ECHDC Announces Release of Calendar of Events for Buffalo’s Erie Canal Bicentennial

Programming and events schedule includes history tours, family programming, movie and speaker series, live music, and more!

Plan your summer at www.ErieCanalTurns200.com

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation today announced the exciting calendar of events for Buffalo’s Erie Canal Bicentennial taking place this summer. Canalside will host hundreds of programs, daily activities and special events, from Memorial Day through the fall, to share the remarkable story of the Erie Canal.  The fun, festive and engaging experiences will help connect visitors to Buffalo’s 200-year-old Erie Canal history and create once-in-a-lifetime memories. The packed calendar—located here—includes options for kids and families, music and theater lovers, history buffs, and more. 

“As the Erie Canal’s western terminus, Canalside today is reconnecting the community and its visitors to the Erie Canal’s 200-year-old history,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “We’ve been hard at work on exhibits, programming and events that will bring people to Buffalo’s waterfront and spark their curiosity as they discover our rich cultural heritage. I encourage everyone to check their calendars and make plans to join us this summer for an exciting bicentennial commemoration.”

Many visitors attending the bicentennial events will likely recognize the name “Erie Canal,” and some may even know that its western terminus lies in Buffalo. However, few know the canal’s history or deep-rooted connection to the Queen City. To bring this story to life for a broad and diverse audience, ECHDC is planning inclusive programs designed to engage people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

Free events and activities for the season, starting Memorial Day weekend, will include:

  • Visits by several permanent residents of Forest Lawn Cemetery to their old stomping grounds to see what has changed along the Erie Canal since its founding 200 years ago. Starting May 24 at 4 p.m., near the Ruins at Canalside. Additional dates and times listed on the website.
  • Tours for families and adults, including evening tours.  Explore Buffalo will host more than 100 free bicentennial walking tours. Requires registration; visit website to sign up.
  • Speakers and movie series at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park – Programming sponsored by Buffalo Construction Company.
    • Speaker series, running the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., in the Hanger Building at the Naval Park, starting May 29.
    • Movie Series, featuring Creating the Canal, directed by Emmy-nominated Syracuse native Tom Garber. Showing every Saturday and Sunday, in the Hanger Building.
  • Musical performances – Programming sponsored by Rigidized Metals.
    • Yellowjack – Rowdy roots, fiddle tunes and bluegrass tunes, running every other Friday, 6:30 p.m., near the Resurgence beer garden, starting May 30.
    • Dave Ruch – Interactive music entertainment for all ages, located in the Hanger Building at the Naval Park, starting July 10 at 2 p.m. More dates to come!
  • Visit the full-sized replica of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief, the community boatbuilding initiative by Buffalo Maritime Center, at the Commercial Slip near the Ruins at Canalside. Programming includes a speaker series, dockside demonstrations and special events starting May 23.
  • Performances of the “On the Canal” play – From former Alleyway Theater Artistic Director Neal Radice’s new musical commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Erie Canal, short playlets and excerpts will be performed the weekend of September 5 in the Ruins at Canalside. This musical will take place in its entirety at Shea’s Smith Theater on September 26-28.
  • Arts for Learning presents the Traveling Museum, which brings the Erie Canal to life and directly into the hands of young learners. Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. on the Great Lawn, starting on July 3.
  • Explore & More Children’s Museum will host family programming on the Great Lawn followed by a children’s scavenger hunt, every other Wednesday and Saturday during the summer.
  • International Institute of Buffalo will be providing a multi-day celebration of Buffalo's rich immigrant and refugee history.  Programming sponsored by Buffalo Spree Publishing.
    • Come celebrate your families’ ethnic heritage every other Wednesday in July and participate in an art project that will be made into a community quilt and be on display for all to see at the end of the commemoration. July 2, 16 and 30, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and coupled with entertainment or educational programing each day. Full details on the website.
  • Two adult scavenger hunts, the Canalside Challenge, by Buffalo History Tours will take place June 25 and August 27. The event includes an award presentation and after party at Explore & More. Both events require registration so visit the website to get your tickets!  Programming sponsored by Turner Construction Company.
  • Pedal through 200 years of history with a low-cost, family-friendly summer bike tour series from Buffalo Bike Tours.  Saturdays at 4 p.m., all commemoration long!  Requires registration; visit website to sign up.  Programming sponsored by Crowley Webb.
  • A chance to test your knowledge in the Erie Canal Bicentennial Trivia Contest run by International Institute of Buffalo. Community questions will range from Erie Canal history and Buffalo’s immigrant past to world history and questions on ethnic foods, sites, architecture, and more. Requires registration; visit website to sign up.

