NEWSLETTERMay 13, 2025
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 200th 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. - The Cayuga County Office of Tourism is proud to announce that the Villages of Montezuma, Port Byron, and Weedsport have been selected to begin the application process for official designation as Empire State Trail Towns. This exciting opportunity, offered through Parks & Trails New York and funded by the New York State Canal Corporation, helps canal corridor communities grow outdoor recreation tourism and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
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.
Jan 23, 2025
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.
Oct 31, 2024
Register Today to Join Thought-Provoking Conversations on Waterway Trends,
Management, Preservation and More
Dynamic Conference Video Trailer Available HERE
Buffalo, New York (October 31, 2024) – Registration is officially open for the World Canals Conference 2025 (WCC 2025), a gathering of inland waterway experts, enthusiasts, and stakeholders from around the world, happening on September 21-25, 2025, in Buffalo, New York. This year's conference holds special significance as it coincides with the Bicentennial of the opening of the original Erie Canal, one of the world’s most iconic waterways, commemorating its pivotal role in shaping the economic and social landscape of the United States.
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.
May 14, 2024
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.
Interactive, Multimedia Exhibits at the Longshed Building will be the Starting Point for Visitors During 2025 Erie Canal Bicentennial Commemoration
Buffalo to Host World Canals Conference in 2025
See Renderings of the Visitors Experience Here
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced plans for “Waterway of Change: A Complex Legacy of the Erie Canal,” a new Erie Canal bicentennial visitors experience at Canalside in Buffalo. On May 7, after four years of construction in the Longshed, the replica Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief will move out to make way for interior construction and installation of the new experience in the building. Work will be completed in time for next year’s Erie Canal Bicentennial. Renderings are available here. …
