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Cottage Life

15 maple syrup festivals and events you don’t want to miss

Photo by Colin Woods/Shutterstock

What better way to spend the tail end of winter than by making your way through all the maple syrup events happening across Ontario? There’s an abundance of sugar bush farms with mouthwatering treats to sample, which means there’s no shortage of maple-themed fun to be had. 

Whether you’re a die-hard syrup enthusiast or just looking for a fun day out, there’s sure to be a festival or event near you. Dive into our list of the top 15 maple syrup events across Ontario and start planning your next sweet adventure today.

Tap into Maple in Orillia & Lake County 

Hit up the maple syrup trail in Central Ontario from March 3 to April 2 to visit some of the best maple syrup producers in Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Rama, Ramara, and Severn. With over 20 locations and 10 maple syrup producers, there will be sweet treats and maple-inspired cuisine and experiences.

Check out this handy map to plan your journey. 

Maple Madness 2023 at Cataraqui Conservation in Kingston Ont. 

Time to gear up for the 40th anniversary of Maple Madness. Sign up online to participate in the March Break events or visit the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area each weekend, starting on March 4. You can take a tractor ride to the sugar bush and learn how to make maple syrup before sampling the sweets and stacks of freshly made pancakes. 

Activities run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and self-guided tours are also available. Register online today. 

Pefferlaw Creek Farms 2023 Maple Weekends

You’re in luck this year because Pefferlaw Creek is not only having one but eight weekends of sugar shack fun, plus tapping tours and hiking from March 4 to April 23. 

You don’t need to book ahead, but you do need to bring your appetite—Pefferlaw Creek Farms will serve a delicious pancake breakfast and many samplings on weekends. Admission is $5 per person or $20 for a family. Forest trails will close at 5 p.m.

Ferme Proulx et Érablière in Ottawa

Satisfy your sweet tooth all season long with a visit to Ferme Proulx et Érablière—festivities start March 5. You can partake in outdoor farm activities and sugar bush visits from 9 to 5 p.m. and enjoy smores kits and snacks alongside a pancake breakfast.

Virtual tours are available Tuesday to Thursday between March 1 to April 14. Call 613-833-2417 or email info@proulxfarm.com to reserve.

Maple Magic at Regal Point Elk Farm

Join the Rotary Club of Wiarton on the weekends of March 18 and 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a full day of food and fun. From fresh pancake meals and maple taffy on snow to activities and an elk tour, there is something for the whole family to enjoy. 

Stop by 462081 Concession 24 in Georgian Bluffs and bring a donation to enter, which helps support the Rotary Club and more events throughout the year. 

32nd Annual Sweetwater Harvest Weekends at Wyemarsh in Midland, Ont. 

What’s better than one weekend of festivities? Two weekends, of course! Head to Wyemarsh on March 18, 19, 25, and 26 to learn about the history of local Indigenous People’s traditional maple syrup-making practices and check out live historical demonstrations after you and the family wonder through the sugar bush, snacking on some liquid gold along the way. 

Purchase tickets through Eventbrite, and come early because there’s limited parking. 

Annual Kemble Maple Syrup Tour at Kemble, Sarawak & Zion Keppel United Churches 

Stamp your maple syrup passport by touring six local maple syrup operations on April 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Kemble, Ont. Munch down on a maple-themed meal at Kemble-Sarawak United Church from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., making room for Belgian waffles, local maple syrup, baked beans, coleslaw, and peameal bacon. 

Pick up your passport ahead of time at Kemble Post Office, Josie’s Fashions in Wiarton, Bayshore Country Feeds in Owen Sound, or Balmy Beach Convenience from March 4 to 25—get yours soon because space is limited.

Maple Sugar Festival at Brooks Farms

Need March Break plans? Take that sweet tooth to Brooks Farms and devour a delicious pancake breakfast, followed by a sugar bush tour every day over the break. (Tours are available throughout the day.) You’ll also have the chance to hop on a wagon ride, warm up at the campfire, and sample different maple syrup products.

Get your Maple Sugar Festival tickets here. 

Elmira Maple Syrup Festival

Join the Elmira community for a full day of demonstrations, activities, and pancakes with maple syrup (or maple syrup with a side of pancake) on April 1. Take a bus ride to explore the nearby sugar bushes to find out how to tap maple trees, collect the sap, and prepare it for tasting. 

Before the event, grab an Elmira maple syrup festival sap pail for $10 by contacting Kyle Bosomworth at 226-979-9146. 

Spring Tonic Maple Syrup Festival at Tiffin Centre for Conservation and Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Area

Check out the Spring Tonic Festival on April 1 and 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to catch a historical demonstration comparing how Indigenous People first maple syrup to how farmers make it today. Leave room for a yummy pancake and sausage breakfast with fresh syrup, and take part in various activities like a horse-drawn wagon ride. 

Download the self-guided maple syrup tour on your phone to explore Tiffin Conservation Area’s sugar bush.

Maple Grove Syrup Tours in Severn

You won’t want to miss the self-guided sugar bush tour, family-friendly activities and lots of maple syrup tastings at the Maple Grove Syrup Tours on April 1 and 2 at 2448 Burnside Line. 

