Camillus Erie Canal

Make Your Own Snow Globe
2025-01-11 12:00 (America/New_York) | 5750 Devoe Road, 5750 Devoe Rd, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Join us THIS SATURDAY at Sims Store to make your own snow globe. Melissa from the Maxwell Library will help you create your unique winter wonderland with a recycled baby food jar. Drop-in anytime between the two hours. All supplies provided. FREE! (This event was rescheduled from January 11)

A Hidden Treasure: The History of the Camillus Erie Canal Park
2025-01-25 13:00 - 15:00 | Camillus Fire Department Community Room, 5801 Newport Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
The Camillus Canal Society will host the first of its 2025 Snippets & Tales Speaker’s Series on Saturday, January 25 at 1pm featuring Dr. David and Liz Beebe and “A Hidden Treasure: The History of the Camilus Erie Canal Park”. The Beebes led a small but mighty group of volunteers back in 1972 who partnered with the Town of Camillus to purchase the land the Camillus Erie Canal Park, renamed the Liz and Dave Beebe Camillus Eire Canal Park, is located on. Dave and Liz will recount their adventures during the formative years of restoring the overgrown and forgotten ditch to the present day, including the historic restoration of the 1842 Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct. They have never presented this material in this format before, so it is a treat! Refreshments will follow. The program is FREE. Please use the rear entrance to the Camillus Fire Department to access our room.

CNY Erie Canal Bicentennial Showcase
2025-02-06 13:30
The CNY Bicentennial Planning group is presenting a showcase of planned events, services and opportunities to celebrate the 200th year of the Erie Canal. At this event, each of the Central New York Erie Canal Museums and other historic sites throughout CNY will speak about their respective sites and what they will be offering during this 2025 Bicentennial year. This event is FREE and open to the public with refreshments to follow.

Make Origami Mugs & Hugs
2025-02-08 12:00 - 14:00 | 5750 Devoe Road, 5750 Devoe Rd, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Feel the love & make your own mugs & hugs with the Maxwell Library at Sims Store! This event is FREE and fun for all ages!

DeWitt's Duel: Rivalry at Ten Paces
2025-02-22 13:00 | Camillus Fire Department Community Room, 5801 Newport Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
The life of DeWitt Clinton is an interesting exploration into the politics of early America and New York State. In our 2nd installment of Snippets and Tales, 2025, David Brooks, Historic Site Assistant & Education Director at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will examine a curious incident in Clinton’s life. Recognized now as the “Father of the Erie Canal”, NYS Governor and former mayor of New York City, Clinton had tended to personal and political rivalries to accomplish legislative goals. Discover some of the intrigue, wrangling and dirty politics that lead ultimately to DeWitt’s Duel on the plains of Weehawken, New Jersey. If the bullets had gone the other way, would we still have the Erie Canal?

This Talk is FREE and refreshments will follow. Please note this is at the Camillus Volunteer Fire Department, Upper Level Community room, entrance in the back.

CRAFTING WITH THE MAXWELL LIBRARY
2025-03-08 12:00 - 14:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Celebrate International Women’s Day by making a mimosa flower with our friends from the Maxwell Library here at Sims Store. This craft is FREE and appropriate for all ages. See you there!

AMBOY AIRPORT: SYRACUSE'S HISTORY IN THE SKY
2025-03-15 13:00 - 15:00 | Camillus Fire Department Community Room, 5801 Newport Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Did you know that from a large meadow in Camillus a modern airport grew? And some of the biggest names in early flight utilized its runways? Come listen to the Community Room of the Camillus Fire Department at 1 pm to listen to Dan Willis, from the new Amboy Airport Exhibit, as he tells you Syracuse’s history of flight began here. A dessert reception will follow the presentation. This event is FREE, donations are accepted.

Make Your Own Buoy Boat Ornament
2025-03-22 12:00 | Liz & Dave Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Rd, Camillus, New York, 13031
Join us at Sims Store in welcoming Pauline Lynch Shostack, from Maker Faire Syracuse, and make your own wooden layered buoy boat ornament! This event is FREE & is 12 – 3:30pm or until supplies run out! No registration is required.

