Events

Erie Canalway Hosting Winter FEBRUARY 15 Canalway Challenge

Posted on February 1, 2022

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is inviting New Yorkers to take part in a special winter fitness challenge, the FEBRUARY 15 Canalway Challenge. Participants pledge to complete 15 miles by walking, running, hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing during the month of February to earn a 15-Miler badge. Participants can choose to log miles at national, state and local parks, on the Canalway Trail, or even in their own neighborhoods. Any location within the boundaries of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor (opens in a new tab) counts.

“With the upcoming Olympic Games and a focus on physical fitness, we hope the FEBRUARY 15 Challenge will provide an incentive for people to get up, get out, and get active to achieve their own fitness goals,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. “Getting out this winter is an excellent way to explore the Canalway Corridor’s seasonal beauty and start a fitness habit that can last all year.”

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “There’s a special beauty about New York’s Canals in the winter, and the FEBRUARY 15 Canalway Challenge is the perfect opportunity for New Yorkers to get outdoors and appreciate the bucolic landscapes and exceptional history of this storied waterway. I encourage New Yorkers to take on the challenge and experience firsthand the tremendous opportunities for recreation that the Canalway Trail and our state and national parks have to offer.”

Four national parks, 24 state parks, and nine New York State historic sites are within the boundaries of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. The Corridor encompasses 23 counties and spans 524 miles across the full expanse of the upstate New York. It includes the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain Canals and their historic alignments.

Registration is free and open to individuals, teams, and organizations. Sign up at: www.canalwaychallenge.org (opens in a new tab) .

ABOUT THE ERIE CANALWAY NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR
Nearly 200 years after its construction, the Erie Canal remains an iconic symbol of American ingenuity and determination. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves our extraordinary canal heritage, promotes the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and fosters vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway. It achieves its mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York.
www.eriecanalway.org (opens in a new tab)

ATTACHED: FEBRUARY 15 social media images

Have fun and stay fit this winter with the FEBRUARY 15 Challenge. Walk, run, hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski 15 miles anywhere in the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor to earn your 15 Miler badge. Free. Sign up: www.canalwaychallenge.org www.canalwaychallenge.org

Winter Presentations from Schoharie Crossing

Posted on January 5, 2022

The Erie Canal historic site, Schoharie Crossing will host several online programs this winter on a variety of history related topics. Presentations will be offered in two series: Lunchbox Lessons and the Third Thursday Lectures. Both series will be offered live online and most will be recorded for later viewing on YouTube.

In January, the Lunchbox Lesson will be on Tuesday the 11th at 12noon featuring site staff discussing the importance and history of broom manufacturing in the Fort Hunter area. On the Third Thursday, Patrick Reynolds from the Oneida County Historical Society will discuss Jesse Williams and the Cheese Factory System at 7pm on the 20th.

During the month of February, the Lunchbox Lesson will discuss food preservation and its impact on westward expansion at 12noon on Tuesday the 8th. Bill Merchant will discuss the D&H Canal for the Third Thursday Lecture at 7pm on the 17th.

For March, the Lunchbox Lesson will discuss Women’s Suffrage on Tuesday the 8th at 12noon. Former NYS Archives staff, Craig Smith will speak on fascinating facts within the historic canal contracts held in the state’s collection on the 17th at 7pm.

On April 21st, Derrick Pratt from the Erie Canal Museum will present on the historic Weighlock building in Syracuse. That program starts at 7pm and wraps up our Third Thursday Lecture series.

These programs are free for the public and available on the Webex meeting platform. No registration is required, and links can be found on NYS Parks website or social media. If you would like a direct link email, please contact the site. For more information about these programs, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516, email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov, or visit our Facebook page.

Erie Canalway IMPACT! Grants Support Education and Tourism along the Erie Canal

Posted on December 15, 2021

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, in partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation, is pleased to announce that seven organizations have been selected to receive Erie Canalway IMPACT! Grants totaling $64,323. Funded projects include vital work to showcase canal heritage and welcome people to explore the canal in their local communities.

“We are thrilled to support these community-driven projects to strengthen the Canalway Corridor as a vibrant place to live, work, visit, and play,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. “These exciting projects will foster greater awareness and pride in New York’s canals that will have lasting benefits for residents and visitors.”

The grants range from $2,000 to $12,000 and will leverage an additional $161,107 in private and public project support. Over the past 13 years, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has made 90 grants to communities and non-profit organizations that have spurred $2.4 million in additional investments in heritage preservation, recreation, and education.

