American Friends of Lafayette

ANNUAL MEETING

IN WESTERN NEW YORK

June 5th to June 8th

With additional bonus events on June 4th and June 8th

Hello Friend of Lafayette

In early June of 1825, General Lafayette visited Western New York, and this is where we will be for the 93rd annual meeting of the American Friends of Lafayette.  Lafayette was overcome by the beauty of Western New York.  He saw natural wonders like Niagra Falls and manmade wonders like the Erie Canal.  This upcoming June, YOU will see these sites and many others as well.

AFL Annual Meeting in Western New York June 5th to June 8th  

Please read carefully, there is a lot of detail.

We have reserved rooms at the M Hotel (eastern Buffalo) from the night of June 4th checking out Sunday, June 8th.

The room rate is a very reasonable $169 per night (plus taxes). The details are....

To make a reservation at the M Hotel, please call 716.681.2400, and select option 2 or option 3 to connect with AnnMarie Taft or Tasha Colton. Please leave a message with contact information for the sales team to return your call if they are away from their desks.

Here is our AMAZING itinerary.....

THURSDAY, JUNE 5

2:00pm - Alliance Française in Buffalo will host us for a Franco-American Welcome.

6:00pm - Welcome Dinner, M Hotel (our hotel).

Program:

• An introduction to “History Unleashed: Lafayette’s Remarkable Tour of the Greater Western New York Region” and remarks on Lafayette’s overnight travels on June 3, 1825, by acclaimed author Chris Carosa. Copies of the book will be available for purchase during the evening.
• A celebration of the Bicentennial of the Erie Canal with a concert of stories and songs by Dave Ruch, a full-time performer and researcher of historical and traditional music.

FRIDAY, JUNE 6

Breakfast on your own – complimentary buffet with M Hotel room reservation

8:30am – 4:30pm Bus Tour

• Follow in Lafayette’s footsteps with a visit to Old Fort Niagara which includes a military welcome and time for individual touring of the now living history museum.
• Lunch provided in the historic Village of Lewiston with commemoration of Lafayette’s overnight stay, June 5-6, 1825.
• Trip concludes with a visit to the Lockport Locks Heritage District on the Erie Canal to commemorate Lafayette’s June 6, 1825 stop.

6:00pm Cocktail Hour and Banquet – 6:00 pm, M Hotel (our hotel).

Program:

• An exploration of Buffalo, America’s “City of Light,” will highlight the evening. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 7

Breakfast on your own – complimentary buffet with M Hotel room reservation

8:30am – 10:30am Annual Meeting - M Hotel

11:00am – 8:30pm Bus Tour and Dinner

• Travel to the Buffalo History Museum for lunch and a program to commemorate Lafayette’s June 5, 1825 visit to Black Rock, once an independent village and rival to Buffalo;
• Touring continues at Niagara Falls with a commemoration held at The Lafayette Trail Marker on Goat Island and individual exploration of the Falls and state park. Time will allow for a ride on a Maid of the Mist boat or trip into the Cave of the Winds as desired (tickets purchased on your own);
• A Taste of Buffalo Dinner and trivia night of notable figures in Western New York history concludes the evening at Larkin Square in Buffalo.

SUNDAY, JUNE 8

Breakfast on your own – complimentary buffet with M Hotel room reservation

8:30am - Launch of AFL TravelStorys Audio Tour – M Hotel

Hotel check-out by 11:00 am

Registration for above is $450 per person.  This includes all entry fees, all entertainment, motor coach transportation (Friday and Saturday) three breakfasts, two lunches and three dinners.  So that's eight meals, all transportation and entry to all events for $450 per person. 

You can register here

PLEASE NOTE: WE HAVE MORE!!!

On Wednesday, June 4th, there is a waterfront welcome ceremony as Lafayette arrives in Buffalo by boat.  Then that evening there will be a dinner/ball with period music and dancing to be held in downtown Buffalo (this is a period costume opportunity).  This will carry a separate registration ($65) which I will email out in the coming days.  If you are interested in attending these "auxiliary" events, then you should check into our hotel on June 4th (if not, check in on June 5th).  Please look for a separate email for registration details.

On Sunday, June 8th we have planned events heading east from Buffalo just as Lafayette did.  First, we have a luncheon/program planned at a masonic temple near our hotel ($20pp).  Then we drive east (on your own) for an event in Auburn, New York as the Seward House Museum will host us there (free).  Then we will drive east again (on your own) to Syracuse, New York for another period costume opportunity.  At the beautiful and historic Marriott Downtown Syracuse hotel, the Syracuse Committee will be holding a dinner/ball with period music and dancing ($75pp).  We also have rooms blocked at this hotel for AFL members who want to attend events in Syracuse.  Again, please look for a separate email for registration details.

So as you will see, if you like, you can arrive in Western New York as early as Wednesday afternoon and stay until Monday morning with nearly 20 different Lafayette-related events to see.  I'll be emailing registration details for Wednesday and Sunday afternoon soon.

In the meantime, please book your hotel (see above) and please register for the events using the registration link above.

Thank you and vive Lafayette !!