Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club

FREE Walk-Up Paddling - 2nd St.
2026-05-24 13:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-23 13:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Hop into a Gowanus Dredgers canoe and paddle at your own pace inside the protected Gowanus Canal. Enjoy discovering the canal’s unique mix of wildlife and urban waterway infrastructure, practice your paddling skills, or take a guided audio tour and learn more about the history, cleanup and revitalization of our favorite urban waterway.
We’ll outfit you with a life jacket (which must be worn at all times) and paddle, offer some basic instruction on how to paddle and safety tips on how to use a canoe, and help you set off on your own self-guided journey. Trips may be limited to 20 minutes if there’s a crowd — but usually we just expect you to return to the dock 15 min. prior to closing.
Who can participate? Paddling is for everyone! Free walk-up canoeing is open to all ages. Groups, families, solo paddlers, and intrepid first dates are all welcome! Minors require a guardian’s signature to participate, and all participants must sign a waiver.
What should I wear? Dress for the weather: wear sunscreen, hats, and bring a water bottle — and bring layers if there’s a breeze! Close-toed shoes are recommended, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed.
Is it really free? Yes! But donations are encouraged to help us continue offering these and other programs.
Can I volunteer? Yes! You can sign up to volunteer on our event registration page. Volunteer shifts run from 30-minutes before the start of the program through the first two hours, or from the middle of the program to 30 minutes after the end of the scheduled time.

Unheard-of + Dredgers present videogame Funk band Discocactus
2026-05-23 19:00 - 21:00 | NY
Cultural Ecologies Series: Unheard-of and Discocactus
Date: May 23rd, 2026, 7PM Canoe Launch, 7:30PM Music
Location: Gowanus Dredgers Bunker, 2 19th St, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Canoe Seats: $15 donation to Dredgers, Shore seating Free RSVP/Tickets here

Join Unheard-of Ensemble, the Dredgers, and special guests video game jazz-funk ensemble Discocactus to open the season! Unheard-of opens the show with new premieres written for them by Annika Socolofsky and Discocactus’s own keyboardist Ben Wallace. Unheard-of also performs new video game music arrangements from Ben and Unheard-of’s violinist Matheus Souza. Discocactus closes out the night performing some of their hits joined by members of Unheard-of!
Discocactus Bio:
DiscoCactus is a collective of composers, performers, and arrangers. They play video game music. Sort of. They use video game soundtracks as a jumping off point for a party, a nonstop display of kinetic musicianship that blends contemporary art music with dozens of pop styles, steeped in the language of the Internet.
Established in 2014, the band’s core is made of six game audio professionals that serve as the primary arrangers and performing mainstays. But, like a frightened cat, Discocactus can grow up to four times its normal size when threatened (or for big projects).
Each of DiscoCactus’s members is a world-class performer in their own right. Their members have studied at some of the world’s top conservatories, written music for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, toured the world with Video Games Live, and more. You’ve heard some of them in games like Celeste, Destiny 2, Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, and Final Fantasy XV. You’ve heard SEVERAL of them in Anew: The Distant Light and Mortal Kombat 11.
When it’s time to play as DiscoCactus, these six performers form like Voltron, bringing all of their experience and power down on one glorious purpose: To make you shake your ass. Some of us have debuted operas. Some of us study Brazilian pop. Some of us improvise. All of us combine our unique perspectives to make a show that transcends genre and transforms the music we play in fresh, exciting ways. You don’t have to know a thing about video game music to enjoy DiscoCactus. You don’t even have to know a thing about music! You just need to strap in for a rollicking, avant-garde nerd carnival.
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This performance takes place on the Gowanus Canal, from the 19th St. Bunker location. The audience can immerse themselves in the experience on the Gowanus, enjoying the program from on land or on water. Limited boat access and on-water support are provided by The Gowanus Dredgers. Attendees may arrive in their own vessels, as well.
Weather may postpone event.
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This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Unheard-of’s Cultural Ecologies Series is a recipient of a 2026 Chamber Music America Artistic Projects grant. The Artistic Projects program is administered by Chamber Music America and made possible with funding from the Howard Gilman Foundation.
Unheard-of was supported by New Music USA’s Organization Fund in 2025-26.
Unheard-of’s performances are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Weather may postpone event or move it to 165 2nd Street

Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
2026-05-20 18:00 - 20:30 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come, bring an acoustic instrument.
The Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band.
Free but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged, limited beverages are provided.
The Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside.

