Friends of the Chemung River Watershed

Park Rangers: Thorne St. Park in Horseheads
2024-06-28 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-07-26 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Join Horseheads Family Resource Center, Tanglewood Nature Center and Museum, and Chemung River Friends for our Park Rangers program this summer! Fridays throughout the summer, we will lead a walk through some of our beautiful local parks. This FREE program includes a snack and all children participating will receive an explorer’s vest and a button for each location! Please bring sun screen, bug spray, and a water bottle. All ages are welcome! Follow Horseheads Family Resource Center on Facebook for updates. All walks start at 10:00AM. Get some local nature knowledge, visit with live animals, and so much more as we explore local nature spots in Chemung, Steuben, and Schuyler counties. No registration is required.
May 24: Pirozzolo Park
June 7: Sperr Park
June 21: Lackawanna Trail I
June 28: Thorne St. Park
July 5: Tanglewood
July 12: Spencer Crest
July 19: Havana Glen
July 26: Thorne St. Park
August 2: Pirozzolo Park
August 9: Holding Point
August 16: Catharine Valley Trail
August 23: Kinsella Park
August 30: Denison Park
September 6: Lackawanna Trail II
October 4: Bradley Farms

Beginner Paddle Class: Learn to Kayak with Confidence
2024-07-03 17:30 - 19:00, 2024-08-06 17:30 - 19:00
Come join us for a FREE beginner kayak paddle lessons from 5:30PM – 6:30PM at Grove Street Boat Launch. Jim Pfiffer will be teaching you how easy, safe, and fun it can be to paddle on the river!
A sheet pizza dinner will be provided for participants.
Instructions will be provided within sight of the boat launch and life jackets (provided or you can bring your own) are mandatory. You may bring your own craft or you may borrow one of ours.
Children are welcome and encouraged to participate! You must remain with your child. Children under age 8 must accompany you in a tandem kayak (we have 2 available). Children older than 8 may use a single kayak.
Meet at the concrete boat launch in the parking area at the Grove Street Boat Launch. Pre-registration is required and donations, while very appreciated, are completely optional.
Register Here

Clean Up: Hathorn Park, Elmira
2024-07-03 17:30 - 19:00
Help clean up the watershed! All materials are provided, including gloves, pickers, bags, sharps containers, etc. You just need to bring a snack and a water bottle. All ages are welcome, but we ask that children be accompanied by their caregiver. All participants to our cleanups are required to sign the Liability Waiver, but registration is not required. Questions about our cleanups? Please contact our outreach coordinator: outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org.

Park Rangers: Tanglewood Nature Center
2024-07-05 10:00 - 11:00

Art Workshop: Watercolor by the River
2024-07-06 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-08-03 13:00 - 15:00
This outdoor painting program will be held at the Bottcher’s Landing Boat Launch in the Town of Big Flats. The workshop will take place in the shaded area under the pavilion, or participants can bring their own camping chairs and move around the property. This class is limited to the first 20 people who sign up.
Participants will be supplied with a variety of high-quality brushes, 140lb. cold-press watercolor paper, Wisner & Newton watercolor paints, palates, drawing boards, and filtered water from the river. Students will also receive instruction from a locally renowned artist and instructor – Bridget Bossart van Otterloo (http://bridgetbossartvanotterloo.com/), and the artist will demonstrate different watercolor painting techniques for landscape painting.
This program will have a member and non-member rate.* To become a member, please visit our website, ChemungRiverFriends.org. Please bring your own water bottle to reduce plastic waste and feel free to bring a lawn chair if you’d like to sit outside the pavilion while you paint. We will provide tables, snacks, refreshments, and all of the necessary art supplies.
*Thanks to a grant from the Arts Council, this workshop , taught by a master watercolor artist, is available to our community for a discounted rate of just $5 per child and $10 per adult!

Register Here

Clean Up: ALDIs, Elmira Southside
2024-07-10 17:30 - 19:00

Park Rangers: Spencer Crest in Corning
2024-07-12 10:00 - 11:00

Guided River Tour
2024-07-13 10:30 - 12:30
Join expert paddler Jim Pfiffer as he leads you on an educational tour of the Chemung River from Bottcher’s Landing Boat Launch in Big Flats, NY, to Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira (9-mile Float). The price includes the tour and the kayak rental (if you need one).
Please park on Grove Street, as the entrance to the boat launch will be closed to non-emergency vehicular traffic from 12pm – 6pm for Chemung River Fest. We will meet at the boat launch at 9:30AM to load kayaks onto the trailer and go over safety.
We will shuttle you and your kayak to Bottcher’s Landing Boat Launch and then paddle back to Grove Street. Please dress for the weather and wear water shoes, a hat, sunscreen, and a life jacket if you have one (we will have life jackets available). A water bottle and snack are also recommended.

