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Erie Canal Bicentennial

Erie Canal Bicentennial Celebration!

Pittsford Celebrates the Erie Canal 200th on September 27 & 28

Seneca Chief historic replica canal boat to visit
The Pittsford portion of the Erie Canal was completed in 1822. Three years ago, in 2022, we celebrated its 200th anniversary. It was in 1825 that the Canal was completed from end to end. The Pittsford Village Erie Canal Bicentennial Committee is planning a variety of activities for Saturday and Sunday, September 27 and 28, 2025. You’ll find updated details for all the Erie Canal Celebration activities in Pittsford on the Pittsford Village website at bit.ly/canal-bicentennial.

We're proud to contribute to the Village celebration by hosting two Town performances in Carpenter Park at the Port of Pittsford on Sunday September 27: Cecilia Whalen Dance Company’s "The Erie Canal Project" and "Songs and Stories of the Erie Canal" by Don Dwyer. Find details below.

A flotilla of boats arrives at noon in Pittsford on September 28, including the Sam Patch, the Riverie and the Colonial Bell. These will accompany the Seneca Chief, a replica of Governor DeWitt Clinton's boat that opened the Erie Canal in 1825. The Seneca Chief will dock in Pittsford at Schoen Place. You can view the boat and learn about its history. Other activities will include:

Food and music at Schoen Place to welcome the flotilla, featuring the Pittsford Fire Department Band
Canal History exhibit at Schoen Place
Songs of the Erie Canal by Don Dwyer, sponsored by the Town of Pittsford
Historic Pittsford’s Canal History Tour, led by former Pittsford Mayor Bob Corby
Dance performance inspired by traditional folk music and canal history; choreographed by Cecilia Whalen, Residency Artist with the Baryshnikov Arts Center and performed by the Cecilia Whalen Dance Company and the Nazareth University Dance Ensemble, this event is sponsored by Nazareth University and the Town of Pittsford
Dock decorating contest on September 28 to welcome the floatilla.
Village-wide Sidewalk Sale

Town performances at Carpenter Park

22 North Main Street - Sunday, October 28

At 2:00pm, we’ll host the Cecilia Whalen Dance Company’s "The Erie Canal Project," an original dance performance inspired by traditional folk music and Canal history. It is choreographed by Cecilia Whalen, Residency Artist with the Baryshnikov Arts Center, and performed by her dance company and the Nazareth University Dance Ensemble.

The event will begin with a brief introduction by Miss Whalen, who will discuss the inspiration behind the project and its development. The performance is funded by a grant from Monroe County, with additional funding from the Town of Pittsford. It is sponsored by Nazareth University, the Village of Pittsford and the Town of Pittsford, and is free and open to the public. In case of rain, the performance will be held in the Fisher Meeting Room of the Pittsford Community Library, 24 State Street.

"The Erie Canal Project" is performed by Diego Gómez, Priscilla Vasquez, Natasha Schmid, Ghislaine van den Heuvel, Rebecca Pelleri, Kai McCoy and Tara Kuhl.

To learn more about her works, visit Cecilia Whalen's website.

At 3:00pm, musician, singer and songwriter Don Dwyer brings the Songs and Stories of the Erie Canal to life. Based in the Buffalo, NY area, Don has performed across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Tennessee, sharing music that captures the history, struggles, and spirit of the 19th century.

For many years, Mr. Dwyer performed with the Irish Volunteers Civil War Band, appearing at events such as the Gettysburg Music Muster, the Windham Civil War Heritage Gathering, the President James Garfield Home Civil War Weekend, and the Mumford Civil War Weekend. He has also performed for historical societies across the region.

Don proudly honors his family’s history—his 3x great-grandfather and great-uncles, Irish immigrants who fought in the Civil War—through his performances.

In addition to his Erie Canal and Civil War repertoire, Don has been a part of the Irish music scene for 30 years, performing with Sons of the Gael and St. Brendan’s Fancy. Visit his website to learn more: Don Dwyer Music.

Erie Canal Traveling History Exhibit at Spiegel Community Center and the Pittsford Community Library

We’ll host the New York State Museum’s traveling exhibit, “Enterprising Waters: New York’s Erie Canal” at the Spiegel Community Center from September 14 – 20, and at the Pittsford Community Library from September 21 - 26. It will be at the Canal History exhibit on Schoen Place September 27 and 28.

Stop by the Food Truck and Music Fest for info and give-aways!

Be sure to visit the Town tent on South Main Street at our Food Truck and Music Fest on Saturday, September 13 - we’ll have information about the Erie Canal Bicentennial events and some special give-aways!

Visit the Pittsford Village Erie Canal Bicentennial Celebration web page for a complete schedule of activities in Pittsford.

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