Buffalo, NY Homecoming Arrival!
Canalside Buffalo44 Prime Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
June 27, 2026
From: 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
(716) 881-0111
FREE
Get ready, Buffalo for the historic Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief homecoming as part of the 2026 Back to Buffalo Tour! We invite you to come to Canalside and celebrate the return of the Seneca Chief to the commercial slip.
9:15 AM Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief Departs Tonawandas
12:00 PM Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief Arrives at Buffalo!
1:00 PM Welcome Ceremony
2:00 PM Visitor Experience Open to the Public
5:00 PM Visitor Experience Public Hours End
12:00 PM Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief Arrives at Buffalo!
1:00 PM Welcome Ceremony
2:00 PM Visitor Experience Open to the Public
5:00 PM Visitor Experience Public Hours End
The Back to Buffalo Tour is a statewide, education-first initiative running from May through October 2026, bringing the story of the Erie Canal to life through hands-on learning, boat tours, community events, and festival appearances. Wherever the Seneca Chief stops, people of all ages are invited to step aboard and explore the maritime heritage that helped shape New York.
The highlight of the tour is the Back to Buffalo Voyage (June 6&27, 2026) a 22-day journey west along the Erie Canal, returning to Buffalo – back to the community of volunteers that built the vessel. Along the way, the Seneca Chief and its fleet will visit 16 ports, welcoming families, visitors, and students for an immersive exploration.
While the canal boat is in Buffalo, you can:
– Step aboard a full-size replica of the original 1825 Seneca Chief.
– Speak to the crew and volunteers who built the canal boat.
– Experience life on the canal through demonstrations and storytelling.
– Learn about traditional wooden boatbuilding and craftsmanship.
– Explore the environmental, economic, cultural, and Indigenous history of the Erie Canal.
– Step aboard a full-size replica of the original 1825 Seneca Chief.
– Speak to the crew and volunteers who built the canal boat.
– Experience life on the canal through demonstrations and storytelling.
– Learn about traditional wooden boatbuilding and craftsmanship.
– Explore the environmental, economic, cultural, and Indigenous history of the Erie Canal.
