Riverside Watercolor Painting Workshop
2025-08-16 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Bottcher’s Landing Boat Lauch, 51 Old River Road, Corning, NY, 14830, United States
Take a moment to slow down, allow your creative juices to flow, and let nature work it’s magic. This outdoor painting program is held at the Bottcher’s Landing Boat Launch in the Town of Big Flats. We’ll set up in the shaded area under the pavilion, and participants can bring their own camping chairs and move around the property.
If you don’t have paints or brushes, don’t worry! Participants will be supplied with a variety of high-quality brushes, 140lb. cold-press watercolor paper, Winsor & Newton watercolor paints, palates, drawing boards, and rainwater from our on-site rain barrels. Using these materials, locally renowned artist and instructor Bridget Bossart van Otterloo will demonstrate different watercolor painting techniques for landscape painting.
FREE snacks will be provided while you paint, but please bring your own water bottle to reduce plastic waste. Some other suggested items to bring include a lawn chair if you’d like to sit outside the pavilion while you paint, a sun hat and/or sunglasses, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Check out Bridget’s beautiful paintings on her website: http://bridgetbossartvanotterloo.com/ and stop by our office to see one of her paintings in person!
Please note that space is limited to 12 participants per class, if you have attended one of our watercolor workshops this year, please consider waiting to purchase tickets until closer to the event to allow others a chance to learn! Registration is required, please reserve your spot here! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/riverside-watercolor-painting-workshop-at-bottchers-landing-tickets-1234938517349?aff=oddtdtcreator

Summer Camp: Session II
2025-08-18 09:00 - 2025-08-22 13:00
Our summer camp session is Monday – Friday from 9am – 1pm (later for those staying to swim), at the Town of Elmira Community Center. Children will explore the nature trails, collect macroinvertebrates and frogs, make crafts, play games, learn to paddle, swim in the town pool, and more! This camp sells out quickly–sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when registration opens!
Ages 6 – 12.
Bring a pack lunch and water bottle.
Have sunscreen, bug spray, and dress for the weather! Most of our activities are outdoors, so a hat is recommended.
Pack a bathing suit and towel if your child will be swimming!

Chemung River & Watershed Clean-Up
2025-08-23 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-09-20 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-10-18 10:30 - 12:00
E-mail us for more information. Contact our outreach coordinator, Karen, at outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org for more information and check out our Facebook page for location details and additional scheduled cleanups!

River Talk at Ill Eagle Taphouse
2025-08-25 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-09-29 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-10-27 18:00 - 20:00
Join us in the 200 Lounge upstairs for a brew, a specialty cocktail, and some great food at Ill Eagle Taphouse while we chat about a wide range of topics surrounding our beautiful river. One free drink token will be given with each ticket sale to be used during the event!

Beginner Paddle Safety Workshop
2025-09-03 17:30 - 19:30
UPDATE: This class is full, please email Karen at outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org to be added to our waitlist.
Come join us for a FREE beginner kayak paddle lesson from 5:30 – 7:30pm at Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira. Certified instructor and co-founder of Chemung River Friends, Jim Pfiffer, will teach you how easy, safe, and fun it can be to paddle on the river! No experience is necessary, and all equipment will be provided, including snacks and water for all participants. This fun, hands-on class is perfect for first-timers and curious beginners. You’ll learn the basics of paddling, including:
· Loading and transporting boats
· Identifying the parts of a kayak and a canoe
· Proper paddle strokes
· Safety tips and river etiquette
· How to get in and out of a boat smoothly
· Planning a river trip
· What to wear and pack for weather and water conditions
· How to handle changing river and weather conditions
· Rescues and what to do in an emergency on the water
· Environmental ethics
Meet us at the concrete boat launch in the parking area near the pavilion. Instructions will be provided within sight of the boat launch and life jackets are mandatory. We will provide life jackets and kayaks, or you can bring your own if you have them!
Children are welcome and encouraged to participate! Parents/guardians must remain with their child at all times. Any children under age 8 must accompany you in a tandem kayak (we have 2 available). Children older than 8 may use a single kayak.
Pre-registration is required and donations, while very appreciated, are completely optional.

