The mission of the Taste of Diversity is to promote inclusion and to enhance the quality of life for the residents of the West Side by highlighting the people and cultures that make up our community. The Taste of Diversity Festival was founded by members of the West Side community. It started as a grassroots gathering celebrating the diversity of neighbors and has grown into a Buffalo tradition. The first festival took place at Our Lady of Loretto church (now the Loretto Center) in 2003 and had 18 different ethnic and cultural groups represented. After Our Lady of Loretto closed, the festival moved to Our Lady of Hope Church on Lafayette Avenue. In 2013, the Taste of Diversity moved around the corner to Grant Street, between Lafayette and Auburn, and annually attracts more than 2,500 people. Currently, Taste of Diversity is still being organized by a core group of the individuals who started the festival almost a decade ago. We have also added many new faces over the years as we’ve strengthened our ties with local organizations and welcomed new vendors and exhibitors. If you would like to be more involved with our 2015 festival, please