Enjoy Events and Festivals

Experience Erie Canal history via a one-hour guided cycling tour followed by a pint in this statewide summer series along New York’s Canals from the Erie Canal Museum. All miles count toward the Canalway Challenge. Registration required: $25 per ride.

Walk or run a 5K along the Erie Canal with or without your dog, while logging miles toward the Canalway Challenge. Registration required. Proceeds support Wanderers' Rest, a Chittenango animal shelter.

Explore Rochester’s history and natural beauty on a bicycle ride along the scenic Erie Canalway and Genesee Riverway Trails. Experienced riders will guide cyclists to five stops that showcase local art, history, and culture. Three-, seven-, and ten-mile options available. Riders ages 8-17 must be accompanied by an adult; those under age 8 can participate in a bicycle rodeo.

Experience Erie Canal history via a one-hour guided cycling tour followed by a pint in this statewide summer series along New York’s Canals from the Erie Canal Museum. All miles count toward the Canalway Challenge. Registration required: $25 per ride.

Experience the region’s rich artistic heritage and cultural diversity, including musical and dance performances and foodways and arts demonstrations, in this series of free, public events in Schenectady.

Fairport welcomes local and regional artists to spend the morning painting along the historic Erie Canal and throughout the Village. Art lovers will be able to observe the artists as they paint en plein air (outdoors). A public reception, exhibition, and sale of the art will take place in the afternoon.

Celebrate the Erie Canal and the community of Lockport that was built on its banks during this festival of food and artisan markets, demonstrations, special partner events, a community bike ride, and exclusive dining options. Activities include the Flight of Five Locks demonstration, Locks District tours, and more.

Join this scavenger hunt for all ages held along the Canalway Trail and in Oneida. Using clues hidden along historical sites, businesses, and features to solve the mystery of Sands Higinbotham’s treasure.

Head to the waterfront to enjoy live music, an artisan craft fair, arts and activities for children, food trucks and local craft beer.

Join this fun and educational hike/bike along the Erie Canalway Trail in three different locations. All miles count toward the Canalway Challenge and kids ages 10 to 18 qualify for the new Erie Canal Historic Trails Award.

Trace a portion of the route traveled by104 abolitionists who escaped an angry mob in Utica in 1835, embarked on a canal barge to Canastota, and walked to Peterboro where they formed the NYS Anti-Slavery Society. Witness performances and reenactments as you walk and/or ride a bus for a shortened path of 2.5 miles from Canastota to Clockville and back

Pedal through history, exploring the social reform movements that were ignited by the Erie Canal. From the fight for workers' rights to the struggle for civil rights and gender equality, this ride will reflect on the challenges and triumphs of those who sought to create a more just and equitable society. Cyclists of all skill levels welcome.

Celebrate the autumn harvest and the Champlain Canal Bicentennial on the grounds of the Canal Street Marketplace, a renovated nineteenth century canal barn. The festival features regional farm and artisan products, educational booths, fabulous food, free horse and wagon rides, a local beer tasting tent, and live music.

Take a walking tour of Canalside, the Erie Canal's 1825 western terminus. See Buffalo’s new waterfront attractions and learn about the history of the Erie Canal in Buffalo. Choose a 90-minute adult or 60-minute family-friendly tour geared for kids 5-10. Free.