Canal Day History and Information
A Historical Archive of Canal Day and the Morris Canal
Canal Day was originally established through the efforts of the Borough of Wharton and the Wharton Rotary Club, and was later continued through the Canal Day Association, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
This website now serves as a historical archive celebrating the restoration of Morris Canal Lock 2 East, Canal Day, and the many volunteers, organizations, businesses, performers, artists, and community members who helped preserve and celebrate an important part of New Jersey history.
The town of Wharton continues to hold a Canal Day festival today. This archive focuses particularly on the history and memories of the years documented here, including the 16 years that John Manna produced and organized Canal Day.
The Morris Canal and Lock 2 East
The Morris Canal played an important role in the industrial and transportation history of New Jersey, connecting communities across the state during the canal's years of operation.
The restoration of Morris Canal Lock 2 East in Wharton helped preserve a tangible part of that history and provided an important setting for community events and educational efforts.
Canal Day grew from that connection to the canal and became an annual celebration of local history, community, music, art, and family activities.
16 Years of Canal Day
For 16 years, John Manna produced and organized Canal Day, working with volunteers, community organizations, businesses, performers, artists, craftspeople, sponsors, and municipal representatives to create an annual celebration that attracted more than 5,000 visitors each year.
During those years, Canal Day became much more than a celebration of the Morris Canal. It became a gathering place for the community.
Families returned year after year to enjoy live music, artists and craftspeople, food, children's activities, local organizations, businesses, historical programs, and the many other activities that made each year's festival unique.
The photographs and materials preserved on this site document some of those years and the people who helped make them possible.
A Community Effort
A festival of this size was never the work of one person.
Canal Day depended on the efforts of countless volunteers and supporters, including community organizations, businesses, artists, musicians, performers, vendors, sponsors, municipal representatives, and residents.
The Canal Day Association helped provide an organizational structure for the festival and its related community efforts.
This archive is intended to recognize and preserve the contributions of the many people who gave their time, talent, resources, and enthusiasm to Canal Day and to the preservation of the Morris Canal.
Canal Day in the News
Over the years, the Morris Canal restoration project and Canal Day were featured in numerous local and regional newspaper articles, television coverage, and historical publications.
Those stories documented the restoration efforts, the growth of the festival, the people involved, and the importance of preserving local history.
Additional photographs, newspaper articles, posters, programs, and historical materials will be added to this archive over time.
Historical Photographs and Memories
The photographs in this archive preserve moments from the many years of Canal Day.
They include images of:
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Morris Canal Lock 2 East
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Festival activities and attractions
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Musicians and performers
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Artists and craftspeople
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Children's activities
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Community organizations
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Local businesses and sponsors
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Volunteers
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Families and visitors
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Special events and demonstrations
More images and historical material will be added as the archive is organized.
About John Manna
John Manna is a photographer and mixed-media artist based in Denville, New Jersey.
John served as President of the Canal Day Association and produced and organized Canal Day for 16 years, helping bring together the volunteers, organizations, businesses, performers, artists, and community members who made the annual festival possible.
Today, John continues his creative work through Enchanted Storybooks and Portraits, where he creates fine-art portraits and storytelling experiences for children, families, individuals, and pets.
His work combines professional photography with hand-painted and mixed-media artistry to create personalized artwork intended to become family heirlooms.
Learn more about Enchanted Storybooks and Portraits →
Current Canal Day Information
The Borough of Wharton continues its Canal Day tradition.
For current information about upcoming Canal Day events, schedules, and activities, please visit the:
Borough of Wharton Official Website
Visit the Borough of Wharton Official Website →
This archive is not the current official source for Canal Day event information. Its purpose is to preserve the history, photographs, and memories of the festival and the people who helped make it part of the Wharton community.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who supported Canal Day, the restoration of Morris Canal Lock 2 East, the Canal Day Association, and the preservation of local history over the years.
The history preserved here belongs to the entire community.
— John Manna
President, Canal Day Association 501(c)(3)