Lunch and refreshments will be provided, along with a demonstration of turning sap into syrup. Grab your tickets on the website today. 

Belmore Maple Syrup Festival at Belmore Community Centre

After a three-year hiatus, Belmore Maple Syrup Festival is back and ready to welcome everyone with a pancake breakfast, live music, craft show, and kid’s room on April 6 and 8. Don’t forget to take a peak at the outdoor maple syrup demonstration. 

Grab your tickets at the door—children under five are free. All events are wheelchair accessible. 

Maple in Muskoka on Huntsville’s Main Street

It’s back again! On April 29, Maple in Muskoka is bringing the community together to celebrate the maple harvest from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry is free and the day will be packed with a maple marketplace, game zone, live music, drumming circle, busker square, a Rotary Pancake Breakfast and more.

Stay the whole weekend and explore the Muskoka Maple Trail on your own, too!

Festival of the Maples in Perth, Ont.

Head on over to the Festival of the Maples on Saturday, April 29, to visit local vendors and sample all the tasty treats that Eastern Ontario offers. Enjoy a full day of entertainment, awards, and the sap-tapping and wood cookie competition.

Catch King of Swingers, Duke LeBold, and Jonathan Cao performing on the street and stock up on maple products to use in future recipes.

Elmvale Maple Syrup Festival 

If you need an excuse to eat more maple syrup, visit Elmvale’s Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday, April 29, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All proceeds go to schools, music programs for children, and more. 

While you’re there, check out the Arts, Craft, and Quits Show, take your shot at the Annual Log Sawing Competition, stuff yourself full during the Pancake Eating contest, shop at the local vendors, and join in on the local tours.

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Here are some of the major events and venues disrupted by Rogers’ outage

Yesterday was absolute chaos for most Canadians thanks to a massive, day-long Rogers outage that took down internet and wireless services and disrupted financial services, businesses, government services and more. While we previously documented some of the many services impacted by the Rogers outage, it’s also worth noting that the outage disrupted several big events slated for July 8th.

From The Weeknd to the Calgary Stampede, here are some of the surprising events impacted by Rogers:

The Weeknd

Toronto’s own The Weeknd was set to light up the Rogers Centre (formerly Skydome) on July 8th, kicking off his ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ stadium tour. Unfortunately for fans, the show got postponed.

The news came (hilariously) via a tweet from the official Toronto Blue Jays account, warning that “service outages impacting venue operations” lead to postponing the show. I particularly like how the Rogers-owned Blue Jays didn’t feel the need to specify that it was a Rogers service outage that postponed the show. The tweet promised a new show date would be announced ASAP and tickets would be honoured.

About an hour later, The Weeknd shared a message with fans on Twitter, saying he was “crushed [and] heartbroken” but that it was “out of our hands because of the Rogers outage.”

“Operations and safety are compromised and I tried my absolute best. This one hurts the most, and we will make this show happen, but unfortunately not tonight,” he wrote.

Peter Nygard

Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard was due to appear in a Montreal court via video conference on July 8th, but the appearance was postponed due to the Rogers outage.

Nygard faces one count each of sexual assault and forcible confinement in Quebec and is accused of 11 counts of sexual assault and three counts of forcible confinement in Toronto related to allegations from the late 1980s and mid-2000s. Nygard also faces extradition to the U.S. over sex-related charges there.

According to CBC News, prosecutor Jerome Laflamme said it was impossible to have Nygard appear in the Quebec court because of the outage. Nygard is currently detained in a Toronto jail.

Calgary Stampede

While not as big of an impact, the Rogers outage did disrupt the Calgary Stampede, which started July 8th. The official Calgary Stampede Twitter account posted a message asking attendees to “come prepared with cash or credit” because of the Rogers outage impacting some methods of payment.

Scotiabank Arena, Massey Hall, and more

Finally, several major venues went cash-only amid the outage. According to The Globe and Mail, Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena and Massey Hall tweeted notices for attendees to pre-print tickets and to arrive early because “delays are expected.”

Similarly, shopping malls like Yorkdale and Square One said some stores wouldn’t open due to the outage.

Categories
Cottage Life

8 Canada Day events to celebrate your red and white spirit

Photo by downtownbracebridge.com

The pandemic may have made many Canada Day events virtual for the last couple of years, but cottage country is not holding back on the celebrations now. From children’s games and activities to musical performances, beer gardens, and community traditions, there is something everyone can enjoy on July 1. 

Huntsville 

If you’re in Huntsville, celebrate Canada Day at Muskoka Heritage Place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets range from $13.15-$19.40, but admission is free from 9 to 11 a.m. The day will start with dignitary speeches, followed by live music and activities for all ages, including pioneer demonstrations and costumed narrators. The Steam Museum will also reopen, and trains will run every hour from noon to 3 p.m. Make sure to stop by the Lions Club for a peameal sandwich and cupcakes. For more details, visit Muskoka Heritage Place. 

