10 Ohio Maple Events Sure to Sweeten the Season

It’s that time of year again, when below-freezing temperatures at night and warm, sunny days create the perfect conditions to get maple sap flowing. For centuries, Ohioans have taken advantage of this natural phenomenon by catching sap in taps and buckets and boiling it down into sweet and sticky maple syrup. And lucky us, we get to reap the benefits in more ways than one. Check out these four maple festivals and pancake breakfasts across the state that serve up an experience that is quintessentially springtime Ohio.

Maple Sugaring Weekends | Feb. 28-Mar. 1, Mar. 7-8
Travel to Kirtland for two maple-fueled weekends. Begin the day with a breakfast of  warm, fluffy pancakes, as well as potatoes, bacon and sausage served with Lake Metropark Farmpark’s original maple syrup. After a wagon ride to the Woodland Center, visitors can watch a step-by-step demonstration on collecting, boiling and producing syrup. Stick around at the center for backyard sugaring, sugarbush tours and horse-drawn sugarbush management tutorials. Maple syrup, maple candy and maple stirs are available in the Woodland Center and the gift shop. lakemetroparks.com

PancakeTown USA | Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22
Since 1951, Burton has welcomed over 20,000 hungry guests to enjoy buttery pancakes topped with local maple syrup. Several local businesses whip up record-breaking numbers of pancakes each year, earning the village its nickname of “PancakeTown USA.” Every Sunday, the Burton Log Cabin, built in 1931, acts as a centerpiece of the celebration, offering sap-boiling demonstrations and maple candy and stirs for sale. pancaketown-usa.com

49th Annual Maple Syrup Festival | Mar. 7-8, 14-15
Satisfy your sweet tooth during this storied event at Malabar Farm State Park. Visitors can sign up for horse-drawn wagon rides and take a self-guided tour of “The Big House,” author and conservationist Louis Bromfield’s country retreat. The Richland County destination features a sugar camp with live syrup-making demonstrations, and attendees should be sure to sample and purchase maple products before they go. ohiodnr.gov

Maple Syrup Festival | Mar. 7-8, 14-15
Since 1967, Oxford’s Hueston Woods State Park has played host to an all-you-can-eat pancake feast. Start the morning at the Lodge’s Trailblazing Dining Room for flapjacks, then meet at the Hueston Woods Beach lot to board a hayride. The ride brings visitors to Big Woods Preserve for a guided hike sharing information about the art of syrup production. Finish up at the Sugar House to purchase syrup, food and beverages. Before you head home, stop at the Nature Center to learn about reptiles, foxes and birds of prey native to southwest Ohio. enjoyoxford.org

Maple Madness Driving Trail | Mar. 7-8, 14-15
Take a sugary sweet road trip with this trail that traverses the entirety of the Buckeye State and features 33 stops, including Lima’s Maple Moraine Farm, Mansfield’s Dolce Sugar House and Jefferson’s Bissell Maple Farm. Visit the destination closest to you for opportunities to tap trees and collect sap, sample a variety of syrups and dig in to sweet treats and hot drinks. Check out this year’s tour booklet for information about the farm, sugarhouse or distillery nearest you, or take a roadtrip to check out multiple participating locations. ohiomaple.org/maple-madness.html

Maple Sugar Festival and Pancake Breakfast | Mar. 7-8, 14-15, 21-22
This three-weekend event highlights traditions of 19th-century farm life, brought to life by Hale Farm & Village’s storytellers and makers. Start at the destination’s Gatehouse Visitor Center for a filling pancake breakfast, then get to exploring. Discover the time-honored process of maple sugaring through live demonstrations at C.O. Hale’s 1910 Sugar House. Plus, view cooking and craft demonstrations and see draft animals at work. End your visit with a trip to the MarketPlace, which is stocked with seasonal gifts and a selection of Ohio-made goods. wrhs.org

Maple Sugaring in the Hills | Mar. 14-15
Take a peek into syrup-centered southern Ohio history at Hocking Hills State Park. Visitors can head to the historic cabin behind the Old Man’s Cave Visitor Center for live demonstrations, as well as to meet a local producer selling maple goods. explorehockinghills.com

Maple Syrup Festival | Mar. 21-22
Come for the live sap-to-syrup demonstrations, stay for the pancake and sausage breakfast. Held at Lakeview’s Indian Lake State Park, the Indian Lake Development Corporation serves up the morning staples drizzled with pure maple syrup. ohiodnr.gov

Geauga County Maple Festival | April 23-26
This 100-year-old festival takes place over four days, offering opportunities for attendees to participate in a variety of activities, including bathtub races, amusement rides, a pancake-eating contest and a Sap Run race. Tap into traditional events like lumberjack competitions and the sap boil. Plus, make sure to stop by the Pancakes in the Park tent for all-you-can eat pancakes, plus two sausage links and a beverage, for $10 per adult. Stick around for Tappin’ Sunday, which includes tapping of all of the trees on Chardon Square. The maple is later taken to Chardon Square Sugar House, where it’s turned into maple syrup stirs. maplefestival.com

Bellbrook Sugar Maple Festival | April 24-26
This southwest Ohio city takes celebrating maple syrup seriously. Now celebrating its 45th year, the festival features a sap boiling demonstration, pancake breakfast and food vendors. For the 21-and-over crowd, Friday and Saturday nights offer beer and wine gardens, and for the little ones, look for children’s activities like carnival games and face painting. Keep an eye out for exclusive mugs, maple syrup cream puffs and a “locals only” donut. sugarmaplefestival.com

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