HAMBURG, N.Y. — It's that time of year in Western New York. Maple producers are opening their facilities this weekend for Maple Weekend.
Visitors will get the chance to to see how maple syrup is made. Sugar houses will be open this weekend and next weekend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Admission is free.
Find the nearest maple syrup producer on the Maple Weekend website.
As part of the Maple Weekend festivities, Erie County will be holding its Tree Tap Maple festival next Saturday, March 25. From noon to 4 p.m. families can come out to the Erie County Forestry Bureau’s “Sugar Shack” in East Concord to seem demonstrations of how maple is produced and get a park ranger-guided tour.
Maple inspired food will also be available from Fat Bob's BBQ and desserts by Blue Eyed Baker.
“Maple Weekend is a fun way to get out and enjoy one of the hidden treasures of our Erie County Parks’ system, the Sugar Shack at the Bureau of Forestry in Concord. Erie County produces about 250 to 300 gallons of maple syrup annually at this facility and families can see the syrup-making process, buy some syrup to take home, and enjoy numerous other activities at the Festival,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said.
“I thank our Parks’ department personnel and our partners for their collaboration on this great seasonal event.”
Added Carl Smith, owner of Smith's Maple Farm: "It starts early. You've got to get your lines and your buckets set up, and normally the season is a month and a half. We normally end around April 1. That's when the trees stop giving, and we process every day that it warms up in between."