The Official Western New York Gathering Page

(last updated on August 11, 2012)

This page will take you to all the letterboxing events, past and present, that have been held in Western New York, which includes anything near the Buffalo/Niagara or Rochester area. The first gathering was held in 2003 with the entire letterboxing community at the time (meaning Team Dakota and Dagonell the Pirate were all there!). The Highlander and I began hosting gatherings in 2004 and out of deference to the virtual parents of WNY boxing, we called our first gathering the SECOND one!

At any rate, all the info on these gatherings is posted here. We’ve listed the gatherings in chronological order and added links to both the webpage and the clue page we created for each. We’ve also included a link to the Atlas Quest event page for those interested in uploading pictures or seeing who was in attendance that day. The first chart is for the yearly events we’ve held, while the second is for mini meets and other gatherings that’ve been held in between in the WNY area (Note: Some of the events in the second chart were not hosted by us, so we don’t have as much info on them.).

Enjoy and feel free to contact us with any questions (or corrections!)

The Sprite & the Highlander

Yearly Gatherings

     Currently, we have four annual events, which conveniently work out to one per season hosted by different members of the WNY boxing community. In the winter (usually January) is the Annual Holiday Pub Crawl in the Buffalo area. For spring (around April or May), we’ve had the Spring Training event in the Rochester area. Every third weekend in August, the annual Western NY event is held somewhere in the Western New York area, then October brings us to the Hallowed Grounds Tours or WNY Boneyard Boxing. Here’s the list of those since their inception:

Year & Number

Event Name

(# Event, Event Theme)

Event Park/Location & City

Official Website

Current Clues Page

Atlas Quest Event Page

???

Brass Ring Thing

(1^st WNY event, exchange meetup)

Herschel Carrousel Museum, North Tonawanda

Even though this was more of a mini-meet, it is considered by all to be the first official Western New York event. According to our sources, all the letterboxers in WNY (both Team Dakota and Dagonell the Pirate) met at the Brass Ring Thing, an annual renaissance festival thrown by the Herschel Carrousel Museum in North Tonawanda. Thanks to these folks (and later, the Elba Onions) for getting Western New York into the wonderful world of letterboxing!

2004

Things We’re Thankful For

(2^nd WNY event, thankfulness)

Rotary Park, Middleport

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gathering.htm (website)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gclues.htm (clues)

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=37 (AQ page)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gwrapup.htm (Wrap-up Page)

 The second official Western NY event, but the first of many hosted by the Sprite & the Highlander, who’d just started boxing in August of this year. Also the first and LAST to be held during the fall…WAY too cold!

2005

Just Playing Around WNY

(3^rd WNY event, games & activities)

Durand-Eastman Park, Irondequoit

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gathering2.htm?200729 (website)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gclues2.htm (clues)

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=35 (AQ page)

2006

It’s a WNYld Ride!!!

(4^th WNY event, amusement parks)

Darien Lakes State Park, Darien Center

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gathering3.htm?200729 (website)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gclues3.htm?200729 (clues)

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=171 (AQ page)

Boxing Under the WNY Stars

Darien Lakes State Park, Darien (night boxing part of 4^th event)

Darien Lakes State Park, Darien Center

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=102 (AQ page)

The first WNY event to include night boxing and camping for the entire weekend.

2007

(LB)WNY is ON THE AIR!!!

(5^thWNY event, music)

Chestnut Ridge Park, Orchard Park

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gathering4.htm (website)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gclues4.htm (clues)

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=221 (AQ page)

Block Party W(NY)eekend

(night boxing part of 5^th event)

Sprague Brook County Park, Springville

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=403 (AQ page)

Held at two different locales because we wanted Chestnut Ridge to become the Stone Mountain of the North as far as letterboxing, but the closet campgrounds was Sprague Brook. A nice little park, it turned out, so NEXT year, we held the whole thing there.

Hallowed Grounds Tour 2007

(1^st HG Tour, Orleans County)

Various Orleans County cemeteries (check in point at Sprite & Highlander’s place)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/hgtour1.htm (clues & maps)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=453 (AQ page)

2008

Spring Training 2008 – Letterbox Style

(1^st ST event, general boxing)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=557 (AQ page)

Silver Screen Saturday

(6^th WNY event, movies)

Sprague Brook County Park, Springville

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gathering5.htm (website)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gclues5.htm (clues)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=468 (AQ page)

Movie Double Feature

(night boxing part of 6^th event)

Sprague Brook County Park, Springville

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=787 (AQ page)

Hallowed Grounds Tour 2008

(2^nd HG Tour, Genesee County)

Various Genesee County cemeteries (check in point at Sprite & Highlander’s place)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/hgtour2.htm (clues & maps)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=785 (AQ page)

2009

Pucca’s Very Merry Holiday!

(1^st pub crawl)

Various pubs in Buffalo, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=981 (AQ page)

Spring Training – Letterbox Style: 2009 Season

(2^nd ST event, general boxing)

Black Creek Park, North Chili

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=1171 (AQ Page)

Heavens Above!

