Event calendar announced for Erie Canal's Bicentennial

"Many visitors attending the Bicentennial events this summer will likely recognize the name Erie Canal, but few know about its impact and deep-rooted history here in the Queen City"

Buffalo N.Y. (WBEN) - The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation announced its calendar of events for this coming summer, which marks the 200th anniversary of when the Erie Canal was completed in 1825.

Starting Memorial Day Weekend and going through the Fall, Canalside will be connecting visitors to Buffalo's 200 year history creating once in a lifetime experiences. Mark Wendel, ECHDC President said there will be hundreds of events at Canalside that will help commemorate the history of the Erie Canal.

"Visits by several permanent residents of Forest Lawn Cemetery to their old stomping grounds to see what has changed along the Erie Canal in their past two centuries," Wendel said. "A multi day celebration with International Institute of Buffalo of the city's rich immigrant and refugee history, a traveling museum to bring the Erie Canal to life and directly into the hands of young learners, speakers in movie series at the Buffalo and Erie Canal county naval and Military Park and musical performances by yellow Jack and Dave Ruck."

Another highlight of the Bicentennial event includes bike tours focusing on the history of the Erie Canal before the canal was dug up. The founder of Buffalo Bike Tours, Marc Moscato, said the bike tours will be celebrating stories through story, through song, through humor and a ton of fun.

"Whether you're a first time visitor or you lived here your whole life, you're gonna find value and a new perspective and being a part of these bike rides in Buffalo's place in American and our working class history here in Western New York," Moscato said.