Erie Armada – new festival to highlight Erie Canal, breweries, cideries – to take place in September

A new festival is aiming on highlighting the history of the Erie Canal and its connection with the state’s growing beer and cider industries.

The Erie Armada, set for its first year in Macedon Canal Park (near Rochester), will take place from Sept. 20 to 22. Described as a “multi-tiered, immersive experience featuring exclusive canal-inspired collaboration brews,” the festival will feature local favorites Nine Pin Cider, Rogers Cideryard, and Rare Form Brewing, but also Queens-based LIC Beer Project, Buffalo’s Thin Man Brewery, and Long Island-based Barrier Brewing Co.

Tickets start at $40 and are available at eriearmada.com.

From the release:

The three-day event, born from the New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Reimagine the Canals Competition, will include waterborne activities on the Erie Canal in partnership with Genesee Waterways and the New York Adventure Racing Association, locally sourced culinary offerings curated by NY Kitchen and canal-side glamping from Naturluxe & Stars.

“We are honored to introduce a landmark new lifestyle event along the Erie Canal,” says Rory McEvoy, President of Erie Armada Inc. “We look forward to this inaugural year and many years to come of making the Erie Armada a destination encounter.”

Erie Armada pays tribute to the area’s history while looking to the future of the New York State Canal System. New York, once a leading grower of hops, shipped its goods nationwide via the Erie Canal. The event combines the exceptional craft brewing of New York, home to 400 breweries, with new recreational activities along the canal. 

“The Erie Armada honors the heritage of the Erie Canal and shows us one of many ways how it can remain essential in the 21^st century,” said state Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton. “We look forward to a great weekend.”

In addition to access to exclusive specialty collaboration brews from hand-selected partners and curated bites representing both NYC and upstate with food trucks and chef pop-ups, attendees will be able to participate in a series of on-canal challenges focusing on teamwork, creativity and human-powered crafts. Authentic historical canal boats from Erie Canal Adventures, Corn Hill Navigation’s Sam Patch, the Colonial Belle, and tugs from the Canal Corporation will fill out the mix.