Gather with friends and family to explore the history of maple sugaring, see historic trades in action, and hike the Maple History Trail, all at GCV&M’s Maple Sugar Festival, coming up March 15, 16, 17, 22, 23 & 24! Photo by Paige Engard
In celebration of the return of maple sugaring season in New York State, Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford will host its annual Maple Sugar Festival on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, March 15-17 and March 22-24. Visitors are invited to explore the Museum’s modern-day Sugarhouse where fresh syrup will be boiling, then journey into a 19th-century sugar camp staffed by costumed historical educators to learn about the techniques and tools used in the 1800s to collect sap and make maple sugar. Head into the Historic Village to see maple sugar used in historic kitchens, explore Hodinöhsö:ni’ (Haudenosaunee) cultural traditions and storytelling, see maple sugaring artifacts on display from the Museum’s collection, and more. From the Nature Center to the Historic Village, visitors will explore all aspects of a New York staple: maple syrup. The “Festival + Maple Breakfast Combo Ticket” (limited quantities available) includes a maple-inspired breakfast buffet to fuel outdoor adventures. Learn more about Maple Sugar Festival programming and tickets at https://www.gcv.org/event/maple-sugar-festival/.
Visitors to the Maple Sugar Festival can tap into the history of maple in the 19th century by following the tap lines from sugar maples along the Maple History Trail to the Sugarhouse at GCV&M’s Nature Center. See how the wood-fired evaporator transforms fresh, clear sap into thick, amber maple syrup and learn from GCV&M naturalists about the tree tapping process, maple ecology, and sustainable sap collection.
Foodies will delight in opportunities to indulge in all things maple. Start the day with a maple-inspired breakfast buffet (limited tickets available), find historic maple-themed confections in the D.B. Munger & Co. Confectionery, stop in for a coffee and maple pork pie in Hosmer’s Inn (Saturdays and Sundays), grab a maple latte by Ugly Duck Coffee in the Nature Center, visit the Depot Restaurant for a hot snack or beverage, and wash it all down with a historical craft beer on tap in the Museum’s Freight House Pub. Plus, visit the Flint Hill Store to find fresh bottled maple syrup and other products made with syrup tapped at GCV&M.
Explore the Historic Village to find kitchen fires roaring and costumed historical educators sharing insight into life in 19th-century New York. Learn about candle-making in MacKay House, explore all things fried in lard in Jones Farm Kitchen, smell bacon smoking in the Smoke House behind Hosmer’s Inn, learn about maple products as trade goods in the Altay General Store, see maple tree tapping on the Village Square, explore 19th-century ice harvesting and refrigeration, watch the brewing of maple beer in a ca. 1803 brewery, and more.
Savor the season in GCV&M’s newest addition to the Maple Sugar Festival – the Maple Festival Tent. Listen in on Hodinöhsö:ni’ storytelling with guest partners and cultural educators, shop a number of vendors selling local products ranging from foodstuffs to handcrafted goods (including Lords of the Seas, KP’s Kettle Corn, Once Again Nut Butter, Florida Nut House, and Divanna Chocolates), enjoy live musical performances by Sugar Glider (March 16), The Flowerhead Folks (March 17), Nate & Mary (March 23), and The Archive Ravens (March 24), stop by the face painting station with Rainbows & Wildflowers, and more.
With the help of guest educators and storytellers Perry Ground, Tonia Loran-Galban, Leon Briggs, Veronica Reitter, and Allie Hargrave, visitors to Maple Sugar Festival will have the opportunity to explore Hodinöhsö:ni’ (Haudenosaunee) cultural traditions and storytelling related to maple sugaring season. Listen in on storytelling or drop in on a traditional storytelling circle (a cultural tradition whereby multiple storytellers work in conjunction to entertain and teach long-held beliefs and values, express legends to future generations, and take the listener out of the present moment). Plus, learn about Hodinöhsö:ni’ sap collection, tools, and maple sugaring techniques.
Visitors looking to attend the Maple Sugar Festival can select a standard festival ticket for access to all activities and programming, or sweeten the visit with a stop in the Meeting Center for a maple-inspired breakfast buffet. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door – visitors looking to add on a maple-inspired breakfast are encouraged to buy tickets online in advance as quantities are limited. ASL Interpretation will be available on Friday, March 22, and Sunday, March 24. Tickets for the Maple Syrup Festival are available online now at https://www.gcv.org/event/maple-sugar-festival/.
The Maple Sugar Festival is supported by a Market New York grant awarded to GCV&M from Empire State Development and I LOVE NY/ New York State’s Division of Tourism through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative.