Since 1999, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy, conservation, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY.
More information on all the Boathouse Jams HERE

Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
2026-05-19 18:00 - 20:30, 2026-05-12 18:00 - 20:30, 2026-05-05 18:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-28 18:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-21 18:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-14 18:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-07 18:00 - 20:30 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Tuesday evenings, 6-8:30 April through October.
At the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.
Dredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore
Jam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega
What Jug band and String band music?
Let’s start with String band music. Black String band music, which will be our focus, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar, banjo, bass, violin, mandolin, ukulele, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps, waltzes and breakdowns for dances, ballads and love songs, humorous & novelty songs, as well as blues, jazz, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre, sadly, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out, however, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old.
Jug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion, washtub bass, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars, banjos, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band, along with the harmonica, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues, ballads, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.
These sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear, to know the key you will sing in, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music.
Papa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer, instrumentalist, bandleader, teacher, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food, old movies, humor, and photography.
More information on all the Boathouse Jams HERE

Monthly Meeting + Paddle
2026-05-18 18:30 - 20:30 | NY
Socialize with the Dredgers at our BUNKER (2 19th St, off of 3rd Ave) for a casual member catch-up and paddle! We’ll gather at 6:30 for some chatting and aim to be on-water around 7:15.
Meet at the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club 19th St. Launch, 2 19 St, Brooklyn, (off of 3rd Ave.). If you plan to join the paddle, wear sunscreen and bring a bottle filled with water. Close-toed shoes are recommended, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. Use a restroom before arrival, as we have limited facilities on-site. All paddlers must sign a waiver.
Weather (wind, waves or evidence of storm) may cancel the paddling portion with one hour advance notice. In case of inclement weather, meeting will be relocated follow us on Instagram or sign up for our mailing list to stay informed.

A Persistence of Cormorants Poetry Reading
2026-05-17 13:30 - 15:30 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
A Persistence of Cormorants is a summer-long poetry reading series on our shoreline featuring accomplished and exceptional poets from the New York area, many of who live in Brooklyn. On each of the scheduled Sundays, from 1:30 to 3:30, up to four featured poets will read for 10 to 15 minutes each.
Gerry reads poetry at the canal
The readings will be followed by open mic time limited to ten readers (one poem no longer than 3 minutes) who have signed up the day of the reading on a first come basis.
Reading will be outdoors at the Gowanus open shoreline and we invite you to engage with the emerging Gowanus Canal habitat as we witness the EPA conduct their SuperFUN/d cleanup program. Event may move to inside the boathouse if it begins to rain or we want to escape the summer heat. If other activity is occurring on the street or esplanade, event may move inside.
Participation is free but we encourage donations to sustain the efforts of the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club, an advocacy stewardship organization who has been representing neighborhood interests for over two decades.
May17 Linda Lerner, Patricia Carrigton, Abigail Welhouse, Bill Lessard
June7 Susan Michele, Gregory Crosby, Melinda Wilson, Dennis Nurkse14 Donna Masini, Richard Smith, Maria Lisella, Elizabeth T Gray Jr.28 Elaine Sexton, Karen Hildebrand, Don Yorty, Judith Lee Herbert
July12 David Catz, Estha Wiener, Shean Nevin, Katherine Swett19 Sarah Wallace, Ashley Mabitt, Zoe White, and Michael T. Young26 Broadstone Books: S.H. Case, Myra Malkin, Vera Salter, Stephanie Laterza, David Mills, Lucia Cherclu
August2 Jiwon Choi, Amy Holman, Miranda Beeson, Sarah Sarai9 Kimiko Hahn, Joanne Solfrian, Sam Cha, Mervyn Taylor16 KGB: John Demming, Selena Spier, Tyler Allen, Penny Susan Lewis, Jada Gordon23 Karen Neuberg, Scott Hightower, Indran Amirthanayagam, Neil Shepard30 Titanic
September13 Hilary Sideris, Tom Sleigh, Austin Alexis, Kristine Esser-Slentz20 Joanne McFarland, Ruth Danon, Brad Vogel, David Formanek27 Amy Lemmon, Jane Rosenberg LaForge, Richard Levine, Nicole Callihan
October4 Lisa Andrews, Lisa Badner, Arden Levine, Anthony Capo11 Broadstone Books: Amy Barone, Margo Taft Stever, Billy Cancel, Mary Moloney

