All Boating Events

Rushford Lake Dam Day Poker Run

Lights Over Morse Lake Poker Run

The Rushford Lake Dam Day Poker Run returns Saturday, August 8, 2026, bringing boaters together on Rushford Lake for a full afternoon of poker hands, lake cruising, and fundraising activities benefiting the Caneadea Dam Fund. Organized as a relaxed recreational boating event rather than a speed competition, the annual Dam Day gathering continues growing as one of the more unique grassroots poker runs in Western New York’s summer boating scene.

According to organizers, the 2026 event will officially run from noon until 6:00 p.m., with participation capped at 100 poker hands. Entry pricing is listed at $20 per hand, with cash prizes awarded to the top finishers:

First Place — $200
Second Place — $100
Third Place — $50

Unlike traditional poker runs where physical cards are handed out at marina stops, the Rushford Lake Dam Day event operates entirely through a mobile phone and QR-code-based system. Participants travel to five predetermined checkpoints around the lake and scan QR codes with their phones to automatically receive digital playing cards throughout the afternoon.

Organizers emphasized that the event is “100% phone based” and that all participants will be required to sign a liability waiver before taking part in the run.

The 2026 poker run stops include:

Balcom Beach
Public Beach Boat Dock
Caneadea Dam
Rushford (Caneadea) Dam Park Dock
Glen Road / Navigational Creek Buoy

The event is specifically designed as a relaxed lake-cruising experience and organizers continue stressing that the Dam Day Poker Run is not a race. Participants are encouraged to safely enjoy the lake while visiting each stop and supporting the ongoing Caneadea Dam preservation and funding efforts.

The Dam Day Poker Run is expected to attract pontoons, deck boats, fishing boats, wake boats, jet boats, and recreational cruisers for an afternoon of community boating and waterfront fundraising.

Additional registration information and updates are expected through the official Rushford Lake community Facebook groups leading into the August 2026 event weekend.