U.S. Brig Niagara to visit Canalside

Navy week is upon us here in Buffalo, and the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation and Buffalo Place, Inc. will be welcoming the U.S. Brig Niagara to Canalside as part of the naval celebration and to also commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

The Brig Niagara is a reproduction of the relief flagship of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry that was part of a fleet of nine small ships that defeated a British squadron of six in the Battle of Lake Erie on Sept. 10, 1813. This 198-foot long vessel was launched in 1988 and finished in 1990. The ship still has original timbers that were recovered from the 1913 and 1933 reconstructions and also carries four 32-pounder carronades that are fired during day sails and in demonstrations. Eighteen professional merchant mariners and as many as 30 crewmembers and trainees sail on this vessel.

The ship will arrive at Canalside at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 12 and will host public tours and sails during its visit. Tickets for public tours can be purchased dockside at $6 per adult and $4 per child under age 12. Admission for children age four and under is free. There will also be two opportunities to take a public day sail on Sept. 17, where participants can get a feel for what life was like aboard a historical two-masted, square-rigged ship. Tickets for the educational day sails are $85 per person and can be purchased on the Brig Niagara website.

"We are thrilled to welcome the U.S. Brig Niagara, her captain and crew to Canalside," said ECHDC Interim Chairman Sam Hoyt. "Having the Niagara tied to our Central Wharf, in conjunction with Buffalo's celebration of Navy Week and as a continuation of the War of 1812 bicentennial events, builds upon Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation's emphasis on public accessibility to the waterfront and exciting things to do."

The schedule for tours and public day sails is as follows:

Thursday, Sept. 13: Public Tours from 2:30 to 6 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 14: Public Tours from 2:30 to 6 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 15: Public Tours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 16: Public Tours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 17: Public day sails from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 7:30 p.m.