The Ontario Maple Syrup Producers’ Association says that after two years of cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the province will once again be showcasing a new crop of maple syrup during the annual Maple Weekend the first weekend in April.
This year’s event will see the opportunity to get out to a sugarbush and see how maple syrup is produced from tree to table.
However, the popular Powassan Maple Syrup Festival won't be held this year.
"The Maple Syrup Festival Committee, unfortunately, had to make the difficult decision earlier this year - to cancel this year’s festival," says a post on its Facebook page.
"We start organizing in January - all the vendors, kidz zone, entertainers etc., and in January we really had no idea where things would be in April."
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However, Long's Maple Syrup in Trout Creek will be welcoming visitors next Saturday (April 2 and 3) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"Come tour our sugarbush on the first weekend of April," says the Facebook page. "See our evaporator house with our steam boiler and taste some fresh maple syrup. Tour the sap storage, to hear about how we use reverse osmosis to prepare the sap for boiling, and our pump stations, where a vacuum pulls the sap in from the maple trees along the blue lines. Walk a bit further to tour Grandpa's Old Sugarshack where there are buckets collecting sap and a kettle boiling over an open fire. For kids, we have a spring scavenger hunt, maple taffy on the snow, and cookie decorating. Feel free to hike the 200 acres and picnic in the woods. Don't forget to stop at the maple store to get some maple syrup and different maple products on your way out!"
You can also visit Bella Hill Maple Syrup in Powassan or Hubbert's Maple Products in Sundridge.
Trillium Maple Farm in Arnstein will also be participating.
“We’re thrilled to welcome visitors to sugarbushes again this year,” said Leann Thompson, Chair of the OMSPA Maple Weekend working group. “After two years of COVID restrictions we are all eager to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and celebrate the maple syrup season in a safe and COVID-friendly way.”
This year will mark the 8th year for Maple Weekend in Ontario.
Each year, maple syrup producers across Ontario welcome visitors to their sugarbushes over this two-day event to buy fresh maple syrup and celebrate Ontario’s maple heritage along with a new season of production.
"Hosted by the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers’ Association (OMSPA), Maple Weekend is a fun, free, two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates Ontario’s maple heritage at participating sugarbushes across the province," says a news release from the association.
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This spring, the weather looks prime for record flows leading into April, and for the two-day event.
During Maple Weekend, visitors to participating sugarbushes can expect to experience the best of maple syrup season. Traditional maple syrup experiences will differ depending on location, but often include taffy on snow, pancake breakfasts, sugar-making demonstrations, outdoor activities, and chatting one-on-one with the maple syrup producers.
“Each year, many residents of Ontario look forward to their annual family trip to the sugarbush and the chance to buy fresh maple syrup and celebrate the advent of spring,” Thompson said.
Officially launched in 2015, Maple Weekend has been steadily growing each year.
In 2017, Maple Weekend was nominated for Ontario Tourism Event of the Year, and in 2018 the event drew more than 15,000 visitors to maple sugar bushes across the province.
In 2022, there will be more than 60 producers taking part.
