The Beat

Interactive, Multimedia Exhibits at the Longshed Building Will Welcome Visitors During 2025 Erie Canal Bicentennial Commemoration

See Pictures of Waterway of Change Here; Free, Timed Ticketing Available Here  

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the opening of “Waterway of Change: Complex Legacies of the Erie Canal,” an engaging new visitor experience at Canalside in Buffalo commemorating the Erie Canal Bicentennial. The 2,900-square-foot exhibit invites guests of all ages and abilities to explore Buffalo’s canal legacy through an inclusive and engaging lens. Housed in the Longshed building, Waterway of Change brings the canal’s layered history to life with short films, interactive touch screens, immersive audio, and historic artifacts. Complementing the indoor experience, a series of outdoor interpretive displays along the historic towpaths will offer visitors a deeper connection to this transformative chapter in New York’s story.

Full listing available on new online calendar

Waterford, N.Y. — As the NYS Canal System gets set to open for its bicentennial year, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the NYS Canal Corporation are pleased to announce major bicentennial events taking place throughout 2025. A full listing of events is available using the new online Bicentennial Events Calendar at https://eriecanalway.org/events.

Parade, Historic Reenactments, Music, Living History Displays and a Period Costume Ball to Take Place

Wurtsboro, NY (May, 13 2025) – Join the Village of Wurtsboro on Sunday, July 13, 2025, for a full day of festivities celebrating the 200^th anniversary of the Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Canal. This free, family-friendly event will include a parade, historic reenactments, music, living history displays, and a period costume ball.

Cayuga County, N.Y. (April 2025) – The Erie Canal, a defining feature of New York’s history and development, is celebrating its bicentennial in 2025, and Cayuga County is ready to welcome history enthusiasts eager to honor this milestone. With a rich canal heritage and a full lineup of engaging events and resources, visitors can immerse themselves in the stories, sights, and experiences that have shaped the region for two centuries.

Utica, N.Y. (January 23, 2025) – “Got an old mule and her name is Sal, 15 miles on the Erie Canal!” These famous lyrics from the classic song The Erie Canal remind us of the waterway’s rich history—and now, the canal is celebrating an incredible milestone: 200 years! 

To commemorate this bicentennial anniversary, Oneida County Tourism (OCT) is inviting you to share your love for the canal by entering the Oneida County Tourism Capture the Canal photo contest. This is your chance to showcase your talent, celebrate your community and make history right here in Oneida County. Winning photos will be featured in the OCT Destination Guide, on social media, and our website.

To Commemorate 200th Anniversary of the Original Waterway’s Completion and Continued Impact On New York

Introduced in the 2024 State of the State Address, Commission Will Be Responsible for a Robust Calendar of Events and Activities Throughout the Next Two Years

Celebration Will Culminate At 2025 World Canals Conference, Held In Buffalo Next Year  

Governor Hochul today announced the creation of the Erie Canal Bicentennial Commission to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the completion of the original Erie Canal. Initially introduced as part of the Governor’s State of the State Address in January, this new commission will ensure that the Erie Canal Bicentennial is recognized through community events, capital investments in canal infrastructure, and by telling the diverse stories that comprise the state’s relationship with this historic waterway. These tangible endeavors to be undertaken throughout 2024 and 2025 will set the tone and stage for the next century of operations and opportunities along the iconic New York State Canal system.

Millersburg, OH (April 10, 2024) – The National Scenic Byway Foundation congratulates the Lakes to Locks Passage All-American Road of New York State, one of America’s Byways, as a winner of our 2024 Byway Award for Visitor Experience. This is one of the Foundation’s eight national awards presented annually.

The Lakes to Locks Passage Byway organization designed The Turning Point Trail. This trail guides you through 200 miles of the Byway's storied landscape, illustrating the events that led up to the Battles of Saratoga, which many historians have called the “turning point of the American Revolution.” …

Buffalo, N.Y. -- At approximately 11:00 am on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, the Buffalo Maritime Center will launch the traditionally built, full-sized replica of the historic Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief that opened the Erie Canal in 1825.