March Maple Syrup Festival
- March 4-5th 11- 4pm, 11-12th 11-4pm & 18-19th 11-4pm
- John R. Park Homestead and Holiday Beach
- 519-776-5209
- admin@erca.org
- Buy Tickets
March Maple Syrup Festival
The First Taste of Spring Maple Syrup Festival is back and its bigger and better than ever, during the first three weekends of March at John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area and Holiday Beach Conservation Area. Three themed weekends of outdoor fun activities and unique experiences for the whole family! You won’t want to miss this iconic sweet-tasting tradition and celebration of natural and cultural heritage.
“Early Settler maple making will be the focus of the John R. Park Homestead activities, with blacksmithing demonstrations, costumed interpretation, and the ever-popular maple taffy in the snow taking place each weekend. At Holiday Beach, we’ll be demonstrating modern evaporation techniques. Bad Axe will provide guests opportunities to try their hand at axe-throwing during the first Lumberjack-themed weekend, and there will be horse and wagon rides through Holiday Beach every Saturday.”
A new Maple Trail connecting the two sites has also been created, featuring nine local businesses with unique maple offerings during the Festival’s three weekends. “Families can find unique maple baked goods, family-friendly maple food pairings, decadent food and wine specials and much more along the Maple Trail,” Breault Stuebing adds. “If you download the free #MapleTail pass and check in at two locations or more, you will be entered for the chance to win one of three sweet maple prize packages.”
Admission to the event ranges from $6 – $8 for a single person/single day/single site. Weekend passes for the entire family for both locations are $50, and an all-access pass for the entire family for all three weekends can be purchased for just $80. This seasonal pass purchase also provides admission to all conservation areas and special events for the entire year. Advance ticket purchases are encouraged so you can skip the line!
This is a family fun event you don’t want to miss!
Lumberjack Weekend
Get your flannel ready March 4th – 5th from 11am – 4pm enjoy lumberjack games, lumberjack costume competition, mustache competition, butter tart competition, axe throwing with Bad Axe, chainsaw and wood carving demonstrations, kids crafts, pioneer and modern maple making and so much more! Travel the maple trail between Festival sites, and discover special offers along the route.
Tasters' Weekend
It’s a Tasters’ paradise for all things Maple! Sample baked goods, maple butter, maple sugar and more. Taste various syrups and learn how they make the grade. Butter tart contest, winter hikes, crafters’ market, and the Maple Markets at both locations. Horse drawn wagon rides and much more. Travel the maple trail between Festival sites, and discover special offers along the route.
Makers' Weekend
Did you know maple making is an Indigenous innovation? Learn more about its origins this weekend. Learn to tap YOUR trees at home and make maple in the snow. Awarding of the Lumber Games ‘Crown’ and the Backyard Makers Award. Meet the Makers, Winter Bird Hike and much more on this final festival weekend. Travel the maple trail between Festival sites, and discover special offers along the route.