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For Immediate Release: 9/30/2016
Contact:
Shane Mahar | shane.mahar@thruway.ny.gov 
Office of Media Relations and Communications | (518) 471-5300

CANAL CORPORATION ANNOUNCES ANNUAL “LOCKTOBERFEST” EVENTS ALONG THE CANAL SYSTEM

Festival Celebrates Autumn on the Canal in Local Communities

The New York State Canal Corporation today announced that Locktoberfest returns to the Canal system beginning this weekend. For the first time in the event’s history, Locktoberfest will have a presence on three of the four Canals that make up the historic Canal system. The annual autumn event incorporates community markets, local artwork, Taste NY products, entertainment and children’s activities.

“The Canal system is a jewel of New York State that spurs tourism and economic activity for the villages, towns and cities that border its banks,” said Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton. “Community events such as Locktoberfest help to draw in scores of visitors each year to enjoy and explore all the Canal has to offer.”

This year’s locations include:

Erie Canal

Saturday, October 1
9 a.m. – 7 p.m.                                                         
Canal Street Plaza, Lockport                                  

Saturday, October 1
12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Bellamy Harbor Park, Rome

Oswego Canal

Saturday, October 1
9 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Lock Island at Lock O-1, Phoenix

Champlain Canal

Saturday, October 8
1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Canal Street Marketplace and Fort Edward Yacht Basin, Fort Edward

Locktoberfest was launched in 2014 to create a signature event that would encourage Canal tourism into the fall season. Since its inception, the Canal Corporation has partnered with I Love NY, Taste NY, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the communities along the Canal to ensure the continued success of this event.  

Gavin Landry, Executive Director of Empire State Development’s Division of Tourism said, “Locktoberfest is a wonderful opportunity for residents and visitors alike to experience what New York has to offer in autumn, from the picturesque foliage and local foods to craft beverages and live music. I LOVE NEW YORK is excited to collaborate with our state agency partners to showcase the important role the canal system continues to have on the state, especially its contribution to the more than $100 billion tourism industry in New York State.”

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said, "There's a rich history between the Eric Canal and New York's agricultural industry and these events are a terrific way to celebrate both. We are excited to promote the region’s best local food and beverage products through Taste NY and we look forward to another fun and successful Locktoberfest."

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New York’s Canal system includes four historic canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca. Spanning more than 500 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect hundreds of unique and historic communities. The Erie Canalway Trail is a multi-use trail, designed to accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, and cross-country skiers. More than three-quarters of the 365-mile Canalway Trail from Albany to Buffalo is now a dedicated off-road trail, much of it along the canal’s former towpath. Together the canals and trail create a world-class recreationway that is a vibrant, scenic and unique New York resource.

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