Erie Canal Bicentennial Events Celebrate the Anniversary All Summer Long

Last updated on August 15, 2025.

Upstate New York wouldn’t be the way it is today without the construction of the Erie Canal. It helped establish the cities across the state as the canal moved products inland from the oceanic ports. From Albany through Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, to Buffalo, the ports along the canal grew into the biggest cities in Upstate. With the completion of the canal in 1825, this year marks the bicentennial, and there are Erie Canal Bicentennial events all year long to celebrate. From festivals and talks to beer releases and walking tours, find what events you’re most interested in and celebrate New York history. And while you’re exploring this string of events, mark your miles for this year’s historic 200-mile challenge.

Erie Canal Canalway Challenge

While the Canalway Challenge isn’t necessarily a new concept, this year’s challenge is extra special because of the bicentennial. Participants can choose from a variety of distances and ways to track their miles. From one mile to the entire 360-mile length of the Erie Canal, there’s a challenge for everyone. But this year there is a limited-time 200-mile challenge. Available only through the end of 2025, participants who complete 200 miles of walking, jogging, cycling, or boating along the Erie Canal can earn a commemorative 200 mile patch.

Participating in the Canalway Challenge

Folks interested in participating in the challenges can visit eriecanalway.org/explore/challenge to register and track their miles. The 1st Mile challenge is specifically designed for participants with physical disabilities or those who’d like to participate virtually. The 15 Miler is a great family-oriented length to get kids interested in exploring and learning more about the Erie Canal. The 90 Miler represents one of the four main regions of the full length of the canal; with the 180 Miler as two. The full 360 End-to-Ender requires participants to explore the entire length of the Erie Canal, from Buffalo to Albany. It can be completed in one long trek, or in smaller partitions throughout the year.

For the special 200 Miler bicentennial challenge, participants can do any portion(s) of the canalway that they’d like to explore. As this is a limited time challenge for 2025, I will be participating in the 200 Miler throughout the fall and exploring sections of the Erie Canal I haven’t been to before. (Once this weather cools down!) I challenge you to do the same! And while you’re at it, here’s a list of museums, landmarks, historic sites, and bicentennial events to enjoy as you track your 200 miles along the canal.

Erie Canal Museums & Historic Sites

Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse

So it follows that Syracuse should have a museum dedicated to just that. Located in downtown Syracuse, the Erie Canal Museum provides a glimpse at the unique history along the canal.

Outside the museum are a couple of murals, depicting life along the canal. Inside, you’ll find a life-size canal boat replica. Upstairs at the museum are replicas of what life was like during that moment in history. A general store and tavern bar are on display alongside period furniture and fashions.

Camillus Erie Canal Museum

Over to the west of Syracuse, Camillus Erie Canal Museum offers a lot of unique opportunities for visitors. The historic site is home to the 1824 Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct. Listed on the National Registry of Historic Sites, it is the only restored and still navigable aqueduct in the entire state.

Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum

The Erie Canal was integral to the development of Chittenango and the Town of Sullivan. So it’s not surprising that in the 1980s, a group of people discovered an overgrown section of the canal. The team restored the land to what they envision it was like in the late 1800s. Now, the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum is home to historically accurate buildings and even a replica of an old canal boat. It’s a great spot to learn about the history that made the area what it was.

Interestingly, the museum is also on the Haunted History Trail of New York. It tells the stories of two men who died in a boiler explosion, and a young boy who accidentally died jumping off a bridge.

Right alongside the museum is a beautiful section of the Empire State Trail, a perfect spot for walking or biking along the canal.

Erie Canal Depot & Historic Palmyra Museums

Situated along the banks of the Erie Canal, the village of Palmyra has a series of five museums dedicated to the area’s unique history. Unsurprisingly, one of those museums is the Erie Canal Depot. Built as a tenant house in 1830, the nearly 200-year-old building contains original artifacts and murals documenting the canal’s timeline.

In addition to the depot, four other museums represent Palmyra’s history. Most notably, the Phelps General Store is history frozen in time. This traditional general store still features groceries on the shelves from when the shop was still operating. The general store is also a stop on the Haunted History Trail of New York State, famously known for the paranormal happenings that occur there.

Old Erie Canal State Park

Much of the Erie Canal that crosses New York State is accompanied by recreational trails that run alongside it. These trails are used for walking, biking, hiking, and even horseback riding. The Canastota area of the Erie Canal is no different. The state recently finished the 750-mile Empire State Trail, and this portion of the canalway is right in the middle of it. A mural depicting the canal at its prime adorns the bridge crossing the waterway.

Rome Historical Society

Another city along the Erie Canal, it’s not surprising that the Rome Historical Society has a display dedicated to the history of the canal. The miniature replica of the fort shows how an offshoot of the canal winds along beside it. Documents showcase the tolls charged and collected along both the Erie and Champlain Canals during the 1800s.