Paint Your Own Palm Tree!
2025-04-05 00:30 - 15:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
BACK by popular demand, local painter Bev Owen is teaching another painting class at Sims Store! Tired of this cold, gray weather? Paint your own sunshine & palm tree as Bev teaches you how! Bev will have 2 classes, one at 12:30 pm and one at 2pm. The cost is $20. Please register & save your space by calling or texting Bev at 315-879-7565. All supplies are provided. Class space is limited so register now! Suitable for ages 6 +.

Along with her own creations, Bev paints with Mural Mania & has added her artistic flair to many murals throughout the Central New York area. Bev (and 2 other artists from Mural Mania) painted our beautiful mural of a canal boat on our main barn! Come take the class and learn from the best! See you April 5th!

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION & TRAINING
2025-04-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
We have the BEST volunteer crew in the world here at the Park & today is our day for orientation, training & friendship. If you are a current volunteer we will gather from 10 – 12, followed by lunch & a presentation from Dave Beebe. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, this is a great day to get an idea of all we do. If you like to work outside, cook, educate, drive boats, narrate, paint…if you can do it we need it! For more information please reach out to Lisa at Lwiles@townofcamillus.com or 680-800-5298.

Canal Clean Sweep 2025
2025-04-19 08:00 - 12:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
It’s time to get ready for the 2025 Season & YOU can help during Canal Clean Sweep! Our event will be at the Park on Saturday, April 19th from 8 am – 12 noon, with a BBQ lunch for all participants to follow at noon. Jobs may include clearing trails, clearing the Canal prism, painting, cleaning the museum, getting our tour boats ready and MORE! Ages 6+ (with adult supervision) are welcome but you MUST register here: https://reg.resport.io/s/step1.jsp?r=4662659523805184

Please bring your own hand tools & dress for the weather. Any questions? Please email Lisa at Lwiles@townofcamillus.com

Make Your Own Bird Mobile!
2025-04-26 12:00 - 14:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
We love the birds here at our Park! On Saturday join us with the Maxwell Library & make your own bird mobile! You can even take home some bird seed to feed our flying friends. FREE! Suitable for all ages. See you there!

POSTPONED!! Camillus Canal Paddle Classic
2025-06-15 10:00 - 13:00 | Reed Webster Park, 3520 Warners Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Due to water issues this event has been postponed until September. We will re-post when we have a date! In the meantime you can kayak and paddle in the Park at any time. Kayak assists are located at the low dock by Sims Store and the dock at the Reed Webster end. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Paddle in the 1st Camillus Canal Paddle Classic on Father’s Day, June 15! This fun and family-friendly canoe and kayak race will commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Erie Canal! There is a Recreational and Long course with detail and registration here:

https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Camillus/CamillusCanalPaddleClassic

Proceeds will benefit the Camillus Canal Society and the Liz and Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park. Please note the race and registration will be at Reed Webster Park, with turnaround at Sims Store for the Recreational Course, across Devoe Road for the Long Course.

CYCLE THE ERIE 2025
2025-07-16 10:00 - 15:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Come and cheer on the largest bike tour of the Summer! Cycle the Erie 2025 will have up to 700 cyclists arriving at the Camillus Erie Canal Park around lunchtime! Join the welcome gang with signs and bells to cheer them on, or help grill up a hot dog meal to keep them fortified! Or help with our “Post Office” where the cyclists can get a postcard to be sent from the mid-point of the Canal. It’s a fun day where donations help the Camillus Canal Society. For more information on volunteers, please contact Lisa at Lwiles@townofcamillus.com or 680-800-5298.

Towpath Day 2025
2025-08-09 11:00 - 16:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Towpath Day 2025 will be amazing, celebrating the Bicentennial of the Original Erie Canal! Come take a boat ride on the historic canal, listen to live music including the Soda Ash Six, Onenonron and Bev’s Country Tribute Band, go shopping with some wonderful vendors, eat delicious food, make a craft with the kids and visit the Sim’s Store Museum! Entertainment and full all day long! Bring the whole family and celebrate history!

