Friends of the Chemung River Watershed

Summer Camp: Adventures in Nature
2024-08-12 08:30 - 2024-08-16 13:00 (America/New_York)
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
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: Catharine Valley Trail in Montour Falls
2024-08-16 10:00 - 11:00
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

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

Beginner Paddle Class: Learn to Kayak with Confidence
2024-09-11 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

Park Rangers: Bradley Farms in Elmira
2024-10-04 10:00 - 11:00

Let's Get Crafty: Bats!
2024-10-09 15:00 - 16:00 | Chemung River Friends, 109 North Main St., Elmira, New York, 14901, United States
Join us after school on Wednesday, October 9, for a fun, free, upcycled bat craft and storytime. The event begins at 3pm at our office at 109 N. Main Street, Elmira, NY. Questions? Contact outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org.

Art Workshop: Watercolor by the River
2024-10-12 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

Coffee with Friends: The Dark Side of Fashion
2024-11-16 09:00 - 10:00 | Chemung River Friends, 109 North Main St., Elmira, New York, 14901, United States
The Dark Side of Fashion, presented by Faith Gray.
Just in time for the busy shopping season, Faith’s talk takes a look into the fashion industry’s negative impact on our world. You will never look at your closet the same way.
The talks will be held at the Friends of the Chemung River office at 109 N. Main Street, Elmira, NY. A light breakfast, tea, and (of course) coffee will be served at no cost and this program is free, no registration required. Doors will open at 8:30am, and the talk will begin promptly at 9am and end at 10am to get you out and on your way to enjoying your weekend.
For more information, please contact our outreach coordinator at outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org.
A $10 per person donation is suggested, but not required. Donations can be made in person or through our online donation portal.

Cookies with Friends
2024-12-11 15:30 - 16:30
This month we will take our children on a stroll through the Mark Twain Riverfront Park and then return to the warmth of our office to make a seasonal decoration using natural elements. Please dress for the weather. There is no registration required and this event is free and open to the public. We’ll meet at 109 N. Main Street in Elmira at 3:30PM. Cookies are included! Wednesday, December 11 at 3:30PM.

Coffee with Friends: Nature Prescriptions
2024-12-14 09:00 - 10:00 | Chemung River Friends, 109 North Main St., Elmira, New York, 14901, United States
Peggy Hurley, DO, retired physician and master naturalist returns!
Dr. Hurley will provide information from her extensive research regarding how time spent in nature can improve your physical and mental health.
The talks will be held at the Friends of the Chemung River office at 109 N. Main Street, Elmira, NY. A light breakfast, tea, and (of course) coffee will be served. Doors will open at 8:30am, and the talk will begin promptly at 9am and end at 10am to get you out and on your way to enjoying your weekend.
For more information, please contact our outreach coordinator at outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org.
A $10 per person donation is suggested, but not required. Donations can be made in person or through our online donation portal.

Cookies with Friends: Native Plants and the Pollinators That Need Them
2025-01-15 15:30 - 16:30
Join us at our downtown Elmira office for our fun, free program for kids: Cookies with Friends! This program is a kid-friendly version of our Coffee with Friends series and features a book, a craft, and of course, cookies! The program is free and no registration is required. Please dress for the weather, as we do sometimes take a nature walk as part of the program. We meet at 3:30PM at 109 N. Main Street, Elmira, NY, on Wednesdays the week of our Coffee with Friends programs.

Coffee with Friends: Invasive Plants
2025-01-18 09:00 - 10:00 | Chemung River Friends, 109 North Main St., Elmira, New York, 14901, United States
Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Coordinator Jeremy Leaidicker will define “invasive plants” and explain how they threaten our ecosystem. Learn what you can do in your own backyards and in your community to help.
The talks will be held at the Friends of the Chemung River office at 109 N. Main Street, Elmira, NY. A light breakfast, tea, and (of course) coffee will be served. Doors will open at 8:30am, and the talk will begin promptly at 9am and end at 10am to get you out and on your way to enjoying your weekend.
For more information, please contact our outreach coordinator at outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org.
A $10 per person donation is suggested, but not required. Donations can be made in person or through our online donation portal.

Riverside Watercolor Painting Workshop
2025-01-22 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.

River Talk at Ill Eagle Taphouse
2025-01-27 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. Our kickoff event will be presented by co-founder Jim Pfiffer. Jim will talk to us about where all the wildlife goes during winter, what to do and what not to do to help them thrive in the spring, and a little about our organization’s background. One free drink token will be given with each ticket sale to be used during the event!
Keep an eye out this summer for an expansion on this program involving additional locations, speakers, and an event passport with a special prize for completed passports!

Get Tickets

Cookies with Friends: Native Wildlife & Humans: A Love Story
2025-02-12 15:30 - 16:30

Coffee with Friends: Coexisting with our Wildlife
2025-02-15 09:00 - 10:00 | Chemung River Friends, 109 North Main St., Elmira, New York, 14901, United States
Lori Wheeler, wildlife rehabilitator, and founder of For the Love of Finn will educate us about how most harm to wild animals occurs because of something humans did. Lori will talk about the role of a wildlife rehabilitator and the steps that are taken to return an injured or sick animal back to their home.
The talks will be held at the Friends of the Chemung River office at 109 N. Main Street, Elmira, NY. A light breakfast, tea, and (of course) coffee will be served. Doors will open at 8:30am, and the talk will begin promptly at 9am and end at 10am to get you out and on your way to enjoying your weekend.
For more information, please contact our outreach coordinator at outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org.
A $10 per person donation is suggested, but not required. Donations can be made in person or through our online donation portal.

Chemung River & Watershed Clean-Up
2025-02-15 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
2025-02-24 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-03-31 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!

Fly Tying 101
2025-03-01 10:30 - 23:30 | Chemung River Friends, 109 North Main St., Elmira, New York, 14901, United States
River Friends is happy to announce our second edition of Introduction to Fly Fishing: Fly Tying 101, which will be held at our downtown Elmira office on Saturday mornings during the month of March 2025. The course will be taught by our Board President Jim Emmick and will cover basic tools needed to tie flies, how to start and finish a fly, and some of the popular fly tying materials needed. All materials will be furnished, and participants will keep the flies they tie, which will include basic patterns for trout, bass and panfish fishing. The cost for the five-session workshop will be $30. The program will be limited to 5 participants, and we recommend you be at least 14 years old to join the program.
*This course is meant for beginning fly-tyers, previous participants will be considered after any new participants have signed up.

Cookies with Friends: Birds of a Feather
2025-03-12 15:30 - 16:30

Coffee with Friends: For the Love of Birds with Audubon
2025-03-15 09:00 - 10:00 | Chemung River Friends, 109 North Main St., Elmira, New York, 14901, United States
Birds are vital members of our ecosystem, and our local Chemung Valley Audubon Society has important information to share about protecting and caring for these amazing creatures.
The talks will be held at the Friends of the Chemung River office at 109 N. Main Street, Elmira, NY. A light breakfast, tea, and (of course) coffee will be served. Doors will open at 8:30am, and the talk will begin promptly at 9am and end at 10am to get you out and on your way to enjoying your weekend.
For more information, please contact our outreach coordinator at outreachcoordinator@chemungriverfriends.org.
A $10 per person donation is suggested, but not required. Donations can be made in person or through our online donation portal.

Chemung River & Watershed Cleanup
2025-03-15 10:30 - 12:00