Childrens programming added, beginning in July:

  • Arts for Learning presents the Traveling Museum, which brings the Erie Canal to life and directly into the hands of young learners. Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. on the Great Lawn, starting on July 3.
  • Explore & More Children’s Museum will host family programming on the Great Lawn followed by a children’s scavenger hunt, every other Wednesday and Saturday during the summer.
  • International Institute of Buffalo will be providing a multi-day celebration of Buffalo's rich immigrant and refugee history.  Programming sponsored by Buffalo Spree Publishing.
    • Come celebrate your families’ ethnic heritage every other Wednesday in July and participate in an art project that will be made into a community quilt and be on display for all to see at the end of the commemoration. July 2, 16 and 30, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and coupled with entertainment or educational programing each day. Full details on the website. 

Reduced fee programming for the season will include:

  • Two adult scavenger hunts, the Canalside Challenge, by Buffalo History Tours will take place June 25 and August 27. The event includes an award presentation and after party at Explore & More. Both events require registration so visit the website to get your tickets!  Programming sponsored by Turner Construction Company.
  • Pedal through 200 years of history with a low-cost, family-friendly summer bike tour series from Buffalo Bike Tours.  Saturdays at 4 p.m., all commemoration long!  Requires registration; visit website to sign up.  Programming sponsored by Crowley Webb.
  • A chance to test your knowledge in the Erie Canal Bicentennial Trivia Contest run by International Institute of Buffalo. Community questions will range from Erie Canal history and Buffalo’s immigrant past to world history and questions on ethnic foods, sites, architecture, and more. Requires registration; visit website to sign up.

For more information, please check the full events calendar at www.ErieCanalTurns200.com.

To help visitors “step back in time” and to connect Buffalo’s Erie Canal history to the present and future, the programming and events will take place in several locations including the Longshed (building at the intersection of the Buffalo River and the Commercial Strip), Ruins (remaining historic brick masonry along the Commercial Strip), on the lawns of Canalside and the Hanger Building (Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park). 

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The Erie Canal helped to establish New York State as a global hub for commerce, and its impact continues in both tourism and trade. The bicentennial in Buffalo is an exciting opportunity for residents and visitors to engage with the city’s past, present and future. With the release of Buffalo’s bicentennial commemoration events calendar, we encourage you to start planning your trip to Canalside today.”

ECHDC Chairperson Joan Kesner said, “Governor Hochul and ECHDC have made a commitment to enhance Canalside with a cultural enrichment plan that is focused on telling the story of Buffalo’s Erie Canal heritage.  This summer, in conjunction with the Erie Canal’s bicentennial, we’re going all out to showcase that incredible history first-hand.  We can’t wait to share it all with you and create once-in-a-lifetime memories for the community!”

There will also be a free shuttle service at Canalside starting Memorial Day weekend. ECHDC is projecting a higher amount of foot traffic and vehicles at Canalside and surrounding area this season.  The shuttle will operate on a fixed route, covering key locations between parking lots surrounding Canalside and attractions within the Canalside property. The shuttle will run on a constant route loop, estimating the pickup at each location to be every 15 minutes.

