Towpath Day, Mule Skinner, celebrate the Erie Canal

By Jason Gabak

Editor

Music, historical reenactments, a 5K run will be just a few of the attractions at the annual Towpath Day celebration at the Erie Canal Park in Camillus on Aug. 10.

Towpath Day is a chance to step back in time and experience the Erie Canal as it was at its height when it was a major source of transportation of both good and people across New York State.

In Camillus, the Erie Canal Park has preserved a little piece of that history.

Along with the canal there Sims store recreates the kinds of general stores that once lined stops all along the canal.

In its prime, the canal created the demands for a number of shops and services from hotels to restaurants to blacksmiths and tailors all along the distance of the canal from one of end of the state to the other.

This year organizers hope to have a functioning blacksmith demonstration on site among numerous other attractions.

“We’ll have a blacksmith showing his tools,” Bob Randall, who along with his wife Darlene, is helping organize this year’s Towpath event, said. “We hope to have a place where he can do a demonstration. We need a place where there is enough room so it is safe, it gets really hot, but I think that will be really interesting.”

Actor, historical re-enactor and tinsmith Dennis Heaphy, who is a fourth generation tinsmith and helps renovate the Statue of Liberty according to the Randalls will be among the historical performers to interact with this year.

Other historical figures including Civil War soldiers among others, who will help give a sense of the historical times along the Erie Canal.

Bob and Darlene are among the many volunteers working to prepare for this year’s Towpath Day.

“Everything is going very well,” Bob said. “We have a lot of volunteers working to get ready and I think everything is going well.”

Towpath day is intended to give a sense of life on the Canal and remind people of the historical attractions in their own backyard, but it is also meant to be a fun family day and there will be a variety of activities taking place all day.

Admission to Towpth Day is free and parking and shuttle service will be available from the DOT.

There will also be raffles, events for kids including a make and take craft provided by the Home Depot and old fashioned games.

According to the Randalls, boat rides, will travel along the canal throughout the day.

Along with performers sharing the historical perspective of life on the canal, there will also be numerous vendors, crafters doing live demonstrations and opportunities to do historical crafts.

Another highlight, Bob said, is the steam engine, which he said has recently had some repairs and everyone is hoping it will be ready for Towpath Day to give a sense of how these machines helped in the evolution of modern travel.

In addition there will be a number of performers including the Thornden Morris Dancers, the Harmony Katz and Loren Barrigar and Dixieland Jazz band, the Soda Ash 6 will all perform throughout the day.

All the proceeds from Towpath Day help maintain the 1844 Nine Mile Aqueduct.

For more information on Towpath Day visit eriecanalcamillus.com.

This year will mark the ninth year the Mule Skinner 5k run/walk has been held in conjunction with Towpath Day.

This event is hosted by the Camillus, Solvay, Geddes Rotary.

George Mango is serving as the run chair.

He said this partnership has been a benefit to both the run and Towpath Day.

“It is an excellent run,” Mango said. “It brings a lot of people to the canal and gives us a chance to show off the canal. People come for the run and stay and see everything else going on during Towpath.”

Each year, Mango said about             100 participate in the run.

For some it is the challenge of the run and working to see how fast they can complete the run.

For others it is to enjoy the canal and a day outdoors, but whatever the reason, Mango said the funds raised all go toward a good cause.

Money raised goes to help support a variety of Rotary programs including community youth programs and services as well as a scholarship program for West Genesee and Solvay students.

Mango said the Rotary also works to make the event fun with a number of categories and awards for top finishers in each category.

“It is a lot of fun,” Manog said.

Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Camillus Firehouse on Newport Road.

The race will start at 9 a.m.

To preregister visit csgrotary.org.