The D&H Canal Historical Society invites you to an unforgettable evening celebrating the waterways that have shaped New York’s history, culture, and identity.

Music of the Waters: Canals, Rivers & the Sea is a one-of-a-kind dining experience featuring a thoughtfully crafted five-course menu showcasing the bounty of New York State, expertly paired with New York wines. Designed by internationally acclaimed wine educator Kevin Zraly, the menu reflects the rich culinary traditions of the regions connected by the state’s historic waterways and features the state’s finest fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meats, and fishes from New York waters.

Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy a live musical journey inspired by the canals, rivers, and sea. Curated by legendary Hudson Valley musicians Jay Ungar and Molly Mason—founders of the Ashokan Center—the program features selections that capture the spirit of New York’s waterways and the communities they have sustained. Their expertise and vision have shaped an extraordinary performance by acclaimed musicians Aldo Lavaggi and Clara Constance, whose artistry promises to make the evening both moving and memorable.

More than a gala, Music of the Waters is an immersive celebration of history, music, food, and place—bringing together friends of the Society to support the preservation and interpretation of one of America’s most remarkable engineering and innovative technological achievements.

Your attendance helps preserve the history of the Delaware & Hudson Canal while expanding the Society’s growing role as a cultural center for the Hudson Valley.  The Society showcases and encourages the rich cultural and artistic life of the Hudson Valley community and the work of its outstanding educational and cultural institutions and of its finest scholars. Thus our dual mission is to honor the rich past of the Hudson Valley and to celebrate the community and the remarkable ongoing achievements of its people and institutions. Together, we are ensuring that future generations not only discover the Canal’s remarkable legacy, but also experience its continuing influence on the life and culture of our region.

Our Special Thanks