Join the Curtain Up! Celebration
This year, JazzBuffalo and ArtsBuffalo are excited to partner with Tappo Restaurant to present the Curtain Up! Ellicott Street Celebration on Friday, September 19, beginning at 7:30 pm.
For decades, Curtain Up! has marked the start of Buffalo’s theater season with unmatched energy, drawing thousands of people downtown to celebrate. This year, we’re proud to add to the tradition by helping to create a lively Act 2 portion of the evening—one that welcomes those who may not be attending a theater production but still want to be part of the city’s most festive night during Act 2 before heading over to the after-party on Main Street.
Together with Tappo, we’re breathing new life into Ellicott Street with food, community, and fantastic music. The night will feature The Brass Machine, Buffalo’s own high-energy brass band, filling the streets with the unmistakable sounds of New Orleans. With their infectious rhythms, bold horns, and second-line spirit, The Brass Machine will transform downtown into a Crescent City–style celebration.
Earlier this season, Ellicott Street was the joyful home of both the Buffalo Jazz Festival Prelude and the Buffalo Jazz Festival, where hundreds gathered in a car-free downtown filled with music, laughter, and community. Those events not only brought tremendous joy and happiness to all who attended, but also showed how live music can breathe renewal into the heart of our city. For Curtain Up!, we’re excited to create one more event in that same spirit—keeping downtown alive with energy, joy, and celebration.
Our goal is simple: to contribute to the renewal and vibrancy of downtown Buffalo, ensuring there’s a place for everyone to celebrate on this special night. This celebration offers a space to gather, dance, and experience the joy of live music under the city lights.
Friday, September 19
7:30 pm
The Brass Machine | New Orleans–inspired music
Ellicott Street at Tappo Restaurant
Let’s celebrate together, Buffalo. Curtain Up!