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “It is an honor to join with the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in supporting education, recreation, and tourism along New York’s canal system. The history of our canals provides the framework for our State’s great legacy, and we look forward to supporting and enhancing awareness of these storied waterways for years to come through these IMPACT! Grant projects.”

2020 ERIE CANALWAY IMPACT! GRANTS
Corn Hill Navigation, Pittsford

Award: $8,954

Improve educational and program delivery with new technology at a new visitor center being developed at Corn Hill Landing in Rochester.

Erie Canal Museum, Syracuse

Award: $9,015

Develop programming related to the Empire State Trail including a Syracuse-based Trail Ambassador Program and trail amenities that raise user awareness of the museum. Pilot both weekend and Corridor-wide trail rides.

Explore & More: The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum, Buffalo

Award: $11,454

Design and present an Erie Canal themed educational play experience every Wednesday throughout 2022 that will engage children and families.

Friends of Stewart Park, Ithaca

Award: $5,900

Design and install five outdoor interpretive signs that showcase the history of the Erie Canal and Cayuga Lake as they relate to the City of Ithaca.

National Abolition Hall of Fame, Peterboro

Award: $12,000

Design and install two outdoor interpretive signs within the Village of Canastota to raise awareness of the National Abolition Hall. Funds will also support a reenactment of a dramatic event that shaped the abolition movement in the United States.

Schoharie River Center, Esperance

Award: $12,000

Implement a series of educational programs with at-risk urban and rural youth to investigate water quality on the Erie Canal/Mohawk River and adjacent tributaries.

Village of Brockport, Brockport
Award: $5,000
Design and install a pair of outdoor interpretive signs that celebrate the history, design, and operation of the Village’s iconic lift bridges.

Laverty to perform at Not Just for Kids Storytelling!

Posted on August 18, 2021

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site is excited to host Jeanine Laverty for the next installment of the Not Just for Kids Storytelling series on Sunday, August 22^nd starting at 6pm.

Jeannine Laverty will tell, “Summer’s on the Move.” Laverty lives in Saratoga and has been telling international folk tales since 1979. She has taught weekend workshops in storytelling for adults at Sagamore and other Adirondack sites since 1980 and performs as part of the storytelling ensemble, SweetLand Storytellers.

Wrapping up the 2021 series on August 29th, Sandy Schuman will perform, “NY’s American Anthems: The Stories of Yankee Doodle, Take Me Out To The Ballgame, God Bless America, and More.” Schuman is a winner of the Susquehanna Folk Festival Liars Contest and the St. Louis Jewish Storytelling Contest and has been featured at The Northeast Storytelling Conference, Riverway Storytelling Festival, Caffè Lena, Proctors, Tellabration, and Limmud Boston.

Not Just for Kids Storytelling will be held outside, under a tent near the Visitor Center, 129 Schoharie Street, Fort Hunter, NY 12069. We encourage you to bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket to sit on. The program begins at 6pm and is free to the public due to the generous support of a Saratoga Arts’ Community Arts Grant that has been made possible with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Karen’s Produce and Ice Cream is also another wonderful supporter of these programs.

For information please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516, email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov, or visit our web page: www.parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/schohariecrossing.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 individual state parks, historic sites, golf courses, boat launches and recreational trails, which are visited by 71 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.

Lunchbox Lesson: Erie Eats

Posted on July 26, 2021

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site (opens in a new tab) will host the next installment of the Summer 2021 Virtual “Lunchbox Lesson” series. Join us on Wednesday, July 28th at 12 noon for a presentation by Derrick Pratt of the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse.

Pratt, who is the museum educator and interim curator at the Erie Canal Museum, will discuss their “Erie Eats: The Erie Canal Foodways Project” and new exhibit. Erie Eats showcases the diverse ways in which the Erie Canal radically impacted how people in New York State and beyond interacted with the most basic building blocks of human life, food and drink. Through a major exhibition, public programs, historic preservation, and innovative community partnerships, the Erie Canal Museum is highlighting the many ways in which the histories of the Erie Canal and foodways have intersected over the last two centuries and continue to interact into the future.

This program is free, will run about 45 minutes and is offered via Webex. The link is available on our Facebook page, or by contacting Schoharie Crossing. If you are unable to attend the 12pm program, it is slated to be recorded for later online release.

