The Erie Canal, celebrating its bicentennial in 2025, is the heart of numerous vibrant festivals and events that honor its rich heritage and foster community spirit. From lively music festivals to historical reenactments, these celebrations offer unique experiences for visitors and locals alike. Below is a curated list of must-attend events taking place along the Erie Canal after March 20, 2025:
1. Erie Canal Boat Float and Folk Festival: Living History
- Date: June 14, 2025
- Location: Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, Chittenango
- Description: Join hundreds of paddlers on the Old Erie Canal for a historical journey celebrating the canal’s bicentennial. The event features folk music, food trucks, live demonstrations of traditional crafts, and living history displays with interpreters in period attire.
2. Erie Canal Bicentennial Building Bricks Event
- Date: June 14, 2025
- Location: Sacred Heart Club, Medina
- Description: A family-friendly event where participants of all ages can create canal-themed boats, bridges, and landmarks using LEGO bricks. Awards are given based on age and creativity, fostering a fun and educational atmosphere.
3. Clinton’s Ditch: The Story of Building the Erie Canal
- Dates: June 27-28, 2025
- Location: Samuel Center for Canal History, Port Byron
- Description: A historical drama honoring the Erie Canal’s bicentennial, showcasing its monumental influence on New York State. This engaging performance brings history to life, offering insights into the canal’s construction and significance. Tickets are required.
4. Cycle the Erie Canal
- Date: July 12, 2025
- Location: Nichols School, Buffalo
- Description: A fully supported 8-day, 400-mile cycling tour from Buffalo to Albany along the Erie Canalway Trail. Cyclists can explore the scenic trail, visit historic sites, and experience the canal’s rich heritage firsthand.
5. Erie Canal Arts & Craft Festival
- Date: September 20, 2025
- Location: Medina, Albion, and Holley
- Description: A vibrant celebration featuring over 400 artisan vendors, a theatre and car showcase, a headline concert with “The Voice’s” Ddendyl Hoyt, and a festive boat parade. This festival highlights the creativity and community spirit along the canal.
6. Locktoberfest
- Date: October 11, 2025
- Location: Bellamy Harbor Park, Rome
- Description: An annual festival featuring live music, food trucks, and vendors. This year’s event welcomes the replica canal boat Seneca Chief to Bellamy Harbor Park as it makes its bicentennial voyage from Buffalo to Albany, offering a unique historical experience.
7. Flotsam River Circus – 2025 Erie Canal Tour
- Dates and Locations:
- August 4: Gallagher Beach, Buffalo
- August 8: Gateway Harbor Park, North Tonawanda
- August 14: Genesee Gateway Park, Rochester
- August 23: Inner Harbor, Syracuse
- August 27: Bellamy Harbor Park, Rome
- August 28: Riverlink Park, Amsterdam
- August 30: Gateway Landing Park, Schenectady
- Description: A floating circus featuring musicians, puppeteers, and circus artists performing on a ramshackle raft. With 35 free performances from Buffalo to New York City, this unique event brings entertainment directly to canal communities.
8. Erie Canal Heritage Market at Market Square
- Date: September 27, 2025
- Location: Market Square, Buffalo
- Description: Experience a recreated canal-era public market at the historic core of the former Village of Black Rock. The event includes local vendors, canal-era musical performances, guided tours, children’s games, and artisan demonstrations, offering a glimpse into the past.
9. Downtown Seneca Falls Mural Project Festival
- Date: September 20, 2025
- Location: Seneca Museum of Waterways and Industry, Seneca Falls
- Description: Celebrate the impact of the arts in the Finger Lakes with the dedication of two new murals in downtown Seneca Falls. The family-friendly festival features vendors, performers, and artists, enriching the community’s cultural landscape.
10. Doors Open Buffalo
- Date: September 27, 2025
- Location: Downtown Buffalo
- Description: In celebration of the Erie Canal’s 200th anniversary, this event offers free public access and tours at Buffalo landmarks and historic sites. Discover the canal’s impact on the city and state through canal-themed symbolism, artwork, murals, and more.
These events not only commemorate the Erie Canal’s storied past but also highlight its ongoing significance in New York’s cultural and community life. Participating in these festivals offers a unique opportunity to engage with the canal’s history.