They say good things take time, and that definitely rings true with maple syrup! To make one gallon of maple syrup you have to harvest up to 40 gallons of sap. Pair that with the fact that most maple trees only produce 5-10 gallons of sap, that’s a lot of hard work (including for the trees!). But the end result – nothing short of delicious.
Curious about what it takes to make maple syrup? There are maple sugar events all over the Cincinnati area where you can participate in tree tapping and production as well as my favorite part: tasting the final product.
Here’s our list for maple syrup & sugaring events in and around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
Maple Syrup & Sugaring Events in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky
(Last Updated January 8, 2025)
Tools of the Sugar House at Cincinnati Nature Center
2025 dates include: Jan. 26, Feb. 2, Feb. 23; 11:00am-noon
Cincinnati Nature Center
4949 Tealtown Rd., Milford, OH 45150
Registration required.
Enjoy a behind-the-scenes experience designed for all ages. On this tour, they’ll take a look at the maple syrup evaporator and sugaring tools like skimmers, filters, and thermometers. You’ll be able to see inside the sap storage tanks, help set up for the day’s programs, and help prepare the materials to fire up the evaporator. This program is designed for adults and children ages 3 and up.
Members $7; nonmembers $15 (includes daily admission). Preregistration required.
Website
Maple Syrup Hikes at Cincinnati Nature Center
2025 dates include: Jan. 18 and 19, Jan. 25, Feb. 1, Feb. 8 and 9
Cincinnati Nature Center
4949 Tealtown Rd., Milford, OH 45150
Registration required.
Hit the trail for a guided interactive maple hike. Check the sap buckets in the sugarbush and see the steaming evaporator as they boil sap down to “liquid gold” maple syrup. Members $6; nonmember adult $14 (includes daily admission).
Website
Maple Sugarin’ Time at Caldwell Nature Preserve
February 8, 10am – 1pm
Caldwell Nature Preserve
430 West North Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45216
It’s Maple Sugarin’ Time at Caldwell Nature Preserve! Tap the trees in our sugar bush. Take a journey back in time discovering the magic of maple sugaring and taste this natural sugary delight! Through hands on activities, participants will experience the arts and traditions of tapping a maple tree and the evaporator in action!
Program is for families and adults. It is an outdoor program. Dress for the weather! Program entirety lasts about 1 ½ hours from your start to finish.
Registration required.
Website
Maple Tapping & Tasting
February 15, 10am-noon and 1-3pm (two sessions)
Cincinnati Zoo’s Bowyer Farm in Lebanon
2210 Mason Montgomery Rd, Lebanon, OH 45036
Registration required
Come join in at the Zoo’s Bowyer Farm for a fun afternoon full of history, hands-on activities, and storytelling all about maple tapping! This program offers a sweet peek into the history of this age-old tradition and offers an opportunity to participate in the maple tapping process. At the end, participants will be able to taste the pre-cursor to maple syrup, fresh from the tree, as well as some of the finished product! This program is sure to be fun for the whole family. NOTE: This program takes place at Bowyer Farm in Lebanon, located at 2210 Mason Montgomery Road. This is an outdoor program- dress warmly and with comfortable walking shoes to walk approximately 1/2 mile over uneven terrain.
Website
Thomas Ireland Smith Farm Open House & Tours
TBA for 2025
6197 Morrow Rossburg Road, Morrow, Ohio 45152
Thomas Ireland Smith Farm hosts an open hour during their sugaring season. See the operation in full swing on (TBA) this year. They’ll have samples of their maple syrup, sugar and candies available for sale. They’ll also have their laser etcher running during the open house and you can have your name put on a bottle of maple syrup.
Heads up – come dressed in appropriate shoes for this visit. The sugar house is located about 100′ off the driveway and you’ll have to walk through the grass. They report they’re doing some construction and the ground is very muddy.
Website
Maple Sugar Days with Great Parks
2025 dates: February 22 and 23, 11am – 4pm
Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve
3455 Poole Road, Cincinnati, OH 45251
It’s maple sugaring time at Great Parks! This family-friendly weekend celebrates the awakening of trees as they prepare for spring, showcasing the centuries-old process of making maple syrup. Enjoy tastings, crafts, demonstrations and hikes while seeing firsthand how sticky sap is transformed into a sweet household favorite.
Some activities may require a small fee.
Website (scroll down to the end for this event)
