Gillen grand-prizewinner of poster contest for Taste of Buffalo presented by Tops

Tops Friendly Markets press release & images

Tops Friendly Markets and the Taste of Buffalo are pleased to announce that, Chas Gillen, a talented artist from Alden, is the grand-prizewinner of the 2026 Taste of Buffalo Tops poster art contest.

Gillen was the winner for artists in the ages 18-plus group. Gillen’s artwork will be used in the creation of the official festival poster. In addition, Gillen will receive a $1,000 prize.

Sabatum Ramisha’s Taste of Buffalo artwork.

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Sabatum Ramisha, an Amherst resident, was the winner in the ages 13-17 group and will be presented with $500. The prizes are courtesy of Tops Friendly Markets and The Taste of Buffalo.

When contacted about the news, Gillen was elated telling a Tops representative that friends encouraged him to give it a whirl. He used to do creative work for Mighty Taco.

“The Taste of Buffalo has always celebrated the incredible food local to Western New York,” said Adam Roma, chair of the 2026 event. “These posters beautifully showcase the talented artists who call this region home. In 2026, we are honored to continue our tradition of highlighting the area’s culinary scene while expanding our focus to include more local artisans.”

This year’s festival is taking place July 11-12, in Niagara Square and on a portion of Delaware Avenue. Presale food ticket vouchers will also be available for purchase at Tops Markets locations beginning in June.

Headquartered in Williamsville, Tops Markets operates a robust network of 151 grocery stores spanning New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, including one franchise location in Lewiston. Discover more at www.topsmarkets.com.

The Taste of Buffalo presented by Tops is the nation’s largest two-day food festival. Named winner of USA Today’s 2023 10BEST Reader’s Choice Travel Award Contest for “Best City Food Festival,” the Taste is a not-for-profit organization with more than 1,000 volunteers helping to put on the annual event. More than $606,000 has been raised at the festival for local charities, in addition to scholarships awarded annually to local high school seniors pursuing a culinary or hospitality-related degree. For more information, visit tasteofbuffalo.com and find TOB on Facebook and Instagram.