Coming Events

 

A Summer Evening - Canal Style

Tuesday, July 14

6-8 p.m.

At the Mural Plaza next to the Locktender's House,

145 South Main Street, New Hope

Spend a leisurely summer evening in the midst of friends and William Selesnick's evocative murals of Delaware Canal scenes. Enjoy canapes from the Mansion Inn, sangria, wine, beer, and live acoustic jazz guitar and vocals performed by Phyllis Chapell. All to make the summer season a little more convivial and to benefit the Friends' improvement efforts.

A donation of $30 per person is requested. To make reservations, please call 215-862-2021 or e-mail friends@fodc.org. Adjacent free parking in the former Canal Boat Ride parking lot is available thanks to the cooperation and generosity of the American Legion and the Eagle Fire Company. The lot is accessed from New Street.

###

 

Member's Choice Walk

Sunday, July 19

10 a.m.

Meet at the Virginia Forrest Recreation Area, located off River Road approximately 1-1/4 miles north of Centre Bridge.

Friends' members possess a universe of talents and interests. To share that wealth, we're introducing a new wrinkle on one of our most popular activiites. Once or twice a year, a member of the Friends will lead a guided walk along a stretch of the Canal that is his or her favorite.

Joan Aichele, a long-time member of the Friends, will lead the first adventure. Her experiences with the Delaware Valley chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club have made her a great group walk leader, but never fear, she won't deviate from the towpath trail by heading up a river-side cliff.

One of Joan's favorite parts of the Canal is the length between Centre Bridge and New Hope. During her 9.5 mile round trip hike, she'll tell you why and share stories about the sights that you'll be seeing. The option of stopping at Dilly's Corner for lunch on the way back is open.

It would be helpful to know how many people plan to participate, so please call 215-862-2021 or e-mail friends@fodc.org to let us know that you're coming. And if you're interested in leading a walk of your own, please contact us to find out the particulars.

###

 

Sunset Cruise on the Delaware River

Aboard the River Otter

Sunday, August 9

6:30 -8:30 p.m.

Departing from Keller's Landing

1469 River Road, Upper Black Eddy

The Friends have a tradition of partying on the water, and a dry Canal hs yet to stop us. This year we'll be cruising on a more northern section of the River known for its spectacular sunsets and scenery.

The River Otter, a new, 52-foot-long, fully-equipped pontoon boat operated by the Bucks County Riverboat Company, will carry us upriver and back. While on Board, we'll have dessert and refreshments inspired by the colors of the setting sun and the bounties of summer. There will be peach desserts in abundance, bellinis made with champagne and peach nectar, other light refreshments (spirited and not), and chocolate goodies thrown in for good measure.

A donation of $40 per person is requested. Reservations are required by August 3rd and can be made by calling 215-862-2021 or e-mailing friends@fodc.org. Please reserve your place early because the River Otter only holds 50 people. Boarding will begin at 6 p.m. on the evening of the cruise; departure will be at 6:30 sharp.

***

Nature at Night

Saturday, August 22

8:30 p.m.

Meet at Delaware Canal State Park Headquarters

11 Lodi Hill Road, Upper Black Eddy

Whoooo goes there? Discover what comes out along the Canal when the sun goes down. Look for iridescent eyes and swooping wings, listen for shrieks and buzzes, and learn about the creatures that are stirring the night air.

State Park Educator Sarah Bellois will be our guide for this short, family-friendly, one-mile round trip walk along the towpath. Please bring along a flashlight, but be prepared not to use it.

***

Classic Canal Photographs

from a Century Ago -An Encore Plus More

Tuesday, September 22, 7:30 p.m.

Riegelsville Library - First Floor Meeting Hall

615 Easton Road (Route 611), Riegelsville, PA 18077

At the one and only traffic light in Riegelsville, turn inland (away from the River) onto Delaware Road. Take the first right. The Library is on the right side of the street after the church. Park in the back; the rear door may be used to enter the building.

When your audience lives along a 60-mile-long corridor, sometimes it is necessary to do repeat performances. The presentation of John Anderson's photographs, which took place in Morrisville in May, is especially worthy of an encore in the northern end of the Canal because so many of the images were taken there.

To add something different to the show, a number of present-day photos have been taken by Veronica Morton and will be juxtaposed with the 1906-1912 images. The differences in the landscape are very enlightening.

Will Rivinus, author of "Guide to the Delaware Canal" will narrate the show of 100 intriguting photographs of the Delaware Canal and River corridor.

Come see how the area once was and how it is both the same and very different now.

 

***

It's Festival Season

Come see us at

The 60th Annual Tinicum Arts Festival - July 11 and 12

For more info about the Festival, click here.

The Friends' booth will be located between the big red barn and the River, adjacent to the famous Book Wagon sale.

Yardley Harvest Day - September 26

You'll find us near the Old Library by Lake Afton on West Afton Avenue.

Come by and chat, pick up some freebies, learn the latest news about the flood repair work, and buy some books, t-shirts, canal crittter puppets, and other great Canal items.

***

 

Canal Walk 2009

October 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31

It's been five years since the Friends were last able to walk the full length of the Canal from Easton to Bristol This year won't be the grand year when the tradition can be fully revived, but walkers will be able to trek 55.2 miles. Only the section of towpath between Point Pleasant and the Virginia Forrest Recreation Area north of Centre Bridge will be left out because of construction.

So, get your hiking gear ready for October. The Walk will start in Easton and highlight all of the new repair work. The schedule may change if the flood repairs don't progress as expected, so watch for the full Canal Walk 2009 itinerary here or in the fall issue of Canal News.

***

You won't want to miss this, so mark your calendar now!

A Celebration of the Arts Along the Delaware Canal
Sunday, October 11, 2009

Artists, actors, writers, and the creatively-inclined have been drawn to the scenic beauty of the Delaware Canal for more than a century. They and their work define Bucks County's reputation in the arts. In tribute to this legacy, the Friends of the Delaware Canal will host Faces and Places - A Celebration of the Arts Along the Delaware Canal.

This first annual event will feature

• a guided trolley tour of sites from Lumberville to New Hope commencing at the Black Bass Hotel
• a special behind-the-scenes experience at historic Phillips' Mill, including a tour of the "Gothic Studio" of Morgan Colt and a chat with William Lathrop's granddaughters on the lawn of his home.
• a stop by the Canal in Centre Bridge where Virginia Forrest, in spirit, will share her distinguished conservation views
• and an evening gala at the newly transformed Black Bass Hotel, overlooking the Canal and Delaware River
  
  

Watch for more information coming soon and reserve early!

###