Join us for a day filled with history and fun at the 12th Annual Canal Festival sponsored by the Wayne County Historical Society on Saturday, August 16, 2025. This free event celebrates the rich heritage of the canal era and highlights the Delaware and Hudson Canal, which took coal from northeastern Pennsylvania to market in New York City in the 1800s. The free rain-or-shine event will feature live canal-era and Native American music, guided tours of the canal house and along the towpath that delve into the canal’s history, activities for children, and interactive demonstrations by local artisans whose work includes quilting, blacksmithing, weaving, spinning, and wood carving.
The Greene-Dreher Historical Society will have a booth at the festival where a selection of books on local history will be offered for sale and authors will be on hand to personalize your purchase. The selection will include our newest publications, Historic Cemeteries of Wallenpaupack Valley and Blueberry Time—Recipes and Reminiscences of the Poconos’ Most Treasured Berry. Other nonprofit participants will include Delaware Highlands Conservancy, Lackawaxen River Conservancy, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, Audubon Society, and the 143rd NY Volunteer Infantry, Civil War reenactors. The canal store will be open, and food and baked goods will be available.
The annual event is sponsored by the Wayne County Historical Society and is held at The Canal Park at Lock 31, one mile west of Hawley on Route 6. The Canal Park is open daily for walking and learning about the canal. For more information about the festival please visit the Wayne County Historical Society website.
