One of the coolest things about February and March here in Michigan is the abundance of maple syrup-inspired events. The entire process is really neat to see, and I love that it’s the first farm crop to be harvested in Michigan each year. That is definitely worth celebrating…and noting that spring is on its way!
Some cool facts about maple syrup:
- A tree takes about 40 years before it’s big enough to tap.
- The typical sugaring season starts mid-February through mid-March and last for about 4-6 weeks. The pattern of freezing nighttime temperatures and thawing daytime temperatures create a build up of pressure in the maple trees to get sap flowing through the tapholes. The end of this temperature cycle will cease the flow of sap.
- Michigan ranks 7th in maple syrup production in the United States.
- Maple syrup has many minerals per tablespoon: 20 milligrams of calcium, 2 milligrams of phosphorus, 0.2 milligrams of iron, 2 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium.
Check out one of these great local events with the family for an educational AND delicious experience.
NOTE: Many events require registration, so make sure to plan ahead. Additionally, always double check events are ON due to weather 🙂
2023 Maple Syrup Events in Southeast Michigan
Get your sticky sweet on with one of these family-friendly and inexpensive maple syrup events:
Multiple Weekends, February 26 – March 5: Maple’s Sweet Story at Kensington Metropark, Milford
Take a guided walk through Kensington farm’s Sugar Bush. Learn how to pick the right maple tree, then watch how maple trees are tapped and sap is collected. Stop by the French and Native American camps to hear and see how these techniques have changed through the years. Then, visit the Sugar Shack to see and smell the sap being boiled down into maple sugar. Real maple sugar products will be available for purchase. Tours begin every half hour, last approximately one hour. Participants will walk approximately a ¼ mile over uneven ground.
Cost: $3 per child, $5 per adult, children under 2 free. Pre-registration is required by 4 p.m. three days before the program.
Multiple Weekends, February 25 – March 11: Journey to the Sugar Bush at Hudson Mills Metropark, Dexter
Take a journey across a field to the Sugar Bush and experience how maple syrup has been made over the years. Learn how to tap a tree, and then visit the evaporator to see the sap being boiled into syrup. This program is predominantly outdoors, weather permitting. Portions of the program may be held inside dependent on weather.
When you register, you can also add pancakes to go. Pancake meals are available through pre-order only, between 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., weekends in March.
Cost: $3 per child, $5 per adult; children under 2 free. Pre-registration is required by 4 p.m. the day before the program.
All March: Self-Guided Maple Sugaring Hike at select Huron-Clinton Metroparks
Visit select Huron-Clinton Metropark’s Interpretive Centers for a self-guided hike option. Look for the sign that marks the beginning of the trail and then hike until you find each trail stop, scan the QR codes, and learn more about this seasonally sweet treat, right on your smartphone. You can find the self-guided hike the entire month of March at:
- Wolcott Mill Metropark Historic Center
- Stony Creek Metropark Nature Center
- Kensington Metropark Farm Center {also offering a pancakes-to-go option}
- Hudson Mills Metropark Activity Center {also offering a pancakes-to-go option}
- Oakwoods Metropark Nature Center
March 4, 11, 18: Maple Syrup Time at Stage Nature Center, Troy
Take a hike through the sugar bush of the Stage Nature Center and discover how maple trees make sugar and people through the ages have harvested it. Small groups will be guided along the outdoor trail and participate in activities to learn more about maple syrup making. There may be a short visit to the Sugar Shed if guidelines allow. There will be maple syrup and maple cream to sample and a take-home children’s craft. Tours last approximately 1.25 hours and start every quarter hour between 9 am and 3 pm. Register in advance for a specific day.
Cost: Teens and adults are $10, children ages 4-12 are $7, and children under 4 are free.
March 4, 11, 18: Maple Sugaring at Johnson Nature Center, Bloomfield Hills
Discover how to identify and tap the perfect sugar maple tree and enjoy the sights, smells, and tastes of the sweet syrup-making process in our Sugar Shack and Log Cabin. Self-guided tours begin every half hour from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. with numerous activities available at your own pace. Explore the log cabin, experience tree tapping, work on your tree identification skills, and much more with our staff and volunteers there to engage you in the joys of the season along the way.
