I spent the early years of my childhood growing up in New England. Each summer, we camped in Vermont and came home with bottles of maple syrup to pour all over our pancakes for the rest of the year. I’ve wrongly assumed that the state of Vermont had exclusive rights on the production of quality maple syrup. I couldn’t have been more incorrect, as Indiana is home to more than 100 producers of maple syrup.
Drilling a maple tree for maple syrup in Medora
As proof of Indiana’s star on the maple syrup map, Medora, Indiana is home to the National Maple Syrup Festival, which takes place the weekends of March 5-6 and March 12-13, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Park at the Medora Community School and take a shuttle to Burton’s Maplewood Farm, where most of the activities take place. A highlight of this festival is the Native American Sugar Camp, where reenactors demonstrate how Indian tribes and French settlers created sugar by tapping trees. And of course, they’ll be serving up plenty of pancakes! Cost is $10 for adults, $6 for children ages 5-15. Bring a canned good, and receive $2 off admission.
From February 25 to March 5, Sugar Bush takes place at beautiful McCloud Nature Park in North Salem, Indiana. On Saturday, February 26 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., you can watch demonstrations that reveal the magic behind maple syrup production, free of charge. The following weekend, on Saturday, March 5 the annual pancake breakfast fundraiser is held, benefiting the Parks Foundation of Hendricks County. Cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children 10 and under. Seating times are held throughout the morning. Call 765-676-5437 to make a reservation.
Later this spring, on April 15 and 16, Wakarusa will hold its 42nd annual Maple Syrup Festival. The schedule is still being ironed out, but an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast is on the menu, along with live entertainment, craft booths and children’s entertainment.
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