For more fun, make your way to River Mill Park between noon and 6 p.m. You can cool down with a cold one at the Lake of Bays Beer Garden while listening to free musical performances from Sean Cotton & The New Locals, Gina Horswood, The Waterhouse Band, Postman Dan & The Love Letters, and Brickz & Taktikz. Support charity and have a hot dog at the barbecue. Keep up-to-date on all the events with the Downtown Huntsville BIA. 

Collingwood

Bring the family to Collingwood’s three-day Canada Weekend event from July 1-3. Start the celebrations off with a pancake breakfast on Friday, followed by a bike parade starting at Trott’s Sports Excellence Parking Lot and ending at the Collingwood Library. Stay in the downtown core to enjoy the Citizenship Reaffirmation Ceremony, the cutting of Canada’s birthday cake, and the 10th annual rubber duck race. Make sure you secure an early spot at Millennium Park or along the Waterfront Promenade for the best firework views at 10 p.m.

The rest of the weekend is full of events such as the Collingwood Downtown Farmers’ Market on Saturday morning at the Pine St. Parking Lot; the Collingwood Arts Market all day Saturday on Simcoe Street; and the Wild Card Street Circus from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Sheffer Court.

You’ll also want to visit the Georgian Life photo booth and the Porchside Festival on Friday and Saturday. Lastly, don’t forget to take a selfie with Candid Canuck—a Collingwood icon! The Town of Collingwood has all the details you need to know. 

Parry Sound

Canada Day meets Ribfest this year in Parry Sound at the Stockey Centre. Starting at 11 a.m. on Friday, kids can have fun with inflatables, face painting, balloon artists, and even play Midway games. Adults can enjoy the beer garden from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. all weekend. There will also be musical performances during the three-day event, featuring The OneTimers, Jessica Sevier, and The Sun Harmonic. Fireworks will commence at dusk on Friday.

And as you work up an appetite celebrating the long weekend, you can eat your way through Ribfest from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on July 1-3. More details on Canada Day and Ribfest can be found on The Stockey Centre website. 

Check out these Canada Day essentials you can use all summer long!

Westport

Westport is the place to be for a jam-packed day of fun and endless events. Get an early start with breakfast at the Westport Welcome Centre starting at 8 a.m., and then take the family to enjoy children’s and music by Tom Gard and Elvis at Westport Lions Beach from noon to 4 p.m. The Annual Bicycle Parade will start at 2 p.m. at St. Edward Catholic School. If you’re looking for a little more, you can take a helicopter ride at the Rideau Lakes Airfield. Reserve your spot at Circle K. You can also visit the Rideau Museum from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or see the carriage display on Rideau Street from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Is all that fun making you hungry? Well, it’s Legion Hamburger Friday from noon to 2 p.m. Live music will fill the Legion 542 patio from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and take you right to the firework display. (Hint: bring your lawn chairs for a more comfortable experience.) Event details can be found on the Westport website.

Gravenhurst

Gravenhurst is hosting an all-ages afternoon of fun from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Gull Lake Rotary Park. Start the day off by visiting interactive tents set up by the Gravenhurst Public Library. Make sure to check out the Scales Nature Park display and the Junior Firefighter Challenge. Hotdogs will be served by Mayor Paul Kelly and the council at 11:30 a.m. and cupcakes will be handed out at 12 p.m. (yum!). The afternoon will end on a musical note with local ukulele band performances. Visit the Town of Gravenhurst for more information. 

Festivities in Gravenhurst extend to July 2 at Walker’s Point Marina. Catch live music all afternoon and play carnival games to win prizes. You can also attend the free wake surf clinics sponsored by Muskoka Extreme or a ski show at 7 p.m. The night will end with a fireworks display at 10 p.m. 

Port Carling 

Canada Day in Port Carling is paired with the Lock Street Kick-Off, a pilot project converting Lock Street into a pedestrian-only area starting July 1. The festivities will be held from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., beginning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. While you enjoy the barbecue lunch, you can listen to live music or play a life-sized board game. More details on the Canada Day event and pilot project can be found on the Muskoka Lakes website. 

Bracebridge

The Rotary Club is hosting Canada Day in Bracebridge this year at Birds Mill Mew. Kids can have fun playing games and making crafts starting at 3 p.m. The day will continue at Bracebridge Bay in the evening, where there will be musical performances, a duck derby, a beer garden, food vendors, and a floaty race. Stick around until 10 p.m. for the fireworks and laser show. Entrance is free, but a $5 donation is recommended to help fund the event. More details to follow on the Downtown Bracebridge website. 

Lindsay

Canada Day in the Kawartha Lakes area is going to be full of excitement—just check out the lineup in Lindsay. Starting at 3 p.m. at Wilson Fields, kids can join in on making balloon animals, face painting, and obstacle courses, plus there will be a petting zoo, ponies, and carriage rides. There’s live entertainment throughout the day and vendors to browse for the adults. If you’re feeling hungry, grab a bite at the many food trucks or the barbecue hosted by the Lions Club. Fireworks will start at 10 p.m. Keep up-to-date with all the events on the Kawartha Lakes page.