(7^th WNY event, astronomy)

Lakeside Beach State Park, Waterport

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gathering6.htm (website)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gclues6.htm (clues)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=912 (AQ page)

Starry Starry Nights

(night boxing part of 7^th event)

Lakeside Beach State Park, Waterport

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=913 (AQ page)

Hallowed Grounds Tour 2009

(3^rd HG Tour, Niagara County)

Various Niagara County cemeteries (check in point at Panera’s in Lockport)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/hgtour3.htm (clues & maps)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=1003 (AQ page)

2010

The 2nd Annual WNY Holiday Pub Crawl: Eggsnoged With The Missle Schmoe

(2^nd pub crawl)

Various pubs in Buffalo

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=1218 (AQ page)

Spring Training – Letterbox Style: 2010 Season

(3^rd ST event, general boxing)

Mendon Ponds Park, Mendon

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=1362 (AQ page)

The Art of CommuNYcation

(8^th WNY event, communication)

4 Mile Creek State Park, Youngstown

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gathering7.htm (website)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gclues7.htm (clues)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=1664 (AQ page)

Fireside Chats

(night boxing part of 8^th event)

4 Mile Creek State Park, Youngstown

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=1665 (AQ page)

Hallowed Grounds Tour 2010 Digging Up The Dead Boxes

(4^th HG Tour)

Shirt Factory Café, Medina

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=1824 (AQ page)

2011

WNY’s Lazy Summer

(9^th WNY event, leisure activities)

Royalton Ravine County Park, Gasport

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=2160 (AQ page)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gathering8.htm (website)

2011 WNY Boneyard Boxing

(5^th, continued from HG Tour, Erie County)

Various Northern Erie County cemeteries (check in point at Panera’s in Williamsville)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=2303 (AQ page)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gBoxId=184616 (East Route Clues)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gBoxId=184621 (West Route Clues)

2012

The Magical Stamp World of WNY

(10^th WNY event, fantasy)

Sprague Brook County Park, Springville

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gathering9.htm (website)

http://thesprite.orgfree.com/letterboxing/gclues9.htm (clues)

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=2507 (AQ page)

WNYen You Wish Upon a Star

(night boxing part of 10^th event)

Sprague Brook County Park, Springville

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=2580 (AQ page)

Mini Meets

The following meets were one shot events held in the area

Date

Event Name (Event Theme)

Location & Atlas Quest Event Page

April 10, 2005

TGFTD (Thank God For Team Dakota) Mini Meet (also theme)

North Tonawanda, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=45 (AQ page)

July 24, 2005

Spriland Fling Mini Meet (adding & removing stamps from the Sprilander HH Hostel)

Medina, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=70 (AQ page)

August 20, 2005

Atlas Quest Ceremonial Candle Affirmation (a little AQ “worship”!)

Middleport, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=89 (AQ page)

October 8, 2005

Snurgerblatt HH Mini Meet (HH exchanges)

Medina, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=99 (AQ page)

November 27, 2005

Been There, Done That, Moved the Stove (moving the stove at our house with enough boxers to merit a mini meet!)

Medina, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=110 (AQ page)

June 3, 2006

The Brass Ring Thing VI mini-meet (in honor of the first WNY gathering, which was also held at the Brass Ring Thing)

North Tonawanda, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=167 (AQ page)

October 8, 2006

The Big Sit! 2006

Rochester, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=231 (AQ page)

December 2, 2006

WNY Boxing Rainout Mini-Meet

Medina, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=257 (AQ page)

February 16, 2007

Come On Over…Let’s Do An Exchange Mini-Meet

Hamburg, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=322 (AQ page)

April 14, 2007

A Morbid Affair

Tonawanda, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=305 (AQ page)

June 8, 2007

Panning for (Mo)Wiz(Liz)!

Lockport, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/events/event.html?gEventId=386 (AQ page)

July 9, 2007

Cheesecake Factory Mini-Meet

Cheektowaga, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=410 (AQ page)

April 12, 2008

A Face in the Crowd Carving Bee

Rochester, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=700 (AQ page)

June 7, 2008

Rendezvous at the Ridge

Orchard Park. NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=478 (AQ page)

November 8, 2008

Pucca’s Spooky Halloween Mini Meet

Lancaster, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=968 (AQ page)

May 30-31, 2009

2nd Annual Buffalo ComedySportz Improvathon

Riviera Theater, North Tonawanda

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=1264 (AQ page)

April 1, 2011

Bears & Brews

Rochester, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=2055 (AQ page)

April 30, 2011

Live, Laugh Lets Get Letterboxing

Lackawanna, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=2022 (AQ page)

December 31, 2011

Grinch Fest 2011

Lewiston, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=2260 (AQ page)

April 29, 2012

Coaster Boaster!

Darien, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=2372 (AQ page)

June 30, 2012

Rochester Rendezvous

Rochester, NY

http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId=2195 (AQ page)