Guided Sunset Paddle
2026-05-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Gowanus Dredgers Bunker (19th St.), 2 19th St., Brooklyn, NY
Join the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club for a secret, one of a kind, personal sunset cruise in canoes above Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal. Meet at the the Gowanus Dredgers Bunker, at the end of 19th St / off 3rd Ave, 11232 – NOT our 2nd St. boathouse.
🎟️ Tickets required, get yours here. 🎟️
After a short presentation where you and your crew our outfitted with safety gear, we embark on a narrated voyage filled with questions and conversation on how recreation can have a positive influence on improving and encouraging environmental awareness and activism in an urban setting.
Sunset 8:05 | Civil End 8:36 | Nautical End 9:14
Paddle along our Gowanus Canal to see a hidden side of Brooklyn, including the underside of bridges and our transforming industrial neighborhood. Discover the fun of canoeing as you explore the history of our Brooklyn neighborhood’s rich past, present, and future.
Close-toed shoes and a light jacket are recommended, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. Use a restroom before arrival, as we have limited facilities on-site.
Due to EPA cleaning of Gowanus, voyage will head towards the 9th St bridge and return to Gowanus Bay and our new South Gowanus Bunker.
If raining or threatening weather by 5:00 pm, we may cancel or reschedule.
Tickets are nonrefundable for any event that proceeds as planned. We will offer the option to transfer your ticket to another event if we have to cancel for weather. Transfer must be requested before the tour starts. If you choose not to transfer, the cost of your ticket becomes a tax-deductible donation to the Gowanus Dredgers.

Volunteer Orientation & Training
2026-05-10 15:00 - 16:30, 2026-05-10 13:00 - 14:30 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
May marks the start of the on-water season, and we’re kicking things off with a new volunteer orientation and training. Join us for a 90-minute session that will teach you everything you need to know about volunteering with the Dredgers. What you’ll do:

Get introduced to the Gowanus Dredgers, the Gowanus Canal, and how you can shape our community as a volunteer
Learn the ropes of our free, walk-up paddle program — from helping participants get into/out of boats to answering common questions about the Canal (Is this safe? What exactly is Black Mayonnaise?).
Make a delicious tasty treat that helps you learn more about the environmental cleanup of the Canal
Compete in a team paddle challenge to practice your skills and win prizes.

Sign up here!
Participation in this training/orientation is not required to volunteer for any of our events — but we hope this session will be fun and useful for new and returning volunteers alike.

