LUCAS – One of Malabar Farm State Park’s favorite traditions is back this weekend, with Saturday kicking off the Maple Syrup Festival.
The free festival just outside of Lucas has been held every year since 1976. Siera Marth, assistant park manager at Malabar Farm State Park, said the festival draws visitors from across generations.
“A lot of people that come out have been coming for years,” Marth said. “They started coming out as kids, and now they have kids of their own. They want to come back and relieve that experience for the nostalgia attached to it.”
After a horse-drawn carriage ride courtesy of the Central Ohio Draft Horse Association, visitors are immersed in the maple world. According to Marth, the Maple Syrup Festival has something for everyone, including sugaring demonstrations from Native American and pioneer camps.
A self-guided tour of the sugar camp and sugarhouse will reveal the evolution of sugaring equipment and how maple sap is transformed into maple syrup. Visitors can also explore a cabin demonstration by the Richland County Historical Society, enjoy food from the Malabar Farm Foundation, and tour the downstairs of the big house free of charge.
This year, Marth said the festival has added another educational demonstration piece that ties in the modern maple sugaring process.
“It’s something we’ve had before but it’s been back in the woods so it’s not readily accessible for visitors,” Marth said. “So we have a smaller version of it now so people can really tie the whole process together.”
One of the most popular parts of the festival is the maple goodies that visitors can take home, from maple-flavored snacks to maple-scented candles.
“Syrup is definitely a big thing, a lot of people get their syrup here every year,” Marth said. “Maple suckers and maple drops are a big hit, and the maple sugar candies are a big hit. This year we’ve added maple-covered dog bones that have been a crowd favorite this year.”
In order to make these maple souvenirs, that requires a good supply of sap. Unfortunately, Marth said the sap supply at Malabar Farm has been low this year.
“With warmer temperatures in the day and in the evening we haven’t collected much sap,” she said. “We are still on track for what we usually plan in terms of preparation, we’re doing what we normally do, we just couldn’t control the weather.”
Still, the actual process of creating maple syrup is something that fascinates visitors near and far.
“Maple syrup is one of those things people use and have, but they don’t think about the process it takes to actually make it,” Marth said. “It’s a long process and a lot of work, so for people to be able to come out and see how this product is actually made and to taste it as you’re watching it evaporate, it’s a special experience.”
The Maple Syrup Festival will continue on March 5, 11 and 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at Malabar Farm State Park.
