Upstate BBQers Shut Down Traffic on Prospect Park West Saturday Night

Anyone passing by the corner of 9th Street and Prospect Park West Saturday night around 11 p.m. would have been amazed to see police shooing hundreds of people out of the park and away from the area.

Turns out a very large group of students and alumni from three Buffalo schools — the University at Buffalo, Buffalo State College, and Daemon College — had gathered at Prospect Park for the annual meet-up and informal reunion known as the Ruff Buff BBQ.

Police briefly shut down traffic on Prospect Park West from 9th Street to 14th Street while they dispersed the crowd. Most of the group had driven down for the occasion. Some had taken tour buses, which struggled to turn down Park Slope’s residential streets.

Previously held in Harlem’s Riverside Park, this year’s Prospect Park BBQ featured free food and “happy juice“, according to social media. A police department spokesperson told Brownstoner she did not know if the police had received any complaints about noise or crime regarding the event. But apparently it broke up early.

Photo by Hannah Frishberg

Where ya ass was at when we were shutting down Brooklyn ? pic.twitter.com/eiVbfFrdG3

— Ruff Buff BBQ (@BUFFBBQ) August 16, 2015

HEAVY police presence from EARLY

— Elsa (@hotKimmodity) August 16, 2015