Ukulele Cabaret
2026-05-02 18:00 - 22:00 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Spring is finally upon us, so it’s time to shake off those winter blues and let loose! Dust off your ukuleles, grab your wildest costumes, and join us back at the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse for our season kickoff. Expect an unforgettable evening of wild abandon, mischief, treachery, and absolute mayhem. Who’s ready to get crazy?
Performers include:
Makalina, Liz Rabson Schnore, Carol Weirzbicki, Brook Dramer, Lloyd Gold, Pete Sturman, Agnus Loten, Dana McCoy & Rikki Bates(Blush), Evy Meyer & Jean, Amie Amis, Rush Kress, John Vitale, Rick Bruner and The War Scandal
For twenty years the Ukulele Cabaret has provided a stage for musicians, artists and performers from New York’s underground ukulele scene.

Ted and Jason of Sonic Uke started the cabaret in May 2005 in the back of Julius bar in West Village. After outgrowing our stage there we settled in for a residency at legendary East Village gastropub Jimmy’s 43, with cameos at Barbes, The Zipper Factory and Banjo Jim’s before moving to The Red Room at the KGB Bar — an East Village speakeasy that in 1914 was the headquarters of Emma Goldman’s Secret Society of anarchists.

Yacht Rock Pop-Up Choir: Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)
2026-04-26 16:00 - 18:00 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Yacht Rock Pop-Up Choir: Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)
Sunday, April 26 • 4–6pm
In this two-hour, open-to-all singing experience, we’ll learn “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass— entirely by ear — and then perform it together outdoors by the water.
Participants will also have the option to join the Yacht Rock Choir for a community performance at the Boathouse on Sunday, June 28 at 5pm.

You can check photos and videos from past pop-up choirs (such as Sade’s “Smooth Operator” and “I Can’t Go For That” by Hall & Oates) at this link: http://www.yachtrockchoir.com/pop-up

Suggested donation $10
RSVP here
What is Yacht Rock Choir?
Yacht Rock Choir is a Brooklyn community choir dedicated to the smooth sounds of late-70s and early-80s soft rock – artists like Michael McDonald, Toto, or Hall & Oates.
Founded by Michelle Neuringer, the choir brings together singers of all levels to learn rich vocal harmonies in a relaxed, welcoming environment.

@yachtrockchoir
www.yachtrockchoir.com

Farm to Canal Felt Wool Crafting: Series Close Celebration
2026-04-25 13:00 - 18:00 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Come celebrate our collaborative wet felting sessions!
See the final sheets and hear the story of the wool and water crossing. We’ll have a talk from 2-2:45 about the story of the work and the collaboration.

A Climate Justice Benefit: Lumberob, Blanket Approval, Outer Shapes & Arlo Indigo
2026-04-24 18:30 - 22:00 | NY
COLLECTIVE SCREAM x EELPIT PRESENTS
A Climate Justice Benefit Show
LUMBEROB
BLANKET APPROVAL
OUTER SHAPES
ARLO INDIGO
FRIDAY APRIL 24, 2026
6PM DOORS | 6:30PM MUSIC
$15 – 20 Suggested Donation [Tickets]
ALL AGES
All proceeds will be donated to local organizations Gowanus Dredgers and UPROSE.
Gowanus Dredgers promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY. Since 1999 the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy, conservation, and education.
Founded in 1966, UPROSE is Brooklyn’s oldest Puerto Rican and Latino community-based organization and a nationally recognized leader in climate justice. We build a Just Transition in Sunset Park through community organizing, energy democracy, and cultural expression. Learn more at uprose.org.
(🎨 Flyer by Youngshim Gontijo @artofpoiesis)

First Aid & CPR Class for Mariners
2026-04-19 13:00 - 17:00 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Add valuable rescue skills to your toolbox by taking this certification class. CPR & First Aid is required to be a Trip Leader, we hope you join us!
You can register for the workshop here. Members get a discount so now is the perfect time to join or renew!
We offer this CPR and first-aid training at cost. After completing the course, you can opt to receive your AHA eCard, which you can use as proof that you have successfully completed training.

