It’s Maple Madness! Maple Weekends Are Back In New York

Spring is creeping in, which means one thing for New Yorkers with a sweet tooth—it's maple season! 🍁 If you've ever wanted to see how that golden goodness makes its way from tree to table, then you'll want to check out New York's Maple Weekends March 22-23 and March 29-30. Farms all over the state are opening their doors for tastings, tours, and yes, so many pancakes dripping with real New York maple syrup.

Why Maple is a Big Deal for New York

You might not realize it, but New York is ranked #2 in the U.S. for maple production, with over 846,000 gallons of syrup flowing last year alone, almost 100,000 more than in 2023!

With the demand for maple products growing, Governor Kathy Hochul is pushing for more funding to support local producers and turn New York into the ultimate maple innovator.

What Are Maple Weekends?

All across New York, maple farms will welcome visitors to see how syrup is made, from tapping trees to boiling sap into that sweet syrup. Some farms use traditional bucket collection, while others have high-tech vacuum systems that pull even more sap per tree.

Here’s what you can expect from Maple Weekends:

• Free samples of fresh maple syrup
• Sugarhouse tours see how syrup is made
• Pancake breakfasts—because what’s syrup without pancakes?
• Maple candy, cotton candy, and even maple popcorn will be for sale
• Fun activities for kids and families

Read More: Fast Food Fish Sandwiches In Central New York For Lent

Where to Go in Central New York

If you’re in Utica, Syracuse, or the Mohawk Valley, here are some of the great spots to check out:

• Shadow Hill Maple Farm (Ontario, NY) – This family-run farm is serving up all-you-can-eat pancakes every weekend in March, plus tours of their sugarhouse and trails through their sugar bush.
• Critz Farms (Cazenovia, NY) – A must-visit for maple lovers, Critz Farms offers wagon rides through the tree fields, syrup tastings, tree-tapping demos, and their famous maple treats.
• Tibbitts Maple (New Hartford, NY) – Learn how maple syrup goes from trees to table. Free tours, sample pure maple products, and purchase your favorites.
• Shaw’s Maple Products (Clinton, NY) – Enjoy their annual pancake breakfast featuring plate-sized pancakes and fresh apple cider donuts with maple sugar coating while watching the boiling process in the sugarhouse.

For a full list of participating maple farms, check out mapleweekend.nysmaple.com.