Planned shuttle operating hours are:

  • Spring: May 23 – June 22, weekends only.
  • Summer: June 23 – Sept. 1, Wednesday – Sunday.
  • Late summer: Sept. 5 – Sept. 21, weekends only.

Opening to the public over Memorial Day weekend, ECHDC will also debut Waterway of Change: A Complex Legacy of the Erie Canal—an engaging new visitor experience at Canalside commemorating the Erie Canal Bicentennial. First introduced by Governor Hochul as a key feature of New York State’s 2025 Bicentennial Commemoration, the 2,900-square-foot exhibit invites guests to explore Buffalo’s canal legacy through an inclusive and engaging lens. Housed in the Longshed building, Waterway of Change brings the canal’s layered history to life with short films, interactive touch screens, immersive audio, and historic artifacts.  Complementing the indoor experience, a series of outdoor interpretive displays along the historic towpaths will offer visitors a deeper connection to this transformative chapter in New York’s story. Free, timed-admission ticketing will open prior to Memorial Day and be announced via social media. Exhibits sponsored by Upstate Laborers Union, Local 210.

Please visit the ErieCanalTurns200.com, and connect on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram for the latest information, including programming dates and times, shuttle route and information and Waterway of Change exhibit operating hours.

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “Buffalo’s Canalside is a one-of-a-kind Erie Canal location, and with an ever-growing lineup of Bicentennial commemorative activities, it is the place to be this summer! From Albany to Buffalo and beyond, I encourage everyone to come experience the vibe of the Erie Canal’s rich history, celebrate Buffalo’s heritage, and have fun. We can’t wait to join the action this summer and come back in September for the World Canals Conference in Buffalo.”  

Erie Canal bicentennial commemoration events will also occur across New York State. New York State’s Division of Tourism and I LOVE NY have been promoting the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal to domestic and international audiences by highlighting events, festivals and attractions that celebrate the waterway’s storied history. The Erie Canal’s role in shaping New York State is also featured in the Path Through History heritage tourism program. This summer, the I LOVE NY Mobile Tour will be activating at different locations during the canal season, introducing visitors to all there is to do in New York State both on and off the canal. Travelers can learn more about ways to connect to these historic waterways and the bicentennial events happening around New York State at iloveny.com.

Senator April Baskin said, “From tours to live musical performances to a speakers series showcasing the rich 200-year history of the Erie Canal, this summer commemoration has something for everyone. What a wonderful way to inform and entertain residents and tourists alike about the unique Buffalo connection to this essential hub.”

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “The Erie Canal isn’t just a marvel of engineering, it’s a symbol of the innovation, connection, and resilience that helped shape Buffalo into the vibrant city it evolved into. This summer’s bicentennial commemoration at Canalside will offer an incredible opportunity for residents and visitors alike to honor that legacy while creating new memories along our historic waterfront. I’m proud to support the efforts of Governor Hochul and Empire State Development to bring our community together in both celebrating our city’s history and charting a course toward a new era of Buffalo’s progress.”

 

About Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation 
As a subsidiary of ESD, the state’s chief economic development agency, ECHDC supports and promotes the creation of infrastructure and public activities at Canalside, the Ohio Street corridor and the Outer Harbor that is attracting critical mass, private investment and enhance the enjoyment of the waterfront for residents and tourists in Western New York. Its vision is to revitalize Western New York’s waterfront and restore economic growth to Buffalo based on the region’s legacy of pride, urban significance, and natural beauty.

ECHDC is governed by a nine-member board consisting of seven voting directors and two non-voting, ex-officio directors. The seven voting directors are recommended by the New York State Governor and are appointed by the New York State Urban Development Corporation d/b/a ESD as sole shareholder of ECHDC. The two non-voting, ex-officio director positions are held by the Erie County Executive and the City of Buffalo Mayor.

Contact: 

Pamm Lent | [email protected] | (716) 846-8309 | (800) 260-7313 
 Laura Magee | [email protected] | (716) 846-8239 | (800) 260-7313