Farm to Canal Felt Wool Crafting: SAUNA HATS and BIRTHDAY CAKE
2026-04-18 11:00 - 14:00 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Come join us to make sauna hats out of local waste wool and celebrate one of our key wool gatherers day of birth! We will have materials to make hats, birthday cake, and coffee. Bring yourselves, clothes that you’re comfortable getting a little dirty/wet, and patience for the beautiful and long process that is wet felting!!
​Limited materials available (ie waitlist, RSVPs prioritized) but anyone welcome to come hang out!
These collaborative wet felting sessions will be a time to slow down and get to know the community while working with raw wool from farms in New York and New Jersey.

Bunker Spring Clean and Season Prep
2026-04-12 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-04-11 10:00 - 16:00 | Gowanus Dredgers Bunker (19th St.), 2 19th St., Brooklyn, NY
Join us at the Bunker (2 19th St.) for a shoreline clean & green!
We’re going to get the site ready for the upcoming season opening in May. Help us spruce up everything to get ready to welcome the public for events and guided tours. Expect some linseeding of the dock, light construction, painting and checking over our fleet.
Wear clothes you don’t mind getting a bit messy in. We have limited facilities on-site (a porta-san) so bring potable water and some snacks, and don’t forget your sunblock! If the weather is nice we may conclude the day with a quick paddle.

Boathouse Spring Clean
2026-04-04 10:00 - 18:00 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Join us at the Boathouse for our annual Spring Clean! Help us organize, clean and get ready for the coming season.
Wear clothes you don’t mind getting a bit messy in– we’ll have all sorts of tasks on our to-do list from light construction, to painting, to sorting through donations and organizing our ‘kitchen’ supplies. Expect a self-driven afternoon, and come with your creative ideas for streamlining our organization!

Farm to Canal Felt Wool Crafting
2026-03-30 16:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-14 11:00 - 14:00 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Come stay warm and make art at the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse.
These collaborative wet felting sessions will be a time to slow down and get to know the community while working with raw wool from farms in New York and New Jersey.
No experience is needed, and any level of participation is encouraged! Get out of your comfort zone and try something new, or bring your textile arts experience and show us how it’s done.
Dress warm and prepare to get a little messy! We will be inside the Boathouse where the temperature tends to be in the 60s throughout the winter.

Herb Lore - Mysticism Release
2026-03-28 17:00 - 20:30 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Herb Lore – Mysticism Record Release
Live Music
w/ support from Sorcerer
5-8:30pm (music starting at 5:30pm)
$10-15 suggested donation (all proceeds donated to the Gowanus Dredgers)
Address: Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse, 165 2nd St. Brooklyn, NY 11231
Outdoors; dress warmly

A celebration of the Vernal Equinox & Herb Lore‘s second record Mysticism. The past is dead. The future is imaginary. Happiness can only be in the Eternal Now Moment. Drink from the Earth.

The Boathouse Jam: Winter Edition
2026-03-19 18:00 - 20:30 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Keep jamming throughout the winter at the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse. The focus of the winter jam is to work on harder bluegrass tunes in a welcoming group setting. Think tunes that are crooked, go beyond I/IV/V, or are outside the basic standards. Bring your acoustic instrument, bring your jam busters, and be ready to expand your jam comfort zone!
Dress warm! We play inside the Boathouse where the temperature tends to be in the 60s throughout the winter.
Suggested donation $10

Mucking Things Up: Atlanta to the Atlantic with Rachel Parish and Sarah Cameron Sunde
2026-03-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
Come hear from artists Rachel Parish and Sarah Cameron Sunde, who spent over five weeks traveling by kayak and foot along the waters of the South River, from its beginnings in southeast Atlanta, to the Atlantic Ocean.

Atlanta to the Atlantic aims to foster awareness of the South River and its environmental health by bringing people into closer relationship with its waters that run through their neighborhoods. Both a physical and artistic journey, Atlanta to the Atlantic seeks to bring residents in closer relationship with the water flowing through their neighborhoods, while strengthening community understanding of how to improve the river’s water quality and enhance the health of our environment.
