Four new heritage sites recently joined the Erie Canalway Partner Program, which offers technical assistance, coordinated tourism promotion, and networking opportunities for selected sites within the Corridor. The new sites include:

• Albany Institute of History & Art, Albany 
• Canastota Canal Town Museum, Canastota
• The History Center in Tompkins County, Ithaca
• Hudson Crossing Park, Schuylerville

The program now includes 29 outstanding canal-related museums and cultural heritage sites located throughout the National Heritage Corridor. Some have important works of engineering, others have works of art or artifacts, and some highlight the value of the canal today. Together, our partners share the powerful story of the canal's role in shaping New York and the nation.
 
Download a list and description of Partner Sites >

Plan Your Visit online > 

The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks, awarded the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor a 2012 Impact Grant for $5,000 to support the launch of the Theatre on Main Street Project in Albion, in collaboration with the Albion Main Street Alliance and the Western Erie Canal Alliance.
 
Theatre on Main Street will stage a vaudeville performance in downtown Albion during the Olde Orleans Erie Canal Festival on September 8, 2012. Proceeds from the event will support the Pratt Opera House Preservation Fund and the Building Restoration Fund of the Western Erie Canal Alliance. By celebrating Albion's artistic heritage, organizers aim to draw attention to the contribution of the arts and historic preservation in community revitalization.

To find out more, visit Western Erie Canal Alliance: www.eriecanalheritage.com 

Find more historic theaters! There are more than 25 historic theaters in canal communities from Buffalo to Albany. Find one near you using our online Arts Guide > 

Heritage Weekend celebrates the state's unique role in shaping America. From New York City to the Capital Region to Buffalo and everywhere in between, Heritage Weekend features special programs, tours, re-enactments, and discounted admission at heritage and cultural destinations.

 

The event is made possible through partnerships with federal, state and private organizations and hundreds of volunteers at heritage destinations who plan and present Heritage Weekend. Businesses can also showcase promotional offers for free.

Submit your event or promotion now to get the most exposure!

We are continuing to work with I LOVE NY to promote tourism to the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. That's good news! I LOVE NY is the #1 Destination Management Organization on twitter worldwide with 96,889 followers. It also has the #1 state Facebook page in the country with 472,275 fans and growing.

 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/I_LOVE_NY 

 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ILOVENY 

 

Follow us too: www.facebook.com/ErieCanalway 

March 6-8: Empire State Tourism Conference
Where: Marriott Hotel, Albany
What: Tourism Action Day on 3/6 followed by conference, which includes speakers, seminars, trade show, awards, and more.
Sponsored by: NYSTVA
Visit conference website >
        
March 16: Mohawk Watershed Symposium

April 22-24: Museums in Conversation
Where: Albany Marriott
What: Annual conference explores this year's theme: How do we (re)vision our museums?
Sponsored by: Museumwise and the Museum Association of NYS

April 27: The Erie Canal Geographic Conference
Where: Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, Chittenango
What: Discussion sessions, lesson sharing, and site tour for educators, museum docents, canal enthusiasts, tour operators, and geographers who teach about the Erie Canal and related topics. Free.
Sponsored by: New York Geographic Alliance and Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum
Visit conference website >

September 30 - October 2: New York State Canal Conference 2012 Call For Papers 
The Planning Committee is soliciting proposals for papers and sessions from individuals with an interest or specialty in canals and inland waterways and/or their landside use, development, and economic revitalization. Deadline: April 16, 2012

Sponsored by: Canal Society of NYS 
Download details >

Deadline: May 7, 2012
Applications are now available to eligible municipalities and not-for-profit organizations to compete for funds through Preserve New York, a grant program of the Preservation League of New York State and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). The grants provide support for three types of projects: cultural resource surveys, historic structure reports, and historic landscape reports. Grants are likely to range between $3,000 and $10,000. More > 

Use our list of upcoming federal, state, and foundation grant opportunities for additional funding sources. More > 

The House Democratic Caucus elected Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-21) to the Committee on Natural Resources in the House of Representatives on February 16. Tonko will be the only New Yorker to serve on the committee, which handles renewable energy, climate change, water issues, and public lands.

 

This opportunity fits well with Congressman Tonko's Mighty Waters Initiative in the Capital Region, as well as his interest in a comprehensive national energy policy and protecting our public lands and historic and cultural resources. Congressman Tonko and Representative Charles Dent (PA-15) co-chair the bi-partisan National Heritage Area Congressional Caucus, which promotes regional conservation and sustainability.