Maple trees are truly a hero in the tree world. They provide shade in the hot weather, beautiful leaves in the fall, and when winter seems like it’ll never end, they can be tapped for their sap. The sap is boiled down to produce maple syrup, and then it’s pancake time!
Who would think something so delicious can come out of the trunk of a tree?
Learn about the process and taste the results with maple syrup events around town, including tours to see the tapped trees in action, pancake breakfasts with fresh syrup, and more.
Maple Syrup Hike at Slate Run Farm
Sample this sweet treat and learn about making maple syrup the 1880s way at Slate Run Metro Park and Living Historical Farm on February 24, 2021. Take a short hike to our sugar bush to learn about maple trees and how to make maple syrup. Find out what types of trees to use, how to tap them and collect sap, and how to process the sap into maple syrup. Program is designed for school age children or older. Sign up for the program on the hour between 10 am – 2 pm – spots are going fast!
When registering for a program, please be sure to change the quantity to reflect the number of people in your family (adults AND children). This is to ensure we keep the group size below 10 people. Please only register individuals in your own household.
Maple Sugar Season at Stratford
Stratford Ecological Center in Delaware offers 3 weekends of Maple Sugar Season tours for small groups of friends and family. Check here for details, dates, and reservations.
Maple Syrup Tour at Shepherd’s Corner
Take a Maple Syrup Tour with your private group of up to 8. Learn all about maple syrup from the tree to your pancakes. You’ll tour the woods, see the boil, and sample of fresh syrup. Book your group now! Registration always fills up!
Maple Syrup Days at Dawes Arboretum
Learn the history and process of maple sugaring as you meander down the paved trail toward The Arboretum’s Log Cabin. The 45 minute guided tours of the Maple Syrup Trail will begin every 15 minutes from 1-4pm on February 27 and 28, advance registration and masks are required.
Tours are included with admission, but advance registration is required. Visitors can register for tours at this link.
Camp Lazarus Maple Fest
Boy Scouts of America sponsor the Camp Lazarus Maple Fest on Saturday March 6 and 13, 2021 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Festival admission is $15 at the gate (no food included), or $20 for the pre-registration package, which includes an All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Feast or Hot Dog Lunch and one official commemorative 2021 Maple Fest patch (offer ends February 28).
Visit the Adams Mullins Sugar Shack to learn how we make our maple syrup and meet our syrup makers. Camp Lazarus Hand-Crafted Maple Syrup available for purchase at the Camp Store while supplies last. The $5 Pancake Feast will be served in the dining hall all day with pancakes, syrup, sausage links and drinks! Hot dogs and chips are available in the afternoon. Meals not included with regular festival admission. Free activities include the pioneer areas where you can learn pioneer games, watch a blacksmith make nails, try your hand at branding and rope making, other skills. Other food and activities are available for a small fee.
All activities are subject to change based on health and safety guidelines. See details about registration, parking, and more on the festival page.
Tree Tappers Maple Syrup Festival
Experience the Camp Ken-Jockety Maple Syrup operation with Girl Scouts of America on March 13-14, 2021. Go on a hike in our maple grove, split some wood, visit the sugarhouse, and enjoy the experience There is something for kids of all ages, and syrup will be on sale. Registration is required to ensure small groups; $8 per person.
Let us know of any other Maple Syrup events by commenting, or emailing info@columbusonthecheap.com
The following maple syrup events are either not on the schedule, or cancelled for 2021.
Maple Sugaring at Homestead Park
Learn about how maple trees are used to produce syrup on tba for 2021. Meet at the Barn Shelter to take a short walk to a maple tree to see how trees are tapped to collect sap. Then see the process of boiling the sap to make syrup. Program is free!
Maple Syrup Time at Gallant Farm
Not scheduled for 2021. Head to Gallant Farms in Delaware to learn how maple sap is extracted from trees and cooked down into syrup. Drop-in program is free; stop by anytime.
Maple Tapping Festival at Charles Alley Nature Park
Head to Lancaster for the Maple Tapping Festival on not scheduled for 2021 from 8 am – 11 am. See how the trees are tapped, maple is produced, and enjoy the Pancake Breakfast from 8 am – 11 am. The festival is free, and the pancake breakfast is $5 per plate.
Charles Alley Nature Park, 2805 Old Logan Road, Lancaster, OH 43130.
Malabar Farms Maple Syrup Festival
Visit Malabar Farms in Lucas, Ohio, about an hour from Columbus, to enjoy the Maple Syrup Festival on cancelled for 2021. Experience sugar camp with live historical demonstrations, horse drawn wagon rides, food and maple products for sale. Admission is FREE!
Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland will be doing a maple sugar event at Camp Ken-Jockety, same day/time as the Boy Scouts at Camp Lazarus
March 2 & 9
Details can be found on gosh.org