NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — For more than 40 years, Canal Fest has been celebrated every summer along the Erie Canal between North Tonawanda and the City of Tonawanda. But this July, the festival will move three miles north to Gratwick-Riverside Park along the Niagara River in North Tonawanda.
The decision to move out of both cities' downtown areas has left many residents and businesses confused and worried about the change.
WATCH: 'We never shut them down': Canal Fest relocation sparks questions from city mayors and local church
City of Tonawanda Mayor William Strassburg said he was caught off guard by the festival organizers' decision to relocate.
The mayor explained that Canal Fest officials met with the Tonawanda city council to discuss their needs but left without providing a proposal or counteroffer.
"The president and vice president came in, and the council had a bunch of questions for them on what they were looking for... They left that meeting and I was under the impression that they would get back to us with some type of proposal or counter... and then, I heard... they had voted to move it to Gratwick Park," Strassburg said.
While the city had previously voiced concerns about overtime costs for city staff and shortened the 2025 event by two days, Strassburg emphasized that the city never forced the festival to leave.
"I still haven't talked with anybody from Canal Fest," Strassburg said.
North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec said festival organizers contacted his office last week with limited options.
"The organizers reached out to my office last week to let me know that their committee had met to basically decide between an event at Gratwick Park or no event at all," Tylec said. "We are going to make it work, whatever Canal Fest needs.”
Both mayors believe the festival organizers are still working out details for the new location. Strassburg said the City of Tonawanda remains open to future collaboration.
"In case there is an opportunity that Canal Fest does need some events, or some different things to have us participate in, we are open for discussion. We never shut them down," Strassburg said.
Canal Fest organizers did not respond to requests for comment.
'Key to our church surviving': North Tonawanda Church worried by Canal Fest Relocation
The move is particularly concerning for the North Tonawanda First United Methodist Church, which has relied on Canal Fest donations to help fund its operations year-round.
"The last five years, if we did not have the money from Canal Fest, our existence would have been very tenuous," said Barry Tubbs from the church.
For decades, the church has either allowed festivalgoers to park on their property or, as of 2025, hosted the festival’s amusement rides in exchange for donations. Contributions that have become essential to the church's budget.
"We put it in our budget of how much money we would try and guess," said Miriam Hanley from the church.
"We figured at least 6,000 a year,… but we do make over that," Tubbs and Hanley said.
With the first Canal Fest at Gratwick-Riverside Park set to begin on July 19, this could be a financially challenging year for the church.
“If this goes on, oh boy. It's going to hurt us I don't know where we'd make up the money," Tubbs said.
Canal Fest organizers did not respond to requests for comment.
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