UPPER DELAWARE RIVER, NY & PA — The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway (UDSB) awarded $8,675 for community projects in 2025 through its competitive grant programs and event sponsorships.

The UDSB awarded five Culture and History Along the Byway grants, which are offered to highlight the NYS Route 97 byway’s rich heritage and promote cultural events:

• The Delaware Company, Inc. offered “The British are Coming!” at Seminary Hill Cidery in Callicoon on April 26 to kick off commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s Revolutionary War ride, featuring a living history presentation by History at Play Artistic Director Judith Kalaora as Rachel Revere and a dramatic reading by local thespian Oliver King during a themed dinner. UDSB approved a $1,500 sponsorship on Jan. 27.
• The Barryville Farmers’ Market celebrated American shad, also known as the Founding Fish, on May 17 with themed shad tastings and information at the seasonal opening of the farmers’ market held at the Barryville United Methodist Church grounds, followed by a live performance by international music artist Miho Hitori at the Cochecton Pumphouse that evening. UDSB agreed to serve as a $2,000 level event sponsor on April 28.
• TriVersity Pride Center organized the 2nd Annual “Paddle for Pride” river trip with Kittatinny Canoes from Barryville to Matamoras on June 28 with river safety, regional history, environmental conservation, and LGBTQIA+ programming. The UDSB’s $1,000 grant approved on April 28 enabled offering participation scholarships, promotion, and educational outreach.
• The Cochecton Preservation Society presented its 19th Annual “Coffee, Tea & History” program on September 21 at the Cochecton Train Station along the byway featuring Professor Evan Pritchard addressing the topic of “Cochecton’s First People: What Traces Still Remain”, in addition to Native American food samples and traditional music. UDSB approved an award of $1,100 on April 28.
• The Narrowsburg Farmers’ Market offered a first-time “Harvest Roots: A Taste of Byway Agriculture” on September 27 on the grounds of the Narrowsburg Union, a pop-up event showcasing the region’s farming heritage with free tastings, “then and now” interpretive signage, musical entertainment, and vendors. UDSB approved a $1,000 sponsorship on Aug. 1.

One Promoting Butterflies on the Byway grant, available for habitat promotion efforts, pollinator gardens planting and similar projects, was approved on April 28 for $750 to the Port Jervis Garden Club, Inc. to plant new native wildflower beds at the Port Jervis Community Garden to attract pollinators and to organize a free workshop for pollinator seed ball making and education.

Three Signage Along the Byway grants were approved in 2025. This program offers up to $500 in matching funds to businesses and non-profit groups to develop local ordinance-compliant new signage or replace deteriorated signs to promote byway attractions along or near Route 97.

• Two applications from The Delaware Company, Inc. history preservation organization were approved on June 2: $250 to replace a faded Fort Delaware sign posted on the Museum of Colonial History’s Visitor Center/Gift Shop building in Narrowsburg, and $75 toward replacement of the Town of Highland monument sign at Sullivan County’s Minisink Battleground Park in Minisink Ford reading: “Erected to commemorate the Bicentennial of the United States of America. It contains herein a time capsule to be opened in 2026 A.D.”
• The Hamlet Dream owners Vanessa and Victor Mendes were approved to receive $500 on Nov. 24 to install an improved identification sign for their gift shop and juice bar located directly on the byway in Barryville.

UDSB also offers Vista Enhancement Along the Byway grants to improve New York State Route 97 travelers’ views of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and the byway corridor. Eligible public or private properties for selective clearing work must be located along the designated portions of the byway.

Additionally, UDSB, Inc. provided a $500 sponsorship for the 5th Annual Upper Delaware Litter Sweep coordinated by the Upper Delaware Council in April 2025 as a series of land-based, volunteer-powered trash pick-ups in communities surrounding the nationally designated Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River that largely parallels the byway route.

Funding Support

The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway, which was legislatively added to the New York State Scenic Byways System in 2002, receives no state or federal funding to operate the 501(c)3 corporation. A committee of volunteers appointed by its nine member municipalities with input from river valley stakeholders carries out the objectives of an Enhancement Concept corridor management plan.

The Sullivan County Legislature awarded $40,000 to UDSB through its 2025 Discretionary Funds Contracts program for administrative services provided through an independent contractor program manager position. The reimbursement funding was received on January 12, 2026.

The byway’s fellow eight member municipalities – the Village of Hancock, Towns of Delaware, Cochecton, Tusten, Highland, Lumberland, and Deerpark, and the City of Port Jervis – collectively contributed $7,250 through voluntary contributions in 2025.

The Delaware County Department of Economic Development awarded UDSB a $1,200 Tourism Promotion Grant to assist in the marketing of the inaugural Upper Delaware Scavenger Hunt held from Memorial Day to Labor Day, an app-based contest for outdoor prize packages with clues scattered along the entire 70-mile byway route.

The UDSB Committee accepts grant applications on a rolling basis year-round to review at their regular 4th Monday of the month meetings. Download guidelines and application forms at www.UDSB.net. Direct questions to info@UDSB.net or the toll-free hotline of 866-511-UDSB.