Schoharie Crossing will offer this and other free online lunch time programs during the next several months covering a range of interesting history topics. Links for the programs can be found on Schoharie Crossings NYS Parks webpage, on their Facebook, or by contacting the site.

For information about this program series, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516, email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov, or visit our web page: https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/schohariecrossing/details.aspx (opens in a new tab) .

Canalway Challenge Kicks Off Along New York’s Canals!

Posted on May 10, 2021

Canalway Challenge Kicks Off Along New York’s Canals
Walk, run, cycle, roll, or paddle to achieve your mileage goal

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor invites New Yorkers to take part in the Canalway Challenge in 2021 and enjoy the great outdoors along New York’s canals and Canalway Trails. Participants choose a mileage goal of 15, 90, 180, or 360 miles. They then walk, run or cycle on the Canalway Trail or paddle on the NYS Canal System to achieve it. People with disabilities are welcome to participate in a 1^st Mile Challenge by completing one mile.

“As New York begins to open more, the Canalway Challenge is a great way for people to get outside and discover all they can do along the canals and Canalway Trail,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. “The range of mileage options is suited to people of all ages and abilities, from those who are just taking their first steps toward fitness to more experienced athletes.”

The Canalway Challenge is free and registration is open to individuals and teams. People can complete their miles in one big trip or many small ones.

The 1^st Mile Challenge offers people with disabilities and their family and friends opportunities to recreate together and build more active lifestyles. There are numerous places along the canals and Canalway Trail that are accessible and several that offer adaptive bikes and kayaks.

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “New York’s Canals and adjoining trails offer unparalleled opportunities for safe, socially-distanced outdoor recreation. The Canalway Challenge showcases the tremendous investments made in both our canalside communities through Governor Cuomo’s Reimagine the Canals program, and in opening of the 750-mile Empire State Trail – the longest multi-use trail in the nation. As we continue to seek new and engaging ways to get outdoors while remaining safe and responsible, the Canal Corporation is thrilled to support this initiative and to invite all New Yorkers to experience the unmatched history and natural beauty of our magnificent Canalway Trail system.”

New York State Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, “With more New Yorkers looking for ways to safely recreate outside and experience parts of the state they haven’t previously visited, the Canalway Challenge is the perfect opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to explore the state’s canal system and the Erie Canalway Trail.”

The Canalway Challenge is funded with support from the National Park Service, the NYS Canal Corporation, and Market New York through I LOVE NY/New York State Division of Tourism as a part of the State’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative.

Participants should follow all New York State Department of Health guidelines for COVID-19 safety while on the Canalway Trail and while visiting state parks, historic sites, and communities.

This year’s Challenge runs through the end of October. Sign up at www.canalwaychallenge.com

ABOUT THE ERIE CANALWAY
Nearly 200 years after its construction, the Erie Canal remains an iconic symbol of American ingenuity and determination. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves our extraordinary canal heritage, promotes the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and fosters vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway. We achieve our mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York.
http://www.eriecanalway.org/

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Photo: The 2021 Canalway Challenge is on! New Yorkers are invited to sign up, choose a mileage goal, and explore the great outdoors along New York’s canals. The program is free and runs through October.

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/5FHm28f791o

Springtime Exploring!

Posted on May 3, 2021

Looking to get out and enjoy the warmer temperatures? There’s so much to explore here in Amsterdam.

Take a walk on the MGVO where the Tulips are in full bloom. The smell of these

fresh flowers is amazing and you won’t be disappointed. Listen to the birds chirping and the water flowing below on the Mohawk River while you explore the history of the MVGO and all its beauty.

Feeling Hungry?

Head on over to the Southside to Evolve Eatery for some delicious food prepared from locally sourced produce and the freshest ingredients.

After you refuel, enjoy a scenic walk or bring your Bike on the Erie Canalway Trail just steps from Evolve Eatery.

So many places to explore locally in our County and we would love to hear, what is your favorite?

Funding Available for 2021 Canal-Related Event

Posted on March 17, 2021

With New York State beginning to open more and an increase in gathering sizes allowed in public spaces, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, in partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation, has opened a call for applications for 2021 canal-related event funding.

Municipalities and nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations may apply for $500 sponsorships for events that promote or celebrate the distinctive historic, cultural, or recreational resources throughout the Canalway Corridor. Events that actively include or serve people with disabilities or people from underserved populations are encouraged to apply.

