Free 2-Day Maple Syrup Festival in Chicago – Mar 20-21

Bring to kids and family to see how sap is tapped from maple trees at the 28th annual Maple Syrup Festival at North Park Village Nature Center, 5801 N. Pulaski Road on Saturday, March 20 and Sunday, March 21, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. No registration is required and the event is free for all ages.

During the two-day free maple syrup festival visitors can enjoy music and storytelling throughout the day, try tapping a maple tree, watch the sap boil and sample real maple syrup. There will be free guided nature walks to the “sugar bush” where visitors will learn more about the tapping process and enjoy maple tree tapping folklore.

Pancakes with real maple syrup will be available for purchase along with hot beverages. Visitors may peruse the farmer’s market, where vendors will have hand-made soaps, salsas, wool sweaters, dried flower arrangements, jams & jellies, honey and more for sale.

“Each year we celebrate nature through free events that are not only fun for the entire family, but educational as well,” said Timothy J. Mitchell, the General Superintendent and CEO of the Chicago Park District. “The Chicago Park District aims to provide programming and venues that allow our visitors to connect with nature.”

Elementary school children from throughout the city who participate in North Park Village Nature Center programs started planning for the Maple Syrup Festival in mid-February. The school children helped prepare for the 2-day event by tapping into Sugar Maple trees to release the flow of sap with hand drills, spiles and buckets. More than 1,000 children and families visited the nature center in February to learn about both the ancient and modern processes of syrup making. Approximately 50 trees in the nature preserve were tapped to collect the watery sap. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup.

North Park Village Nature Center is the city of Chicago’s first nature center, and just one of the Chicago Park District’s 56 nature areas. Visitors to these special places will discover a variety of opportunities to explore nature with its vast array of lagoons, wetlands, prairies, woodlands, river edges, bird sanctuaries, dunes and wildlife gardens. The North Park Village Nature Center’s nature preserve is open seven days a week, year round. Admission is free.

North Park Village Nature Center
5801 N. Pulaski Road • Chicago, IL 60646
Phone 312.744.5472
Fax 312.744.1134
TTY/TDD 312.744.3586

Website:  www.chicagoparkdistrict.com

Hours
10 am – 4 pm daily;
Closed for the New Year holiday on
December 31 & January 1.