Delaware Canal Festival

Three Days of Fun
in Bristol, Yardley, New Hope and Morrisville this year!

 

Friday, June 22

Bristol Borough

Lagoon Park

7 p.m.

Decorated Boat Parade, Concert, and Illuminated Wish Boat Float

Click here for Boat Parade application.

Saturday, June 23

Along the towpath in Yardley Borough

12 to 4 p.m.

Food, Music, Games, Decorated Duck Contest, Community Organizations, Cardboard Boat Building

1 p.m. - Decorated Boat Parade

3 p.m. - Critter Race

Click here for Boat Parade application.

Saturday, June 23

The Canal Crawl in New Hope

3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Stroll along the towpath and savor the hospitality of these canalside establishments - Havana, the Logan Inn, Villa Vito, and the Stephan House. Indulge in delectable food and buy your own drinks. $10 per person. Click here to buy your wrist band that will show that you're a Canal Crawler with food privileges.

Sunday, June 24

ActorsNet Theatre in Morrisville

7 p.m.

"My Name is Jeremiah," a canal film for the family.

Poster Contest

Start Having Fun Now!

Decorate a Boat

Last year's Decorated Boat Parades in Bristol and Yardley were all-out hits. What fun and creativity! Everyone from up, down, and all around the Canal is invited to participate in this year's Parades - either in Bristol or Yardley or, better yet, in both.

If you have a canoe, kayak, or rowboat, transform it into a floating wonder and show it off in the parades. Individuals, families, neighborhoods, businesses, and organizations are encouraged to enter. Don't worry about time, effort, or quality. Some of the best boats were put together in the blink of an eye, and all were loved by the spectators.

Cash prizes will be awarded for the most beautiful, humorous, imaginative, colorful, and "Typical of the Canal" entries, as well as Judges' Choice and "Best of Parade." All entries will receive commemorative rosette ribbons. For an entry form call 215-862-2021, e-mail friends@fodc.org, or visit www.fodc.org.

Entry forms for either the Bristol Parade or Yardley Parade or both can be acquired by calling 215-862-2021 or clicking here for Yardley or clicking here for Bristol Borough.

Our Yardley Parade Sponsors

Best of Parade - Customers Bank

Judges' Choice - T. Foster & Co.

Most Beautiful - Nottingham Insurance

Most Humorous -Fun Matters

Most Imaginative - Continental Tavern

Most Colorful - First Federal of Bucks County

Most Typical of the Canal - Joethek Services, LLC

 

Ducks Rule This Year

The Canal Critter Race returns to the Yardley Canal Festival. Hundreds of rubber duckies will be dumped into the Canal from high on the Letchworth Avenue Bridge. Before the cheering crowd, they'll float their way down the Canal to the finish line at Lock 5. Since floating rubber turtles seem to be extinct, it will be racing ducks only this year, but there will be all kinds.

Your first step to winning the Canal Critter Race is to purchase racing ducks. They may be obtained at upcoming Friends' events or at the Locktender's house in New Hope. They'll also be available at weekend sales tables set up at various locations and at Customers Bank, 1 South Main Street in Yardley. A contribution of $5 per duck is requested. If you would like more than one contender, five ducks may be claimed for $20. Proceeds benefit the Friends' maintenance and improvement efforts.

Duck Sale Locations

Saturday, June 2, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Cramer's Bakery

16 East Afton Avenue

Yardley, PA

Friday, June 8, 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Continental Tavern

2 North Main Street

Yardley, PA

Saturday, June 16

Colonial Farms Market

1108 Taylorsville Road

Washington Crossing, PA

Friday, June 22, 6:00 p.m. - 9 p.m.

The Lagoon Park

Jefferson Avenue

Bristol, PA

Saturday, June 23, 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Towpath

Yardley, PA

New This Year - Decorated Duck Contest

Last year quite a few people took their ducks home and decorated them before the race, but then other little yellow critters complained about being Plain Janes and Joes. So we're having a Decorated Duck Contest this year. Get out those permanent markers and gussy up your duck. As soon as you're done, return your duck to the Friends or Customers Bank and they will be displayed in the Bank's big streetside window. Cash prizes will be awarded to the ten most creative ducks. On Canal Festival Day, they will be moved to a display on the towpath, and then taken to the Letchworth Avenue Bridge for the race.

Just in -

The Yardley Business Association is sponsoring the Decorated Duck Contest Awards! Win in the following categories:

Best of Show - $50

Most Likely to Succeed - $25

Cutest - $15

Most Ugly Duckling - $15

Most Creative - $15

Most Sophisticated - $15

Funniest - $15

If you choose to let your duck be its yellow self, don't forget to bring it back on the day of the big Race. They will be collected in a container located near the Afton Avenue Bridge, then driven to the start. We don't want to tire anyone out.

There's so much to do this year - in three places! The Delaware Canal Festival has something for everyone. It's free and it's fun. Come on out!