Riverside Watercolor Painting Workshop
2025-09-06 13:00 - 15:00
Riverside Watercolor Painting Workshop will be a plein-air painting workshop featuring local artist and instructor – Bridget Bossart van Otterloo!
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. Class size is limited and pre-registration is required.
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, and the artist will demonstrate different watercolor painting techniques for landscape painting.
Please bring a water bottle to reduce plastic waste. We will provide tables, snacks, refreshments, and all of the necessary art supplies.

Guided River Tour: Erwin to Corning
2025-09-13 09:00 - 13:00
This is a great introduction to paddling the beautiful Chemung River! Our certified kayak instructor will teach you basic safety and paddle signs and then guide you along the river while telling you about the history of the river and pointing out interesting flora and fauna you’ll find on the trip.
Guided paddles have a limited amount of kayaks available for rent, and are for paddlers of all abilities. You are welcome to bring your own kayak, too. All paddlers must sign our liability waiver in order to participate.
A shuttle service is provided as part of the trip.
Guided river paddles require registration. When registration opens, a link will be posted here. Be the first to know when registration opens by signing up for our newsletter.

Chemung River & Watershed Clean-up - LOCATION UPDATE: E Water Street Park
2026-07-25 10:00 - 12:00 | 800 E Water Street, Elmira NY 14901, 800 E Water Street, Elmira, NY, 14901, United States
EVENT LOCATION UPDATE: Our July 25 Watershed Clean-up will now take place at the East Water Street Park in Elmira instead of the Toll Bridge Park Boat Launch. We recently received a report that the Toll Bridge Park Boat Launch is in good shape and the East Water Street Park river access area could use some more help.
If you plan to join us for this clean-up please meet at East Water Street Park (near the Sullivan Street Pump Station) at 800 E Water St in Elmira, behind the baseball field. Look for Friends of the Chemung River signs noting the meet-up location.
All materials will be provided, all you need is yourself dressed in weather appropriate clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty, and maybe a friend to help out too! We’ll have a short safety talk before we embark on our clean-up efforts in the Chemung River Watershed.
Registration is not required for this FREE event but is greatly appreciated so we know how many folks to expect.
Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chemung-river-watershed-clean-up-location-update-e-water-street-park-tickets-1990111734771?aff=oddtdtcreator
Our clean-ups are funded through various grants and sponsorships. Individual donations are not required but are greatly appreciated!

Guided Evening Paddle: Fitch's Bridge to Grove Street Boat Launch
2026-07-29 17:00 - 19:30 | Grove Street Boat Launch, 36 Grove Street, Elmira, NY, 14905, United States
New in 2026! We’re expanding our paddle program and adding monthly evening paddles! Join expert paddler Jim Pfiffer and our Volunteer River Guides on the Chemung River for a short and sweet guided paddle. We’ll enjoy a unique experience on the river with a relaxing paddle from Fitch’s Bridge Boat Launch in Elmira, NY to Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira, NY.
Meet us at Grove Street Boat Launch at 5PM to leave your vehicles, then we’ll shuttle all paddlers to Fitch’s Bridge to go over river safety guidelines and launch our watercraft by 5:30pm. See detailed rental instructions below.
Please dress for the weather and bring/wear water shoes, a hat, sunscreen, a re-usable water bottle, a change of clothes is recommended, and a life jacket if you have one. LIFE JACKETS ARE REQUIRED, we will have life jackets available if you don’t have one. Snacks are also recommended!
The FCRW Kayak Rental price includes the guided river tour and a kayak rental (if you need one, we have a very limited number of kayaks available). We will meet at Grove Street Boat Launch at 5PM . Paddlers will leave their vehicles at Grove Street, FCRW will shuttle paddlers to Fitch’s Bridge for a safety talk and then launch our watercraft by 5:30PM.
The BYOK (Bring your own kayak) price includes the guided river tour. Paddlers bringing their own craft will drop them off at the start of the paddle at Fitch’s Bridge Boat Launch between 4-4:45pm where an FRCW Staff will watch over them, then travel to Grove Street Boat Launch to meet Cait and the rest of the paddlers at 5PM. Paddlers will leave their vehicles at Grove Street, FCRW will shuttle paddlers to Fitch’s Bridge for a safety talk and then launch our watercraft by 5:30PM.
Fitch’s Bridge Boat Launch – Off Hendy Hollow Road, Elmira, NY 14905
Grove Street Boat Launch – 36 Grove St, Elmira, NY 14905
Register Here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-evening-paddle-fitchs-bridge-to-grove-street-boat-launch-tickets-1988812469634?aff=oddtdtcreator