Erie Canal Locks

One of the more unique aspects of the Erie Canal is the intricate lock system located along the entirety of its length. Because the water levels vary greatly as you travel along the canal, builders installed locks to help adjust to the change in depth. When boaters, canoers, and kayakers reach a lock, they have to wait for the “gate” to close behind them. Then the lock workers will raise or lower the water levels within the gates to match the level on the other side. Once that happens, the second gate is opened, and travelers continue their journeys. Please note, commercial boats going through the locks need a special permit.

Folks interested in learning more about the Erie Canal’s 34 locks can view this guide from the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor. Also, the Center of Progress building at the New York State Fair has a miniature lock replica that is demonstrated by On the Canals.

Erie Canal Boat Tours

Despite being 200 years old, several miles of the Erie Canal are still navigable by boat – although now it is more for recreation than industry. Many places from Buffalo to Albany offer boat tours on the Erie Canal to showcase its unique history.

Camillus Museum Boat Tours

One of the best aspects of the Camillus Erie Canal Museum is the boat tours. Admission is budget-friendly at just $5 per adult, $3 per child (4-12), or $15 per nuclear family. These boat tours last 45 minutes and travel along the 1842 Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct, one of the enlargements of the Erie Canal. Tours run on Wednesdays and Sundays at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm.

Niagara River Cruises

To celebrate the bicentennial, Niagara River Cruises is offering FREE boat tours along the Erie Canal in Buffalo. These narrated history tours last 90 minutes and are only available on select dates.

Sam Patch Boat Tours

One of the most unique ways to explore the Erie Canal is on the Sam Patch, a replica of an historic packet boat. Named after a famous 19th-century daredevil, the Sam Patch offers a variety of tours along the canal in PIttsford, including history narratives, food pairing, and lock tours.

Syracuse Boat Tours

The newly-opened Syracuse Boat Tours company is partnering with the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse to operate special bicentennial tours. These midday boat tours last for 2.5 hours and include a journey through Baldwinsville’s lock 24 and a barbecue lunch from Angry Smokehouse. Tours are available almost daily and cost $57 for adults and $35 for children 3-12. Children 2 and under are free.

Erie Canal Bicentennial Beers

With so many breweries lining the past – and present – Erie Canal corridor, collaborations between the Erie Canal Museum and local breweries just makes sense. Over the past few months, multiple local breweries have created historic beers to honor the canal’s bicentennial.

Packet Boat Porter at Van Hassler Brewing

First up was the Packet Boat Porter, released on April 11 at Van Hassler Brewing in Liverpool, NY. Laford and Kateri spent a great deal of time researching the proper ingredients to use in this beer. They took great care in making the beer as time appropriate as possible, as if it were a beer that canal workers drank 200 years ago. As such, the porter features notes of brown sugar and molasses with a hint of smoke.

Bicentennial Haze at Willow Rock Brewing Company

Lafayette’s Farewell at Talking Cursive Brewing Company

Upcoming Bicentennial Events

It’s no surprise that all of the cities, towns, villages, museums, and historic sites along the Erie Canal are celebrating in style for the bicentennial this summer! In addition to the handful of events listed here, there are many more always popping up. Also, the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse hosts weekly walking tours on Saturday mornings.

Boat Float ‘n Folk
June 14

Chittenango Canal Boat Landing Museum’s annual Boat & Float Festival is adding a bit of folk for its bicentennial celebration. On Saturday, June 14, the museum and Erie Canalway is celebrating the brand-new, accessible kayak launch at the park. In addition to that launch spot, there are three more available depending on how long participants want to paddle. Shuttle service, boat check, and live music fill out the day’s activities.

Cycle the Erie 2025
July 12-20

Join fellow cyclists as they travel the full 400-mile length of the Erie Canal, from Buffalo to Albany. Sponsored by the NYS Canal Corporation and the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor, Cycle the Erie Canal is an annual event that takes 8 days, covering between 40 and 60 miles per day. Towns and villages along the canal celebrate when cyclists pass through.

Erie Canal Bicentennial Celebration
July 24

This bicentennial celebration at Sgt Christopher Simpson Memorial Park includes a variety of festivities for everyone to enjoy. Interactive exhibits from several local museums, food trucks, a fun run, and a book launch round out the afternoon.

Towpath Day 2025
August 9

Hosted by the Camillus Erie Canal Museum, attendees can enjoy a day filled with boat tours, live music, vendors, crafts, and food.

Flotsam Circus
mid-August

Looking for a truly unique way to celebrate the Erie Canal Bicentennial? The Flotsam River Circus is making its way across New York State throughout the month of August, starting in Buffalo on August 1 and ends in New York City mid-September. The performers will be floating through Central New York on their ramshackle raft in the middle of August. The circus performances are FREE to attend and shows are scheduled throughout Baldwinsville, Liverpool, Phoenix, Brewerton, and Oswego.

Erie Canalway Photo Contest

To help celebrate the canal’s bicentennial and encourage folks to get out and explore the waterway, The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is hosting a photo contest. Both amateur and professional photographers alike can submit up to three photos of the canal for a chance to be featured in a special bicentennial edition of the Erie Canalway calendar. The deadline to enter is August 30, 2024.