Erie Canal Documentary Viewing with Filmmaker Featuring Our Park!
2025-08-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Camillus Fire Department Community Room, 5801 Newport Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Join us for a screening of the documentary, “From Forgotten Wonder to Destination Wonder” & enjoy a Q & A with filmmaker Steven Panayioto (pen name Nikos Steves)! Original filming began in 1995 and the Liz and Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park is prominently featured, including when the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct restoration was only a dream. Mr. Panayioto came back in 2025 to update his production to show the Park’s current state, along with other sites along the canal system. It even includes rare footage of the Olympic Torch going through the Park on a canal barge! This 45-minute presentation is especially important during our Bicentennial celebration of the Erie Canal. Admission is FREE but a donation is highly encouraged.

**PLEASE NOTE the screening will be in the Community Room at the Camillus Fire Department. Please park & enter in the back of the building.

The Seneca Chief Comes to Lock 24!
2025-10-03 16:30 - 19:30 | Papermill Island, Baldwinsville, 136 Spensieri Avenue, Baldwinsville, New York, 13027, United States
An exact replica of Dewitt Clinton’s Erie Canal Boat, the Seneca Chief, will overnight in Baldwinsville at Lock 24 & Papermill Island to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal! The Seneca Chief is on a 32 day long trip across New York State from Buffalo to Albany and down to New York City. Arrive at 4:30pm, welcome the boat’s arrival at approximately 5:00 and after a ceremony at 5:15 the boat will be open for tours. Local groups, including the Camillus Canal Society, will be on hand, along with food trucks, music, activities and more! FREE and Family-Friendly!

Holiday Shopping with Terry's Treasures
2025-10-25 12:00 - 16:00 | 5750 Devoe Road, 5750 Devoe Rd, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Get started on your holiday shopping this week at the Sims Store Museum with local crafter Terry Ecker from Terry’s Treasures! Terry was a favorite at Towpath Day this year with her hand painted, beautiful & affordable gifts & we know you will find a special item here! The Museum opens at 12 noon & Terry will be located upstairs in our Aqueduct room.

Community Bulb Planting in the Park
2025-11-08 10:00 - 12:00 | Liz & Dave Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Rd, Camillus, New York, 13031
Join us for our November Community Work Day & plant Spring Bulbs. Children 7+ are welcome with parents or grandparents. Please bring your own trowel & dress for the weather! Bulbs, donuts, coffee, water & hot chocolate will be provided. Help us get ready now & visit your flowers in the Spring!

Beading Harvest Corn at the Canal
2025-11-08 12:00 - 14:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Join the Maxwell Memorial Library at Sims Store Museum for our November’s craft! This month’s craft will be making beaded harvest corn! Perfect for your holiday display! Suitable for adults & children! Saturday, November 8th from 12 – 2pm. Drop-in anytime between the two hours. All supplies provided. FREE!

Holiday Shopping with Terry's Treasures!
2025-11-15 12:00 - 15:30 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Get started on your holiday shopping Saturday at Sims Store Museum with local crafter Terry Ecker from Terry’s Treasures! Terry visited us a few weekends ago & her crafts are so beautiful she almost sold out & we asked her back! She has unique, hand painted & affordable gifts & you will find a special gift here! The Museum opens at 12 & Terry will be located upstairs in our Aqueduct room.

Donation Drive For Kids!
2025-11-29 12:00 - 16:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
During this time of giving we partnered with the Child Advocacy Center of Cortland County to help them with items they need for the children they serve. Visiting their Center can be traumatic for children so the following items can bring comfort (new is preferred):BlanketsStuffed AnimalsBaby Dolls/BarbiesCrayons/Colored PencilsColoring BooksCard GamesBooksPuzzlesDinosaursCarsHygiene SuppliesMittens/GlovesHatsPlease bring your items to Sims Store from 12 – 4 pm & we will get them to the Child Advocacy Center. Thank you for your generosity!

Holiday Shopping with Fox & Fae Handmade Yarnworks
2025-12-20 12:00 - 16:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Looking for last minute Holiday gifts? Look no further than Sims Store on Saturday the 20th from 12 – 4pm with Fae Handmade Yarnworks. She has beautiful and unusual crocheted stuffed animals and decor, as well as some nature photography prints by Casey. Check out her chicken nuggets! See you there!

