NYS Canal Corporation

08/06/2026

The Erie Canal has carried stories for more than 200 years, and one of them just earned a New York Emmy Awards nomination! 📽️🏆

“Reflections on the Erie Canal,” produced by WMHT Public Media and funded by the NYS Canal Corporation, dives into the canal’s past, present and future: the engineering feat, the communities transformed, the lesser‑known histories and the 524‑mile system that continues to shape our state even today.

Kudos to all involved, including our colleagues who lent their time, insights and expertise.

📽️ Watch the documentary here: https://www.wmht.org/eriecanal/

Winners announced October 11. Until then, we’re celebrating a milestone moment for canal history and its future.

08/06/2026

08/06/2026

Our Canals team had a great time celebrating New York State’s Black Arts & Cultural Festival!

08/05/2026

08/05/2026

Here’s your friendly reminder that some of the best summer experiences in New York are totally free and happening right now on the canals!

On the Canals is designed with inclusivity at its heart, offering adventures for explorers of all abilities. Whether you roll aboard an accessible boat tour, stroll along the trailways, paddle through a quiet stretch of canal or bring the kids for a family‑friendly outing, there’s a path (and a pace!) that fits you.

So go ahead… explore your way. The canals are ready for you. 🚤💙

Find an adventure and book now: 🔗 onthecanals.com

08/04/2026

Meeting Notice 📣

The NYS Canal Recreationway Commission (CRC) meets this week on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 1 p.m.

The CRC provides guidance on recreation, access and long‑term planning across the Canal system to help shape how New Yorkers and visitors experience the waterway, now in its third century of use.

Watch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCExjYo3UQewOSFbcbtzylEw

08/02/2026

🛟Notice to Mariners: Reopening

The previously closed section of the NYS Canal System has reopened for navigation as of today, Sunday, Aug. 2.

08/01/2026

NOW REOPENED!

Notice to Mariners 🛟

Champlain Canal Lock C‑1 in Waterford is closed to navigation until further notice due to a mechanical issue.

Please plan itineraries accordingly. Updates will be shared as conditions change.

Stay informed with real‑time alerts by signing up for Notice to Mariners: 🔗 https://www.canals.ny.gov/Boating-Information/Canal-Alerts

08/01/2026

🛟Notice to Mariners: Reopening

The previously closed section of the NYS Canal System has reopened for navigation as of this morning, Saturday, August 1.

✅ Erie Canal: Lock E-8 through E-12

Thank you for your caution and patience due to conditions.

Get the fastest updates sent directly to you by signing up for Notice to Mariners alerts on our website. 🔗

08/01/2026

August is for the arts along the NYS Canal System 🎨 📸 🛶 🎶

From bold exhibitions to show‑stopping performances, August brings a full palette of creativity to the canal corridor. Check it out!

✅ Medina Triennial: Historic Medina becomes a living gallery as regional and international artists fill the village with installations and thought-provoking work. It’s a summer highlight for anyone who loves contemporary art shaped by canal heritage. (Through Sept. 7)

✅ "Canal as Collaborator" Summer Exhibit: Visit Syracuse’s Erie Canal Museum to explore pieces created by the two 2025 Artists in Residence. Their work captures movement, memory and the evolving identity of the corridor through fresh eyes and inventive mediums. (Through Sept. 27)

✅ The Mule’s Passage | Durational Canoe Performance: Current Artist-in-residence Z Behl begins a five-week upstream paddle across the Erie Canal. The performance channels endurance and reflection as she engages communities and considers the canal’s layered ecological, cultural and labor histories. A moving piece in every sense. (Aug. 7 through Sept. 5)

✅ Water Music NY More Voices | Free Albany Symphony Performance + Drone Show: Join us along the water for an open-air concert by the Albany Symphony followed by a brilliant drone show that lights up the night sky. Festivities start midday with the concert at 8 p.m. (Aug. 15)

August is the perfect time to see art, music and history flow together along the Canal System. We hope to see you out there.