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Maple Syrup Festival
Saturday, March 18, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Calling all Families, Foodies and Fun-Loving Folk for March Maple Festival!
Experience this sweet-tasting tradition and a celebration of natural and cultural heritage in our community with special themes to enjoy each weekend.
March is Maple Month, and this year we’re celebrating with an expanded Maple Syrup Festival that spans three weekends and two locations, with a Maple Trail connecting the two sites at the John R. Park Homestead and Holiday Beach Conservation Areas.
March 4 and 5 is Lumberjack Weekend: Get your flannel ready for #YQG’s first Lumber Games, a beard and moustache contest and axe throwing! Participate in the family Lumber Games, take in blacksmithing demonstrations, experience indigenous, pioneer and modern maple making and so much more!
| John R. Park Homestead | Holiday Beach |
|---|---|
| Tap the Tree – Join us as one lucky guest will tap the first Maple tree to open the Festival 11am – Saturday, March 4 |
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| Axe Throwing Demonstration – 11:00, 1:00, 2:00 | Axe Throwing With Bad Axe – Test your skills with Bad Axe – Axe Throwing to see how you measure up! Ages 12+ (Must have adult present to sign waiver) |
| Family Friendly Axe Throwing – 11:00 – 3:30 | Kids’ Corner – Crafts – 11:00 – 3:00 |
| Blacksmithing Demonstrations 11:00 – 3:30 | Horse Drawn Carriage Rides – 12:00 – 3:00, Saturday March 4 |
| Kids’ Corner – Crafts 11:00 – 3:00 | Lumber Games: Groups of 4 – 6 can test their lumber skills and be awarded the ‘Crown’. 12:00 – 3:00, Sunday March 5 |
| Maple Song & Story – 11:30, 1:00, 3:45 | Maple Tree Walk – 2:30, Saturday March 4 |
| Make Maple Taffy on Snow – 12:00, 1:30, 3:00 | Best Dressed Lumberjack Categories include: Best Individual Costume, Best Kids’ Costume, Best Group Costume 3:00, Sunday March 5 |
| Best Moustache Contest – 12:30, Saturday March 4 Categories include: Natural, Waxed, & Faux |
Modern Maple Evaporator Demonstrations – all day |
| Science of Maple Exhibit – all day | Science of Maple Exhibit – all day |
| Activities & Games – At the Sawmill – all day | Maple Mountain Play Area – all day |
| Maple Market – Pure Maple Products – all day | Maple Market – Pure Maple Products – all day |
*Schedules are subject to change
March 11 and 12 is Tasters’ Weekend: We’re talking all things Maple this weekend! Sample baked goods, maple butter, maple sugar and many more epicurean delights. Taste syrups and learn how they’re made. PLUS a butter tart contest, winter hike, horse drawn wagon rides and more!
| John R. Park Homestead | Holiday Beach |
|---|---|
| Maple Song & Story – 11:15, 1:00, 3:45 | Horse Drawn Wagon Rides – (Saturday ONLY) 12:00 – 3:00 |
| Best Maple Butter Tart Contest – 11:30 | Winter Birding Hike – 2:30 |
| Make Taffy on Snow – 12:00, 1:30, 3:00 | Maple Market – Pure Maple Products – all day |
| Fox Creek Wildlife in Winter Hike – 3:30 |
Ruscom Maple – Taste pure maple local syrup – all day |
| Maple Grading – Talk & Taste: See and taste the different grades of maple syrup – all day | Tasters’ Tent – Discover the sweet secrets of incorporating maple into a variety of products! Tasting samples and products available to purchase |
| Maple Market – Pure Maple Products including maple cotton candy and maple butter tarts – all day | Modern Maple Making – see the sap transformed to pure maple syrup |
| Science of Maple Exhibit – all day | Science of Maple Exhibit – all day |
| Kids’ Corner – Crafts, Activities, Games – all day | Kids’ Corner – Maple Mountain, Crafts, Activities & Games – all day |
| Blacksmithing Demonstrations – all day | |
| Maple Sugar and Maple Butter Sampling – all day |
*Schedules are subject to change
March 18 and 19 is Makers’ Weekend: Did you know maple making is an Indigenous innovation? Learn about its origins, how to tap your trees at home and make maple in the snow and more! An artisans’ market, Border City Barkers, and the backyard maple maker winner will be crowned.
| John R. Park Homestead | Holiday Beach |
|---|---|
| Maple Song & Story – 11:15, 1:00, 3:45 | Artisan and Crafters’ Market – 11:00 – 4:00 |
| Make Taffy on Snow – 12:00, 1:30, 3:00 | Winter Tree Hike – 12:00 |
| Maple Making – An Indigenous Innovation: Learn about the discovery of ‘sweet water’ and the origins of maple syrup & sugar | Horse Drawn Wagon Rides – 12:00 – 3:00, Saturday |
| Making Maple at Home – Learn how to tap YOUR trees! | Meet Your Maple Maker – Sunday: Ruscom Maple 2:00 How to tap, prepare for 2024 |
| Meet the Makers – Saturday – all day | Winter Bird Hike – 2:30 |
| Science of Maple Exhibit – all day | Backyard Maple Contest & Award – 3:00, Sunday |
| Maple Market – pure maple products to take home! – all day | Maple Market – Pure Maple Products – all day |
| Kids’ Corner – Crafts, Activities & Games – all day | Science of Maple Exhibit – all day |
| Blacksmithing Demonstrations – all day | Kids’ Corner – Maple Mountain, Crafts, Activities & Games – all day |
| Kids’ Axe Throwing Center – all day |
*Schedules are subject to change
Get your tickets on our website.
