Wednesday, July 8 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Canalside Lecture Series | The Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief Returns
Waterway of Change Exhibit at Canalside | 44 Prime St., Buffalo, NY 14202
This event is hosted by the Buffalo History Museum and will take place in the Waterway of Change exhibit at Canalside.
Join Chelsea Moore from the Buffalo Maritime Center as she recounts the travels of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief during the 2025 Bicentennial Voyage and the 2026 Back to Buffalo Voyage. On the morning of Wednesday, September 24, 2025, Buffalo Maritime Center’s replica of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief embarked on the Bicentennial Voyage, commemorating Governor DeWitt Clinton’s historic 1825 journey from Buffalo to New York Harbor. A Buffalo Maritime Center crew, comprised of staff and volunteers, navigated the 33-day voyage, departing from Buffalo’s Commercial Slip - the western terminus of the Erie Canal - and traveling to Pier 26 in New York City. The boat docked at 28 ports along the Erie Canal and Hudson River before reaching New York City for the official commemoration of the canal’s opening - 200 years after Governor Clinton’s inaugural trip. In 2026, the boat was brought back home to Buffalo on a similar, reverse journey and invited students from across New York State to come learn about the impacts of the Erie Canal, community, and New York's maritime history.
This event is free to the public and family-friendly!
Saturday, July 11 | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Waterside Showcase | Community Open House & Demonstrations
Great Lakes Center | 196 Porter Ave. & 1 Rotary Row, Buffalo, NY 14201
The Great Lakes Center (GLC), West Side Rowing Club (WSRC), Buffalo Yacht Club (BYC), and Buffalo Maritime Center (BMC) are inviting the public to the GLC for a day of research, education, and recreation. The Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief will be docked for tours, the Great Lakes Center will provide living displays of life in Lake Erie and programming to show their work as a research and education center, and the WSRC invites people to give rowing a try and take a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fontana Boathouse!
This event is free to the public and family-friendly!
Friday, July 17 | 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Shakespeare in Delaware Park's Touring Production | Fools and Foes
Commercial Slip at Canalside | 44 Prime St., Buffalo, NY 14202
The Buffalo Maritime Center is hosting a performance of the 2026 Touring Production Shakespeare's Fools and Foes at the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief docked at the Commercial Slip at Canalside. Please bring a chair or a blanket and join us for an fantastic performance!
This performances is FREE, non-ticketed and open to the public at 7:00pm, but be sure to get there early to get a good seat! This show is weather dependent so please visit our website for any updates on the day of the performance.
Saturday, August 8 | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Canal Boat Dock Party
Commercial Slip at Canalside | 44 Prime St., Buffalo, NY 14202
It’s Summer in Buffalo and what’s better than an outdoor cookout at the waterfront benefitting a great cause? Pull out your favorite Hawaiian shirt and join us for brews, snacks and delicious grilled hot dogs at the Commercial Slip at Canalside in Buffalo, right in front of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief! Rollicking live music from the Brothers James Band – dancing is encouraged! – and Big Ditch Brewery will help keep the party going.
All proceeds of this event benefit the educational programs of the Buffalo Maritime Center. The purchase of your ticket helps the BMC continue its mission, so buy your tickets today! CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS.
Tickets are $40 and include a first drink and first grilled food item. This is a 21+ only event. Cash Bar serving Big Ditch Beer also available.
Bring your own chair or blanket, relax, and enjoy the music while the sun sets over Lake Erie!
The Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief has returned to its home port in Buffalo, marking the start of a summer season of free public programming! Our summer events schedule includes lectures, dockside demonstrations, performances, and on-the-water experiences such as Tuesday Night Paddles, Wednesday Night Sailing, and Thursday Night Sunset Cruises. Click here for a printable schedule!