Buffalo, New York – It’s time to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Downtown Buffalo! Today, Mayor Byron W. Brown
announced the details of the 36th Annual Buffalo Ball Drop and Fireworks Celebration at the Electric Tower,
presented by M&T Bank. The celebration will begin at 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 31st in Roosevelt Plaza
and will feature live music by The Strictly Hip and Saxophonist Will Holton. It will conclude with the traditional
ball drop at midnight, followed by fireworks.

“Buffalo’s New Year’s Eve gathering is the second largest such celebration in New York State and we’re proud of
this event which is a benefit for the Police Athletic League of Buffalo,” said Mayor Brown. “The City of Buffalo
is the largest supporter of the NYE Ball Drop, devoting police officers, firefighters, parking and DPW crews to
the event who work to ensure that all remains safe and festive for everyone.”

“As M&T continues to grow, we currently have operations in 32 states and 5 countries, our focus on our hometown
remains as strong as ever,” said Keith Belanger, M&T Bank Senior Executive VP of Corporate Services. “We
remain deeply committed to Buffalo, the city where it all started for M&T Bank. The New Year’s Eve Ball Drop
is a chance to celebrate our hometown city with hope, reflection, and connection, all which couldn’t be more
important as we come to the close of 2023 and ring in 2024.”

Once again, the New Year’s Eve Ball will descend from atop Iskalo Development’s historic Electric Tower, located
in the heart of Buffalo’s Theatre District.

“On behalf of the Iskalo family and the dedicated staff at Iskalo Development, we look forward to hosting the
upcoming New Year’s Eve Ball Drop at the Electric Tower,” stated Paul B. Iskalo, founder and CEO of Iskalo
Development Corp. “This year will mark the 36th consecutive year of the Ball Drop at the Electric Tower and
Iskalo Development’s 20th year as host. The annual gathering of thousands of residents for the Ball Drop at
the Electric Tower is one of our community’s great traditions and is a further demonstration that Buffalo truly is
the City of Good Neighbors.”

Nekia Kemp, Executive Director for The Police Athletic League of Buffalo, stated, “The Police Athletic League
of Buffalo has had a tremendous year. Our agency continues to evolve, adding exciting new programs and
activities that reach thousands of youth in Buffalo and surrounding communities. The annual New Year’s Eve Ball
Drop is a wonderful occasion where families across Buffalo can ring in the New Year together. On behalf of the
PAL Board of Directors, chaired by Mayor Byron W. Brown, we are grateful to all of this year’s New Year’s Eve
Ball Drop sponsors for supporting our continued efforts to raise significant funds that will directly benefit PAL
youth who take part in our year-round sports and enrichment programs in safe, City-wide recreation facilities in
partnership with the Buffalo Police Department. We look forward to the upcoming celebration and an exciting,
impactful new year.

In celebration of the 36th anniversary of the Buffalo NYE Ball Drop, Strictly Hip will again be rocking the
Entertainment Stage. Since 1995, The Strictly Hip has been evangelists, spreading the good word of The Hip’s
music far and wide. Taking an academic and studious approach to performing the music of Canada’s most
popular band, The Strictly Hip is not just another ‘impersonator’ tribute band. These talented Western New York
musicians present the music of The Tragically Hip with reverence, respect, and accuracy. Originally conceived
in 1995 in St. Catharines, Ontario, The Strictly Hip is now based in Buffalo and performs for The Hip’s rabid
American fan base. Will Holton, a smooth and savvy saxophonist with an international reputation on the jazz
scene, will also be back by popular demand.

Other sponsors of the NYE Buffalo Ball Drop include the following Deluxe Media Sponsors: Roswell Park
Comprehensive Cancer Center, Frey Electric, AAA Safety Foundation, and UBER.

“Each new year, we have before us a brand-new book containing 365 blank pages. Let us fill them with all the
forgotten things from last year-the words we forgot to say, the love we forgot to show and the charity we forgot
to offer. May 2024 be a year full of mental and physical prosperity for all of us,” said Bernarda Arias, Director
of Community Outreach and Engagement for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s CARES program.
James Waddell, Marketing Manager for Frey Electric, said, “We firmly believe that the City of Good Neighbors
is made even better when business leaders give back to support the people and causes that make Western
New York such a great place to live and work. We’re excited to continue to support this great event and help
ring in a new year.”

“The latest numbers show that 13,384 people died in the U.S. in drunk driving crashes in 2021. Those are
crashes that could be prevented with a designated driver, ride sharing, or spending the night. This New Year’s
Eve, AAA is reminding partygoers to plan ahead to avoid impaired driving. If you plan to use alcohol or drugs,
don’t get behind the wheel,” said Elizabeth Carey, Director of Public Relations at AAA Western and Central New
York. “Let’s wrap up 2023 and welcome the new year safely by preventing any tragedies on the roads.”
Entertainment sponsors include: The Northland Workforce Training Center, Carmina Wood Design, Uniland
Development, Try-it Distributing, Big Ditch Brewing Company, the 2024 Buffalo Auto Show, Mister Pizza
Elmwood, National Grid, and 7WKBW.

The presentation of the “Countdown to 2024” HD telecast will be presented by 7WKBW, a co-sponsor of the
NYE Ball Drop event since the first one in 1988 – when 97 Rock offered the New Year’s Eve Ball as a gift to the
city of Buffalo. Jickster will be on stage at Roosevelt Square, rockin’ Buffalo right into the New Year. 7WKBW
Anchors Ed Drantch and Katie Morse of the two-time Emmy award winning 7 News (ABC) morning show in
Buffalo will be serving up some New Year’s Eve fun from the studio starting at 10:00 p.m., with live check ins with
7WKBW Weekend Anchor Taylor Epps, who will be stationed at Roosevelt Square. The Police Athletic League
of Buffalo will also be highlighted during this time.

At 10:30 p.m., the 7WKBW broadcast will switch back to Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest
202. That celebration will lead up to midnight, at which time both celebrations in New York City and Buffalo will
be highlighted on the screen. Be sure to watch 7WKBW Live on your favorite platform, including the 7WKBW
Streaming app, starting at 10:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve!

Skylighters of WNY will shoot the fireworks show and choreograph it to classic rock and seasonal music favorites.
In an effort to provide reliable rides to and from the Buffalo Ball Drop, UBER is on board this year to help
holiday revelers get to and from the event easier than ever. A Ridesharing Zone will be set up on Pearl Street,
between Huron and Chippewa. Free parking is available at nearby Buffalo Civic Auto Ramps – Mohawk Ramp
and Fernbach Ramp – courtesy of Mayor Byron W. Brown, The Buffalo Board of Parking and Buffalo Civic Auto
Ramps. For directions to ramps, go to bcarparking.com. All Metro Bus and rail schedules can be found at http://
metro.nfta.com/.

A “test drop” of the NYE Ball will be held at 535 Washington Street, in front of the Electric Tower on Thursday,
December 28th at noon, when crews hoist the specially designed ball to the top of the tower, testing the
hundreds of special lights and timing the descent