Maple Syrup Event Coming To Rocky River Metropark

ROCKY RIVER, OH — March brings a lot of changes to Northeast Ohio. For one, technically, it brings the beginning of spring (even if it'll keep snowing until April). Second, sugar maple trees can now be tapped.

For residents that have never had the joy of seeing a maple tree tapped, there's a way to change that. The Rocky River Reservation's Maple Grove Picnic Area will host a maple tree tapping session on March 17.

Attendees will tag along with Cleveland Metropark naturalists on a walk through of the Sugarbush Trail. Demonstrations of sap collecting methods will be held, along with some history lessons on maple sugaring.

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The March 17 event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., will focus on the syrup-making processes employed by the First People, settlers, and modern sugar farmers. Naturalist-guided hikes will begin every 20 minutes and will end at the sugarhouse, where attendees can watch to see how sap is gathered, boiled, and transformed into delicious maple syrup.

A month after the Rocky River event, the Geauga County Maple Festival will hit Northeast Ohio. From April 25-28, the 90th annual event will highlight the many uses and delights of maple syrup (including those famous maple stirs).