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Find an Event Near You!
The New York State Canal Corporation maintains and distributes a full event listing. To find an event near you or to add your event to the list, go to www.nyscanals.gov. |
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| Get Ready for Summer Events!
Canal to open on Saturday, May 1
The 186th navigation season is about to kick off with the opening of the canal on May 1. New York State Canal Corporation Director Carmella Mantello and a host of dignitaries will kick off the season at the Waterford Harbor at Lock 2 at 11 am on Friday, April 30, 2010.
And that's just the beginning! Canal-related festivals and events throughout the season will draw more than two million visitors to the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor!
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission is a major sponsor of several Corridor-wide events, including: Canalway Trail Celebration, June 6; Cycling the Erie Canal, July 11-18; Canal Splash, August 7-9; and the 2010 World Canals Conference in Rochester, September 19-24.
Let the fun begin! |
Erie Canalway to Sponsor 13 Local Events
 The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission has awarded sponsorships in the amount of $500 to thirteen events and festivals taking place this summer.
"Cultural, heritage and recreational events deliver significant tourism and economic benefits to communities," said Joseph Callahan, Erie Canalway Commission Chair. In fact, festival and event-related visitors generate more than $209 million each year in direct sales revenues in the Erie Canalway, according to a 2007 Economic Impact Study conducted by the New York State Canal Corporation.
2010 Event and Festival Sponsorship Recipients:
(Listed in order of the event date)
- 24th Annual Waterford-RiverSpark Canal Festival, Village of Waterford, 5/8/10
- Grand Celebration--Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct, Camillus Erie Canal Park, Camillus, 5/22/10
- Hudson Crossing Triathlon, Hudson Crossing Park, Schuylerville, 6/13/10
- RiverFest, City of Watervliet, 6/19/10
- Canal Fest: 25th Anniversary of Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, Chittenango, 6/20/10
- Music on the Erie, Newark Waterfront, Newark, Sundays starting 7/4/10 through 8/29, plus September 25
- Canal Days 2010-Scoharie Crossing State Historic Site, Fort Hunter, 7/10/10 - 7/11/10
- Canastota's Bicentennial Celebration, Canastota Canal Town Museum, Canastota, 7/22/10
- Pirates of the Erie Canal Weekend, Village of Palmyra, 8/7/10 - 8/8/10
- 23rd Annual Little Falls Canal Celebration, Little Falls, 9/9/10 - 9/15/10
- Waterfront Museum & Waterford Tugboat Round-up, Village of Waterford, 9/10/10 - 9/12/10
- Matilda Joslyn Gage Home Grand Opening-Underground Railroad Exhibit, Fayetteville, 10/8/10
- Connect the Canal Communities, multiple dates and locations in the Western Erie Canal State Heritage Corridor throughout the season.
This list represents a fraction of the events taking place throughout the season. To obtain a copy of 2010 events, stop by your nearest canal visitor center or click here. |
Plan Now for Cycling the Erie Canal
Welcome riders to your community!
 Five hundred cyclists and an entourage of volunteers will be Cycling the Erie Canal from July 11 - 18, 2010. What a great opportunity to roll out the welcome mat from Buffalo to Albany! "Cycling the Erie Canal is a great way to showcase what is unique and special about the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor," said Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York, organizer of the ride. "It also serves to remind communities about the growing importance of cycling tourists and the many ways we can strengthen our efforts to serve them." Parks & Trails New York's new Bicyclists Bring Business Guide has plenty of great suggestions for making communities more bicycle friendly. Try these strategies for attracting riders during Cycling the Erie Canal and consult the guide for more tips on becoming a destination for cyclists all season long. - Welcome riders to your community with welcome signs, balloons, or greeters.
- If your community is a scheduled rest stop or daily destination, be sure that businesses know to expect riders. Place a sign in your shop window, "Welcome Cycling the Erie Canal!" to encourage riders to stop in. Offer restaurant specials or discounts - desserts, beverages, and snacks are popular. Post menus outside for riders to see.
- Be ready to answer common questions. Know where the nearest bike racks, restrooms, ATMs, snack bars, and restaurants are located.
- Entice riders to return. Cyclists are on a fairly tight schedule and may not be able to stop and explore all the places they'd like to. But celebrating the ride and making riders feel welcome will entice them to return and tell their friends about sites that intrigue them.
Remember, word of mouth is the most influential information source for cyclists and others making decisions about places to visit. By welcoming and serving bicycle tourists, you will create promoters for the Erie Canalway Trail, your community, and your business that will bring more customers in the future.
You can download a copy of the Bicyclists Bring Business Guide at www.ptny.org or contact Parks & Trials New York at 518-434-1583. To join the ride, eriecanaltour@ptny.org or www.ptny.org/canaltour. Tour Schedule:Sunday, July 11:Buffalo to Medina Monday, July 12: Medina to Pittsford Tuesday, July 13: Pittsford to Waterloo/Seneca Falls Wednesday, July 14: Waterloo/Seneca Falls to Syracuse Thursday, July 15: Syracuse to Rome Friday, July 16: Rome to Canajoharie Saturday, July 17: Canajoharie to Scotia Sunday, July 18: Scotia to Albany |
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The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, established in 2000 by an Act of Congress, spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York. It includes the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments. The Corridor encompasses 4,834 square miles in 23 counties and is home to 2.7 million people.
Erie Canalway
National Heritage Corridor
P.O. Box 219
Waterford, New York 12188
(518) 237-7000 | |
