Community Bank Presents the 2026 Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration
Saturday, December 5, 2026, Community Bank, N.A. Presents the annual Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration at Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza. The event marks the official opening of the Rotary Rink free ice-skating season in the heart of Downtown Buffalo, also Presented by Community Bank, N.A. The event begins at 5pm with free ice-skating. At 6pm, there will be a countdown to the lighting of the official tree and fireworks display over Fountain Plaza.
“Free ice-skating at Rotary Rink is a cherished Downtown Buffalo tradition, and we’re grateful to Community Bank, N.A. for helping us continue to offer this experience to our community,” said Peter Burakowski, Executive Director of Buffalo Place Inc. “Together with the City of Buffalo, we look forward to welcoming families, friends, and visitors to Fountain Plaza for a season of skating and celebration, beginning with our annual Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting.”
“Buffalo is an important part of our continued growth, and we’re proud to invest in the people and communities that make this region so special,” said Marya Wlos, CFO of Community Financial System, Inc., the parent company of Community Bank, N.A. “From expanding our local branch network to establishing our regional headquarters, our investment in Buffalo reflects our long-term commitment to the region. Just as important are the more than 200 employees who live and work here and give back to the community every day. We’re pleased to once again support this holiday tradition and help bring people together to celebrate the season.”
Immediately following the fireworks and tree lighting, the fun will continue with visits with Santa, holiday gifts, face-painting, train rides for children, and ice-skating. Ice-skating is free and ice-skate rental is available; $2 for children and $3 for adults. Guests are encouraged to bring their own ice-skates to avoid waiting in the ice-skate rental line. Santa will visit with children from 6:30pm to 8pm. All activities are free and open to the public.
Buffalo Place thanks Community Bank, N.A. for their Presenting Sponsorship of the Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration and the 2026-27 Free Ice-Skating Season at Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza. Buffalo Place also thanks our official Media Sponsor and Partner, The Buffalo News, for their support of the event.
About Community Financial System Inc. Community Financial System Inc. is a diversified financial services company focused on four main business lines: banking, employee benefit services, insurance services and wealth management. Its banking subsidiary, Community Bank N.A., is among the country’s 100 largest banking institutions, with over $17 billion in assets, and operates approximately 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, Western Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. The company’s Benefit Plans Administrative Services Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. The company’s OneGroup NY Inc. subsidiary is a top-68 U.S. insurance agency. The company also offers comprehensive financial planning, trust administration and wealth management services through its Wealth Management operating unit. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol CBU. For more information about Community Bank and Community Financial System, visit cbna.com or communityfinancialsystem.com.
