Spring is arriving along New York’s 500-mile canal corridor, and with it comes one of the waterway’s most beloved annual traditions: Canal Clean Sweep, a statewide volunteer cleanup organized by Parks & Trails New York and the NYS Canal Corporation. This year’s event runs April 17–19, 2026 — and organizers are hoping to top last…
With the 2026 navigation season just weeks away, Parks & Trails New York is calling on communities across the canal corridor to roll up their sleeves for the annual Canal Clean Sweep — a three-day statewide volunteer effort taking place April 17-19, 2026. The event mobilizes thousands of volunteers to clean up trails, parks, and…
Building on the historic momentum of the Erie Canal’s bicentennial year, New York State has awarded $207,953 in Canal System Tourism Infrastructure and Event Grants to 41 organizations and municipalities across the canal corridor for 2026 — continuing a tradition of investment that is transforming the 500-mile waterway into one of the Northeast’s premier heritage…
From Lockport’s historic locks district to the quiet trailheads of Montezuma, communities along New York’s storied canal system are preparing for a season of renewal — thanks to a fresh round of state-backed investment aimed at welcoming more visitors to the waterway that transformed America. Fifth Year of Grant Funding Reaches New Milestone The Erie…
New York State is doubling down on its commitment to the Erie Canal corridor, with the NYS Canal Corporation and Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor announcing 41 grant awards totaling $207,953 through the 2026 Canal System Tourism Infrastructure and Event Grants program. The funding, now in its fifth year, will support trail improvements, accessibility upgrades,…
Two more New York communities are staking their futures on the transformative power of the Erie Canal corridor. On March 16, Parks & Trails New York announced that the City of Utica and the Town of Lyons have been selected as the newest members of the Empire State Trail Town program—bringing the initiative’s roster to…
Forty-one communities and organizations across New York State are set to receive a combined $207,953 in tourism infrastructure and event grants from the NYS Canal Corporation and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, officials announced this month. The awards mark the fifth year of a grants program that has now invested approximately $1 million in…
As New York’s storied canal system prepares to open its 202nd consecutive navigation season this May, dozens of communities along the waterway are already putting fresh investment to work — thanks to a new round of grants aimed at making the corridor more accessible, more welcoming, and more vibrant than ever. $207,953 for 41 Projects…
With the 2026 Erie Canal navigation season just weeks away, communities along the historic waterway are poised for a vibrant summer — buoyed by fresh tourism grant funding and a full slate of programming that carries the momentum of last year’s landmark bicentennial celebrations into the new season. 41 Communities Share $208,000 in Canal Tourism…
As warmer weather approaches and the Erie Canal’s 202nd navigation season draws near, New York State has announced 41 recipients of the 2026 Canal System Tourism Infrastructure and Event Grants — a combined investment of $207,953 that is expected to leverage an additional $808,104 in local and partner support across canal-side communities. Strengthening the Canal…