With the NYS Canal System now open for its bicentennial year, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is calling for entries for its annual Erie Canalway Photo Contest. Amateur and professional photographers are invited to submit up to three images that capture the canals’ beauty, vibrancy, and character. Winning photos will be featured in the 2026 Erie Canalway Calendar. Entries must be postmarked by August 29, 2025.
“We can’t wait to see this momentous bicentennial year through the lens of talented amateur photographers and to showcase the variety of perspectives they capture. The photo contest produces an excellent collection of inspiring images that continue to make our annual calendar a highly sought after publication year after year.” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
Images will be judged in four contest categories: On the Water, Along the Trail, Canal Celebrations & Communities, and Classic Canal. Judges will select first, second, and third place winning images in each category, as well as 12 honorable mentions.
Submitted images must be horizontal format and taken within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, which spans 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York. It encompasses the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain canals and their historic alignments, as well as more than 230 canal communities.
Download official contest rules and an entry form at www.eriecanalway.org/get-involved/photo-contest.
Provided information