Cost: $12 per person, ages 2 years and older, Pre-register in advance.
Multiple Dates, Weekends, March 4-25: Maple Sugaring at Stony Creek Metropark, Shelby Township
Learn the history of sugaring and how to identify maple trees and then hike into the woods to tap a maple. Afterwards, return to the campfire and learn the process of boiling sap into rich maple syrup.
Cost: $5 per child, $5 per adult, children under 2 are free. Pre-registration is required by 4 p.m. the day before the program.
March 11: Old-Time Maple Sugar Festival, Chelsea
Visit the Eddy Discovery Center for a guided walk to see various methods of collecting sap, and learn how to boil it down to make syrup. Antique equipment for making syrup will be on display from the Waterloo Farm Museum, and maple products will be available for purchase.
Cost: FREE
March 11-12: Maplefest at MSU Tollgate Farm, Novi
MSU Tollgate’s Maplefest explores Michigan’s sweetest winter crop, maple syrup! Enjoy a wagon ride out to the Sugar Bush. Munch on sweet maple-themed treats and sip a hot beverage from the concession stand. Learn how to identify a maple tree. Tap a tree. See where the magic happens in our Sugar Shack. Cost is $15 per person. Pre-registration required.
Weekends, March 11 – April 2: Maple Syrup Tours at Maybury Farm, Northville
Head to Maybury Farm for an engaging tour starting with a wagon ride to the forested area. There you will walk into the sugar bush where you’ll learn the amazing way sugar maple trees produce sap, why sap flows, how to tap and collect sap from the tree. The wagon will then take you to the Sugar Shack where you’ll learn how the sap becomes delicious maple syrup by watching the process in action and then sample the finished product.
Cost: $10 per person, kids under 2 are FREE (must sit on a lap on wagon ride).
March 11: Maple Syrup Scientist at For-Mar Nature Preserve, Burton
The sap has started to flow and it’s time to turn it into syrup for our pancakes! Learn some of the history behind For-Mar’s Sugar Bush Trail, what it takes to make syrup, and try a few tasty treats in the process. Dress for the weather. Suggested for ages 5 and up.
Cost: $5/person
March 12: Maple Madness at Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve, Rochester
Learn to identify the sweetest trees and taste their sap for yourself. Discover how maple sap becomes other maple products as we begin the process at our campfire. Morning and afternoon sessions available. Register in advance.
Cost: $6 for non-members, $4 for members
March 25: Maple Syrup Festival at For-Mar Nature Preserve, Burton
Sign up for one of our 3 festival time slots to learn firsthand how maple syrup is made. From tapping to pancake topping, see it all. Trained For-Mar staff will be on hand to share information maple sugaring tips and trick along with winter tree ID. For all ages and abilities. Available time slots: 10 a.m. – 11:30 p.m., 12:30 – 2 p.m. & 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Coat: $15/car. Pre-registration is required by 3/24/23 space is limited to 25 car per time slot.
March 19: Maple Syrup Festival at Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, Shelby Township
Join us as we turn our maple sap into syrup through the process of maple sugaring. Learn how trees make sugar and how people through the ages have harvested it. There will be hands-on crafts and an opportunity to taste test our finished product. Jars of organic, homemade maple syrup will be available for purchase.
Cost: $5 per resident, $7 per non-resident. Ages 2 and under are free.
March 25: Maple Syrup Festival at Fenner Nature Center, Lansing
Visit the nature center from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and see stations demonstrating sap boiling techniques from a Native American sugaring log, homesteader kettle, long pan and modern evaporators. You can learn how to tap a tree or test out historic transport methods like our yoke lift. This year, we’re introducing new stations too, where you can make your own sumac spiles, learn to ID trees ready for tapping and hear about “sap suckers,” the animals that drink maple sap during long winters. Then, after, pick up some sweet treats like maple candies, maple sugar, and of course, maple syrup!
Cost: Free, but a donation is recommended
Have you seen the maple sugar process? If not, definitely check out one of these events!
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