Guided River Paddle: Mullholland Rd to Conhocton Street Boat Launch
2026-08-08 09:00 - 14:00 | Conhocton Street River Access, 10 Conhocton Street, Corning, NY, 14830, United States
Join expert paddler Jim Pfiffer and our Volunteer River Guides for a guided educational paddle of the Tioga River (a tributary of the Chemung River) and Chemung River. As we paddle from Mullholland Rd Boat Launch in Painted Post NY to Conhocton Street Boat Launch in Corning NY, our educational component will be: TBD.
Please dress for the weather and wear water shoes, a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a life jacket if you have one. LIFE JACKETS ARE REQUIRED. We will have life jackets available if you don’t have one. Bring a reusable water bottle, anything you need to be comfortable outdoors, and snacks are also recommended.
The FCRW Kayak Rental price includes the guided river tour and a kayak rental (if you need one, we have a very limited number of kayaks available). We will meet at Conhocton Street Boat Launch at 9AM . Paddlers will leave their vehicles at Conhocton Street, FCRW will shuttle paddlers to Mullholland Rd for a safety talk and then launch our watercraft by 10:30AM.
The BYOK (Bring your own kayak) price includes the guided river tour. Paddlers bringing their own craft will drop them off at the start of the paddle between 8-8:45AM at Mullholland Rd Boat Launch where an FCRW Staff will watch over them, then travel to Conhocton Street to meet Jim and the rest of the paddlers at 9AM. Paddlers will leave their vehicles at Conhocton Street, FCRW will shuttle paddlers back to Mullholland Rd for a safety talk and then launch our watercraft by 10:30AM.
Mulholland Road Boat Launch – 2760 Mulholland Rd, Painted Post, NY 14870
Conhocton Street Boat Launch – 1-41 Conhocton St, Corning, NY 14830
Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-river-paddle-mullholland-rd-to-conhocton-street-boat-launch-tickets-1989404588678?aff=oddtdtcreator

Guided Evening Paddle: Fitch's Bridge to Grove Street Boat Launch
2026-08-26 17:00 - 19:30, 2026-09-16 17:00 - 19:30 | Grove Street Boat Launch, 36 Grove Street, Elmira, NY, 14905, United States
New in 2026! We’re expanding our paddle program and adding monthly evening paddles! Join expert paddler Jim Pfiffer and our Volunteer River Guides on the Chemung River for a short and sweet guided paddle. We’ll enjoy a unique experience on the river with a relaxing paddle from Fitch’s Bridge Boat Launch in Elmira, NY to Grove Street Boat Launch in Elmira, NY.
Meet us at Grove Street Boat Launch at 5pm to leave your vehicles, then we’ll shuttle all paddlers to Fitch’s Bridge to go over river safety guidelines and launch our watercraft by 5:30pm. See detailed rental instructions below.
Please dress for the weather and bring/wear water shoes, a hat, sunscreen, a re-usable water bottle, a change of clothes is recommended, and a life jacket if you have one. LIFE JACKETS ARE REQUIRED; we will have life jackets available if you don’t have one. Snacks are also recommended!
The FCRW Kayak Rental price includes the guided river tour and a kayak rental. If you need one, we have a limited number of kayaks available. We will meet at Grove Street Boat Launch at 5pm. Paddlers will leave their vehicles at Grove Street, FCRW will shuttle paddlers to Fitch’s Bridge for a safety talk and then launch our watercraft by 5:30pm.
The BYOK (Bring your own kayak) price includes the guided river tour. Paddlers bringing their own craft will drop them off at the start of the paddle at Fitch’s Bridge Boat Launch between 4-4:45pm where an FRCW Staff will watch over them, then travel to Grove Street Boat Launch to meet Cait and the rest of the paddlers at 5pm. Paddlers will leave their vehicles at Grove Street. FCRW will shuttle paddlers to Fitch’s Bridge for a safety talk and then launch our watercraft by 5:30pm.
Fitch’s Bridge Boat Launch – Off Hendy Hollow Road, Elmira, NY 14905
Grove Street Boat Launch – 36 Grove St, Elmira, NY 14905
Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-evening-paddle-fitchs-bridge-to-grove-street-boat-launch-tickets-1988812517778?aff=oddtdtcreator