Register Here

2024 River Fest
2024-07-13 12:00 - 18:00
Chemung River Fest is Saturday, July 13, 2024 from 12pm – 6pm at the Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira, NY. We will have a bounce house, face painting, kayaking, an ice cream truck, food vendors, and fun! Please join us for this free community event–parking is available on the street or you can use the bus service to get dropped off right around the corner. The boat launch will be closed to non-emergency vehicles for the duration of the event. If you have a kayak or other outdoor equipment to swap/sell/trade at this event, please e-mail director@chemungriverfriends.org for more information.

Clean Up: McKinnon Park, Elmira
2024-07-17 17:30 - 19:00

Park Rangers: Havana Glen Park in Watkins Glen
2024-07-19 10:00 - 11:00

Clean Up: Universal Park, Southport
2024-07-24 17:30 - 19:00

Guided River Tour: Tioga River Trip: Mulholland to Cohocton
2024-07-27 09:00 - 14:00
Join us on July 27 at the Cohocton Street Boat Launch at 9am. We will shuttle to the Mulholland Launch and take out at Cohocton in Corning. This is an 8-mile paddle.
Prices for this guided river tour start at just $25, and kayaks are available for rent.
Register with Endless Mountain Outfitters.

Clean Up: Brick Pond Park, Elmira
2024-07-31 17:30 - 19:00

Park Rangers: Pirozzolo Park in Elmira
2024-08-02 10:00 - 11:00

Guided River Tour: Chemung River
2024-08-03 09:00 - 14:00
Pack proper water shoes (not flip-flops), snacks, water, sunscreen, and bug spray. Prices start at just $25 for the guided tour and kayak rentals are available. Register and get more information at Endless Mountain Outfitters.

Clean Up: Houghton Park, Corning
2024-08-07 17:30 - 19:00

Park Rangers: Holding Point in Horseheads
2024-08-09 10:00 - 11:00

Summer Camp: Adventures in Nature
2024-08-12 08:30 - 2024-08-16 13:00
Spend the week with Friends of the Chemung River and Town of Elmira recreation as we explore the outdoors, learn to paddle on the river, catch some fish and other critters, hike in the woods, play games, and so much more.
Campers should arrive by 9 a.m. with a packed lunch (M-Th), refillable water bottle, sun screen and bug spray and an appetite for adventure. Friday we will make our lunch together in the Community Center kitchen. Campers can be picked up between 12:30 and 1p.m.
Please contact Karen outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org for more information. We look forward to spending a fun-filled week with your kids!
Register Here

Clean Up: Craig Park, Painted Post
2024-08-14 17:30 - 19:00

Park Rangers: Catharine Valley Trail in Montour Falls
2024-08-16 10:00 - 11:00

Guided River Tour
2024-08-18 10:30 - 12:30
Join expert paddler Jim Pfiffer as he leads you on an educational tour of the Chemung River from Toll Bridge Boat Launch in Wellsburg, NY, to Wyncoop Creek Road Boat Launch in Chemung. The price includes the tour and the kayak rental (if you need one).
We will meet at the Wyncoop Creek Road Boat Launch at 9:30AM to load kayaks onto the trailer and go over safety.
We will shuttle you and your kayak to Toll Bridge Boat Launch and then paddle back to Wyncoop Creek Road Boat Launch. Please dress for the weather and wear water shoes, a hat, sunscreen, and a life jacket if you have one (we will have life jackets available). A water bottle and snack are also recommended.

Register Here

Summer Camp: Science in Nature
2024-08-19 08:30 - 2024-08-23 13:00

Clean Up: Chapel Park, Southport
2024-08-21 17:30 - 19:00

Park Rangers: Kinsella Park in Erwin
2024-08-23 10:00 - 11:00

Park Rangers: Denison Park in Corning
2024-08-30 10:00 - 11:00

Park Rangers: Lackawanna Trail II in Elmira
2024-09-06 10:00 - 11:00
