Celebrating 716 day!

With the Buffalo Bills agonizingly close to returning to training camp it can be difficult for the common fan to wait patiently. What we need is a good distraction. A regionally specific “holiday” might be just what the doctor ordered. This July 16, let’s all be as “Buffalo” as possible as we celebrate 716 Day! So named for the phone area code of Western New York, 7/16 is the day we celebrate this amazing part of the country.

Let’s explore the culture of this wondrous day so we can make the most of this once-a-year opportunity.

What to eat/drink

• Wings: Interesting note here, not listing this first is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Also, blue cheese only on 716 Day if you’re doing anything beyond the wing sauce.
• Labatt: The beer so “Buffalo” that fans made sure to litter the streets of Jacksonville with empties. Some say that to this day you can hear the ghostly rattle of cans on quiet northeast-Florida nights.
• Beef on Weck: I don’t have a joke for this.
• Weber’s mustard: Traditionally, this regional specialty is put on everything. Sahlen’s hot dogs? Check. Hamburgers? Check. Exfoliating facial cleanser? Yeah, probably.

Places to see

• Niagara Falls: One of the top romantic destinations in the world is so close locals often take it for granted. If you’re lucky, you’ll run into a CBS camera crew getting obligatory shots for Bills games.
• Explore & More - Ralph C. Wilson Children’s Museum: Now open at the Canalside location, spend a day with your family in one of the many places made possible by Ralph Wilson.
• Dave and Buster’s: Yeah, there’s a lot of other great places in the 716, but how often can you visit a chain restaurant loved by Buffalo Bills legends Marshawn Lynch AND Rex Ryan?

What to do

• Official 716 Day attire: GQ isn’t a fan of the way Buffalo dresses, mainly due to our affinity for team apparel. Citing Bills gear as common sight from September to June, GQ has us all wrong by shorting us a couple months. There’s no fan offseason and 716 Day is no exception. Anything from 26 Shirts is also acceptable.
• Sign aging running backs: Is there anything more “Buffalo” to do than sign a veteran player in a de-emphasized position? I’ll wait.
• Fire a head coach or coordinator: OK, this might be more “Buffalo” than the last one.
• Donate to a charity: Awesome as it gets—seems to me this one happens a lot.

All kidding aside, 716 Day is a great day to show off some regional pride. Show each other and the world some Buffalove and do all the things that make Western New Yorkers who we* are. Zany, fanatic, with a lot to appreciate and an unrivaled capacity to do good. Happy 716 Day everyone!

*Full disclosure, I’m a 585er—and 585ers love 716ers (hey, some of us were even originally 716ers before they forcibly cloaked our doorsteps in 585 code.)