Erie Canal bicentennial celebration brings history music and community spirit to Pittsford on September 27 and 28

Pittsford, New York – Two centuries have passed since the first waters flowed through the Erie Canal, reshaping commerce, travel, and community life across New York State. This September, the Village of Pittsford is set to honor that milestone with a weekend-long celebration that mixes history with festivity, reflection with revelry, and tradition with artistry. On Saturday and Sunday, September 27 and 28, 2025, the community will come alive to mark the 200th anniversary of the iconic waterway.

The program is ambitious and varied, drawing from the region’s cultural roots while highlighting the canal’s enduring importance. Pittsford, long tied to the rhythms of the canal, will host events across the village, inviting locals and visitors alike to step back in time while enjoying modern community spirit. The heart of the commemoration will be Schoen Place, where canal boats both historic and contemporary will arrive in stately procession. Among them will be the Sam Patch, the Riverie, the Colonial Bell, and perhaps most poignantly, the replica of the Seneca Chief—the vessel that famously carried Governor DeWitt Clinton during the original opening ceremonies in 1825.

The waterborne spectacle sets the tone for a celebration that blends spectacle and substance. Those attending can expect guided history tours, live music filling the air, and exhibits that trace the legacy of a canal that not only shaped New York but helped open the young nation’s interior to trade. The fun won’t stop there: sidewalk sales, dockside decorating contests, and activities designed to engage children and families will turn the anniversary into a true community festival.

Read also: Lecture from tech executive at RIT will explore how critical thinking shapes leadership in an AI powered world filled with rapid change and innovation

Sunday’s schedule at Carpenter Park promises to be especially memorable, with performances that translate the canal’s story into art. At 2:00 p.m., the Cecilia Whalen Dance Company will bring to the stage The Erie Canal Project, a performance steeped in traditional folk themes and inspired by the canal’s history. The piece is choreographed by Whalen, who has earned recognition as a Residency Artist with the Baryshnikov Arts Center. The dancers—Diego Gómez, Priscilla Vasquez, Natasha Schmid, Ghislaine van den Heuvel, Rebecca Pelleri, Kai McCoy, and Tara Kuhl—will deliver a work that merges music, movement, and memory. Before the performance begins, Whalen herself will introduce the piece, offering insight into its creation and the inspiration behind it.

The performance is free for all to attend, thanks to support from Monroe County, the Town of Pittsford, Nazareth University, and the Village of Pittsford. Organizers emphasize that the event is meant to welcome everyone, turning art into a shared community experience.

Immediately following, at 3:00 p.m., the stage will belong to musician Don Dwyer, whose repertoire carries the songs and struggles of the canal era into the present. A Buffalo-based singer and songwriter, Dwyer has spent years traveling across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Tennessee, offering audiences music that breathes life into the 19th century. His performances balance entertainment with education, weaving together melodies and stories that evoke the human experiences tied to the Erie Canal.

Dwyer is no stranger to historically themed performances. For many years, he was part of the Irish Volunteers Civil War Band, appearing at commemorative events including the Gettysburg Music Muster, the President James Garfield Home Civil War Weekend, and the Mumford Civil War Weekend. His connection to history is also deeply personal—his great-great-great-grandfather and great-uncles, Irish immigrants, fought in the Civil War. Through his performances, Dwyer keeps their legacy alive. Beyond his Civil War music, he has been a fixture of New York’s Irish music scene for three decades, performing with Sons of the Gael and St. Brendan’s Fancy.

Read also: Pittsford Food Truck and Music Fest with the popular PYS Duck Drop returns to Main Street on Saturday September 13 2025 with food music and fireworks

The celebration will also extend beyond performances and parades. The New York State Museum is contributing to the festivities by bringing its traveling exhibit, Enterprising Waters: New York’s Erie Canal. The exhibit will make a multi-stop journey through Pittsford ahead of the main event, first at the Spiegel Community Center (September 14–20), then at the Pittsford Community Library (September 21–26), before arriving at Schoen Place in time for the bicentennial weekend. The exhibit explores how the Erie Canal transformed commerce, transportation, and culture, making it a fitting complement to the live festivities.

For Pittsford, the bicentennial is more than a marker of history—it is a chance to reaffirm the role of the canal in shaping local identity. The waterway that once carried goods and travelers now carries stories, traditions, and community spirit. Village officials, cultural organizations, and local residents have worked together to design a program that captures that spirit and ensures the anniversary will be remembered for years to come.

Details of the schedule continue to be released as the date draws closer, but one thing is already clear: Pittsford is preparing to welcome visitors with open arms and a lively program that blends the past with the present. Whether one comes for the history, the performances, the boats, or simply the festive atmosphere, the bicentennial promises to be a celebration worthy of the canal that once reshaped a nation.

For more information and updates on the Erie Canal Bicentennial celebration, visit www.townofpittsford.org/eriecanal200.