penney Art Center will give a talk in the large community room at 11 a.m. Please contact the library at (716) 674-2928 to register for both programs.
• WNY Federal Credit Union, 1937 Union Road. Hours: 12 to 4 p.m. WNYFCU will proudly host “Charles E. Burchfield: Artworks from the Gerald Mead Collection.” This one-day-only display will consist of paintings, drawings, prints and wallpapers by renowned watercolorist Charles Burchfield!
For more information on BurchFest Fall Fest and The Charles Burchfield Gardenville District, please visit the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce website at westseneca.org or call the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce at (716) 674-4900.
