It’s hands-on, educational, inspirational and celebrational – it’s Geauga Park District’s rich collection of FREE maple sugaring events at Swine Creek Reservation in Middlefield!
Fun in the park doesn’t get much more family friendly than our FREE Sap’s-a-Risin’! Sundays, now in their 32nd year! Festivities on March 5th and 12th from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. include sap-gathering in the sugarbush with the help of a horse-drawn sap sled, sugar house tours, costumed interpreters and stations about maple sugaring throughout history, samples of the fresh syrup and, in the toasty lodge, free maple treats, a large crackling fireplace and live music by The Mr. Haney String Band on March 5th and The Real Deal String Band on March 12th.
A pancake breakfast is in store for seniors enjoying their own special time in the park during Senior Day: Seniors in the Sugarbush on Thursday, March 9th, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This NEW park experience also includes the secrets of pure Geauga gold – that is, maple syrup – as we visit the sugarbush and sugar house for some hands-on learning. Activities will be co-presented by the Geauga County Department on Aging and University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center.
For those youngest Nature lovers in your life, ages 3 to 5, we’ll present Timbertots: Maple Sugar Time on Monday, March 6th, both 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., as well as Saturday, March 11th, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Collecting sap with smaller-sized buckets and checking out why the sugarhouse is steaming are just a couple fun things we’ll do to learn how maple syrup gets from tree to table!
And when you think of that sweet maple syrup, doesn’t it just make you want to dance? Well we’ve got just the event – our Tree Tapper’s Ball on Saturday, March 11th, 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Parkman Community House! Now in its 29th year, this FREE old-fashioned square dance includes instruction in fun fashion and rip-snortin’, old-time string band music by the very talented Sugar House Haas & The Sweet Notes. Dress casually and be ready for a really good time with other couples and families equally excited for spring.
Registration is required for Timbertots, Senior Day and the Tree Tapper’s Ball at Geauga Park District or 440-286-9516; registration for the Tree Tapper’s Ball opens February 27th. With questions you may also call the number above. Swine Creek Reservation is located at 16004 Hayes Road in Middlefield.
Both Sap’s-a-Risin’! Sundays, Swine Creek is also a featured stop on two drive-it-yourself tours, the Ohio Maple Producers’ Northeast Ohio Maple Madness Tour and the Maple Producers of Northeast Ohio’s Maple Tour of Northeast Ohio. Tour maps are available at Ohio Maple Producers’ Northeast Ohio Maple Madness Tour Map and .
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