Make Your Own Snowman Wreath
2026-01-10 12:00 - 14:00 | 5750 Devoe Road, 5750 Devoe Rd, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Come to Sims Store and join Anna from the Maxwell Library to make your own snowman wreath! Suitable for all ages and all materials are provided. FREE! You can drop-in any time from 12 – 2pm, no registration required.

The Legacy of the Day Peckinpaugh
2026-01-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Camillus Fire Department Community Room, 5801 Newport Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
The Day Peckinpaugh at Waterford(?) on October 26, 2007 [CSNYS]

Join the Camillus Canal Society for our first installment of Snippets and Tales for 2026 with this great talk by Craig Williams about the famous Day Peckinpaugh. In 1921 a new canal motorship arrived at the just completed Barge Canal Terminal in Buffalo, beginning a century-long story for the vessel. During this talk you will learn how the Day Peckinpaugh traveled between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean with cargo, via the Barge Canal, as well as her adventures in World War II, being named to the National Register of Historic Places, the state-wide movement to save this historic vessel from the scrap yard and her future plans. **Please note this talk is in the Community Room of the Camillus Fire Department. Admission is FREE but donations are gratefully accepted. A reception will follow the presentation.

In May a brand-new exhibit at the Liz and Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park will open featuring the remaining lifeboat from the Day Peckinpaugh, which was lovingly restored by Camillus Erie Canal Park volunteers.

Our Speaker: Craig Williams is the vice president of the Board of Directors of the Canal Society of New York State. He retired in 2014 as senior historian at the New York State Museum in Albany after more than 30 years of service. At the Museum he helped lead efforts to document and preserve artifacts from the Willard Psychiatric Center, the World Trade Center and the 1971 Attica Uprising. The largest historic artifact he ever collected was the nearly 300-foot-long vessel, the Day Peckinpaugh. Mr. Williams is the recognized expert on the Day Peckinpaugh in the Canal community, and we are honored to host his talk.

Make Your Own Bird Feeder
2026-03-07 12:00 - 14:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Come to the Sims Store Museum and join our friends from the Maxwell Library to make your own simple bird feeder! This craft is appropriate for all ages and all supplies are included. You can drop in any time between 12 noon and 2pm. This activity is FREE!

Feeding The Troops: The Foods That Won the War
2026-03-14 12:00 - 13:30 | Camillus Fire Department Community Room, 5801 Newport Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of America by joining us for “Feeding the Troops: The Foods That Won the War”, presented by Elaine Peters, Historian for the Village of Jordan. Ever wondered how the Revolutionary Was soldiers ate and how they were fed at different locations? How did the supply chains work and how did they keep everyone in fighting shape?

Please note this presentation is at the Camillus Fire Department Community room with parking in the back of the building. If Elaine’s talk makes you hungry, take advantage of the Fire Department’s St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Fundraiser which begins at 2pm!

Craft & Celebrate the 250th of the US!
2026-03-21 12:00 - 15:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Celebrate our country’s 250th birthday by making a wooden stacked flag. Pauline Lynch Shostack, co-producer of Maker Faire Syracuse & Camillus resident, will lead the workshop. All supplies provided. FREE! No registration required.

Volunteer Orientation
2026-04-11 10:00 - 13:30 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
With the 2026 Season rapidly approaching, it’s time to get ready! If you are a volunteer who has been with us less than 1 year, please attend from 10 am – 12 pm. All volunteers are invited to enjoy lunch together and after Dave Beebe will be leading a tour of the Village of Camillus. Please RSVP to Lisa at Lwileswnof@townofcamillus.com or 680-800-5298. If you are looking to volunteer, the morning is open to you also.

Canal Clean Sweep!
2026-04-18 08:00 - 12:00 | Liz & Dave Beebe Camillus Erie Canal Park, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus, New York, 13031, United States
Help us get the park ready for the busy season! 8am – 12 noon and we will provide lunch. Jobs may include trail maintenance, cleaning boats, cleaning the museum, removing brush & more! Please register here: https://ptny.psee.io/8ve8zz and dress for the weather. Children are welcome WITH a parent. We will have some equipment, but it will be helpful if you bring your own. Looking forward to seeing you here!
