National Buffalo Wing Festival back this Labor Day Weekend at Highmark Stadium

Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - It's wing time!

Highmark Stadium will once again serve as the host of the annual National Buffalo Wing Festival starting this Labor Day Weekend, August 31st and September 1st with gates opening at noon on both days.

"There's a lot of wings, 127 styles, 63 new varieties from last year," says Wing King Drew Cerza, festival founder.

"We have 19 of the best wing places from across the country and around the world right here at Highmark Stadium, where you can actually go on the field, run around with your kids, your family, your friends and get pictures, no food or drink on the field, but you get to have some fun and just experience just the culture of Buffalo. You got chicken wings. You got the Buffalo Bills. It doesn't get much better."

As Cerza mentions, it's not just wing places from Western New York and amaeteur wing saucemakers competing for the prizes like the new People's Choice Award and Best in Show.

These restaurateurs come from around the world, including returning champs, Just Wingin' It from Iceland and personal favorites like Double Dub's from Wyoming, a personal request from Buffalo Bills QB1, Josh Allen.

"The restaurants that come want to be here. It's the Super Bowl. I mean, this is it. They compete for national awards to go home and brag. The people come from all over, last year, 46 different states, 26 different countries, they want to be here. So when you combine that energy with wings, the football stadium, it's a lot of fun," says Cerza.

This year, the Wing Festival will also offer a VIP experience, which will help give an extra boost to the festival's fundraising efforts.

"From 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Toyota Club, there'll be five hours of craft beer tastings where you can go and have a taste, come out and eat some wings. We give you 10 free wing tickets. We'll give you a souvenir plate and cup to eat and drink out of, and some other tchotchkes as well. And part of your money goes to a donation to a local charity, Hope Rises, or Friends of the Night People, it also includes a $20 mission ticket too, it's a great deal, and it's helping a good cause."

The festival, now in it's 23rd year, has raised over $470,000 for local charities. This year, most of the proceeds will go to FeedMore WNY and the Alzheimer's Association.

Ticket prices are $21 each, $20 if you pay cash. Wing prices are standard $13.95 plus tax for 10 wings.

Click here for a schedule of events and more details.