The Lanark & District Maple Syrup Producers’ Association (LDMSPA) is pleased to announce Maple Weekend is back again this year, taking place April 1 to 2, 2023. This year’s event will feature 12 participating maple syrup producers in Lanark, Leeds, and Frontenac counties and is a great way to celebrate the emergence of spring and maple syrup season.
“Maple Weekend is an ideal opportunity to visit sugarbushes and experience local maple farming,” said Jamie Fortune, President. “Spending time outdoors in a maple bush is a great way to enjoy spring and mark the changing of the seasons.”
Taking place the first weekend of April each year, Maple Weekend is a fun, two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates Ontario’s maple heritage at participating sugarbushes across the province. An early spring seems to be on the horizon this year, which could mean a banner year for maple syrup production, and even more reason to visit a sugarbush before maple season is over.
On April 1 and 2, visitors to participating sugarbushes in Lanark, Leeds, and Frontenac counties can expect to experience the best of maple syrup season. Traditional maple syrup experiences may differ from farm to farm, but often include taffy on snow, pancake breakfasts, sugarmaking demonstrations, outdoor activities, scavenger hunts, and chatting one-on-one with the maple syrup producers who make this sweet liquid gold.
“Every year the excitement builds the closer we get to spring, and maple syrup producers work long hours to make gather sap and manufacture maple products,” said Fortune. “We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors to share our traditions of maple syrup production.”
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 after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the event was held again in 2022 and drew more than 15,000 visitors to maple sugarbushes across the province.
Maple Weekend features two full days of activities and specials at participating maple syrup producers across the province. Running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, visitors can expect to enjoy tasting a new crop of maple syrup and getting an inside look on how this sweet liquid gold is produced.
In 2023, there will be 12 sugar bushes taking part in Maple Weekend in Lanark & District:
- Blair Brothers Maples, Westport
- East Slope Maple Products, Fermoy
- Fortune Farms Sugar Bush, Almonte
- Fulton’s Sugar Bush and Maple Shop, Pakenham
- Golden Moment Farm, Athens
- Jameswood Maple, Lanark
- McEwen Acres, Portland
- Oliver’s Mapleworks, Perth
- Quabbin Hill Maple, Mallorytown
- Temple’s Sugar Bush, Lanark
- Thompsontown Maple Products, Clayton
- Wheelers Maple Products, McDonald’s Corners
Please visit the website for more information about what’s being offered at each location: mapleweekend.ca.