“We are eager for a return of safe events that showcase New York State’s extraordinary canal heritage and recreational resources. Pre-pandemic research shows that events and tours draw hundreds of thousands of people to the canal each year and deliver $1.3 billion annually in economic benefits to communities,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

“As New York begins to reopen and return to normal, we’re thrilled to be working with canalside communities and partners to uplift local economies and remind New Yorkers of the tremendous historic significance and opportunity offered by the Erie Canal,” said Brian U. Stratton, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation. “Alongside the efforts of Governor Cuomo to reinvigorate upstate cities and towns along the canals through the Reimagine the Canals program, these events will bring New Yorkers together in a safe way and bring a much-needed boost to communities along the length of the Canal.”

Applications are due by April 16, 2021 and events must take place from May 1 through October 31, 2021. A minimum one-to-one match is required. Eligible events must comply with New York State COVID-19 guidelines.

For instructions and an online application, visit www.eriecanalway.org.

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor works to preserve the Nation’s extraordinary canal heritage, promote the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and foster vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway. It achieves its mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York. www.eriecanalway.org

Erie Canal Art the Topic for Presentation

Posted on October 8, 2020

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will host Mary Alexander, Curator of Education and Public Engagement at the Arkell Museum at Canajoharie, for a program on Tuesday, October 13th. Tune in at 6:30pm for the presentation, “Perennial in Frame: Picturesque History with The Arkell Museum.”

Explore some of the great paintings in the collection at the Arkell Museum with Mary Alexander, and David Brooks of Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site. Discover more about the collection, the artists, and the history represented in the amazing portraits and landscapes. “Pleasure is a shadow, wealth is vanity, and power a pageant; but knowledge is ecstatic in enjoyment, perennial in frame, unlimited in space and indefinite in duration.” ― DeWitt Clinton, The Life and Writings of DeWitt Clinton.

As part of the sixth annual Tuesday Talk series to recognize New York State History Month, the site will offer this program for free and via the online platform Webex. The link can be found on the Schoharie Crossing Facebook, the NYS Parks Website, or by contacting the site.

Other NY State History Month programs being offered by Schoharie Crossing are:

The Schuyler Sisters with Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site staff Jessica Serfilippi on Tuesday, October 20^th at 6:30pm.
The Life and Times of DeWitt Clinton with Ashley Maready of the Erie Canal Museum on Wednesday, October 21^st at 1:00pm.
Converging on the Canal: the 19^th Century Through Food with Amanda Massie and Valerie Balint on Tuesday, October 27^th at 6:30pm.
10 Stories with Bob Cudmore on Wednesday, October 28^th at 1pm.

For information about this program, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 829-7516, email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov, or visit our Facebook page.

Canalway Challenge Promotes Health and History Along New York’s Canals

Posted on May 20, 2020

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor invites New Yorkers to take part in the Canalway Challenge in 2020, tracing history and tracking miles along New York’s canals and Canalway Trail. Part fitness challenge, part journey of discovery, the Canalway Challenge is free and registration is open to people of all ages and abilities.

“Staying healthy is a #1 priority for everyone right now. The Canalway Challenge is a great way for people to get outside and invest in mental and physical health, while exploring the canals in their local area,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

Participants register online and choose a mileage goal of 15, 90, 180, or 360 miles; then walk, run or cycle on the Canalway Trail or paddle safe sections of the NYS Canal System to achieve it. The Canalway Challenge can be done in one big trip or many small ones.

This year’s Challenge runs through the end of October, so people have plenty of time to complete it.

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “Set alongside our state’s iconic canals, the Canalway Challenge offers participants an opportunity to enjoy the bucolic landscapes of Upstate New York, exercising their minds and bodies, while also practicing safe social distancing.”

Families are encouraged to use the Canalway Challenge to supplement home-based learning about New York State history. Educational worksheets and learning resources are available from the National Heritage Corridor to complement what children will see while on the trail.

Participants in last year’s Canalway Challenge logged 285,000 miles, the equivalent of circling the Earth 11 times.

Participants should follow all New York State Department of Health guidelines for social distancing, wearing a mask and proper hygiene while on the Canalway Trail and while visiting state parks, historic sites, and communities along the way. Updates are posted https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/new-york-state-pause.

Sign up at www.canalwaychallenge.org

ABOUT THE ERIE CANALWAY
Nearly 200 years after its construction, the Erie Canal remains an iconic symbol of American ingenuity and determination. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves our extraordinary canal heritage, promotes the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and fosters vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway. We achieve our mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York.
http://www.eriecanalway.org/

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