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 3, 2024)
Tools of the Sugar House
Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 25; 11:00am
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.
Members $5; nonmembers $11 (includes daily admission). Preregistration required.
Website
Maple Syrup Making and Guided Sap Collecting Hikes in the Sugarbush
Saturdays and Sundays in January and February, various times
Cincinnati Nature Center
4949 Tealtown Rd., Milford, OH 45150
Registration required.
Hit the trail for a guided interactive maple hike. Collect sap in the sugarbush and see the steaming evaporator as they boil down to “liquid gold” maple syrup. Members free; nonmember adult $10; nonmember child $6 (includes daily admission).
Website
Maple Sugarin’ Time at Caldwell Nature Preserve
February 10, 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 10, 1–3 pm
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. All participants 3 years and over must wear a mask. 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 2024
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
February 24 and 25, noon – 4pm
Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve
3455 Poole Road, Cincinnati, OH 45251
A favorite event for the whole family, Maple Sugar Days celebrates the awakening of trees as they prepare for spring with the traditional technique of making maple syrup. Join in for a weekend of discovery: Learn how the sticky sap from the maple tree is turned into a sweet delicacy with fun crafts, demonstrations, and hikes. Some activities may require a small fee.
Website
