10 of the Best Maple Syrup Festivals in the GTA

Of all the harbingers of spring in central Canada, my favourite has to be the start of maple syrup season. Maple syrup is, of course, symbolic of Canada and trips to the sugar bush are a spring-time tradition for many families. I have many fond memories of both childhood trips to the sugar bush and of visits to maple syrup festivals in the GTA with my own kids.

Canada produces approximately 78% of the world’s supply of maple syrup (17.41 million gallons in 2022). The vast majority of that is produced in Québec, but it is also produced in lesser quantities in parts of Ontario and Atlantic Canada. 

It is primarily Sugar Maples that are tapped as the sweetness of the sap from this species of tree produces the tasty maple syrup that everyone loves. The sap generally starts running around the beginning of March when cold overnight temperatures give rise to warm, sunny days and above-freezing temperatures and continues until the trees are in bud and spring well underway.  

Organized Maple Syrup Festivals are a popular way for Canadians to celebrate the onset of the sugaring season and can be found across the Greater Toronto Area. These are 10 of the best maple syrup festivals and experiences in the GTA.

You Might Also Enjoy: 11 of Canada’s Best Winter Festivals to Celebrate the Season

1. Maple Town at Mountsberg

Maple Town has been making maple magic at Mountsberg Conservation Area for over 40 years featuring 150-200 year old sugar maples and a quaint forest village where maple syrup is made and served over piping hot pancakes.

Visitors to Maple Town can learn about the history of syrup making as well as tree tapping, sap collection, syrup making and the Sugar Maple trees. Sampling maple syrup and sugar, eating maple taffy made on snow, and enjoying fresh pancakes and other maple treats by the fire are part of the fun experience!

New in 2024 is the Sugar Ranger Challenge with six challenges for little ones to complete on a self-guided tour through the sugar bush to earn an official Sugar Ranger certificate.

Additional activities at Mountsberg include visiting the animal barn and Raptor Centre, playing on the Natural Playground, enjoying a horse-drawn wagon ride or participating in fun and educational workshops. (Some activities have an additional fee.)

Where: 2259 Milburough Line, Campbellville

When: March 2 – April 7, 2024 (weekends, holidays and March Break) 9:30 am – 5 pm

Cost: Non-Member: Adult $12+HST; Senior $9.75+HST; Child (5-14) $8.75+HST, Children 4 and under are free. Reduced prices for members.

Additional Information: www.conservationhalton.ca

2. Bronte Creek Provincial Park Maple Syrup Festival

At Bronte Creek Provincial Park’s popular Maple Syrup Festival, friendly tour guides dressed in Victorian-era costumes lead visitors on a tour of Spruce Lane Farm providing a history of maple syrup production in the area and demonstrating some of the techniques for tapping trees and making maple syrup and candy.

Bronte Creek acknowledges that the creation of maple syrup was learned from Anishinaabe people who call this land home and that Ziigwan, as early spring is known in Anishinaabemowin, is a celebratory time of gratitude that aligns with the maple sap collection season.

Tractor drawn wagons shuttle visitors to the pancake house for what might be everyone’s favourite part of the festival – an opportunity to enjoy delicious pancakes and yummy sausages with maple syrup. Be sure to visit the Maple Express Shop to purchase a jug or two of maple syrup and other maple goodies to take some of the deliciousness home with you!

In addition to the Maple Syrup Festival, visitors can also enjoy the play barn, see some farm animals, and tour the 120+ year old Spruce Lane Farmhouse which is a beautifully restored glimpse into the life of a local fruit farmer at the turn of the century.

Where: 1219 Burloak Drive, Oakville

When: Every weekend in March and the week of March Break, 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

Cost: $18 per car (food and purchases extra)

Additional Information: www.ontarioparks.ca

3. Maple Syrup Festival at Kortright

During the Maple Syrup Festival at Kortright, visitors can enjoy demonstrations, activities and real maple syrup! The demonstrations will show the methods used by both early European settlers and Indigenous peoples to make maple syrup and how modern evaporators are used today. There will be a variety of activities and events and visitors may also make use of the park’s facilities and hiking trails. Visitors can enjoy free horse and wagon rides and pancake meals and other maple products will be available at an additional cost.

There will also be Maple Syrup Evenings at Kortright every Friday and Saturday throughout the Festival from 6-9 pm. Evening visitors can learn how maple syrup has been made throughout the ages while enjoying campfires and a quiet walk through the forest on trails illuminated by lanterns.

Where: 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Woodbridge

When: March 9 – April 7, 2024 (hours vary – check website for details)

Cost: Adults (age 14-64): $11.50+HST, Seniors (age 65+): $9.50+HST, Children (age 4-13): $7.45+HST, Children 3 and under are free with adult purchase. Free admission for TRCA members. Parking: $4.80+HST. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Additional Information: www.trca.ca

4. Maple Syrup in the Park at Terra Cotta Conservation Area

Celebrate maple season at the annual Maple Syrup in the Park festival and enjoy fun outdoor activities for the whole family! The schedule is packed with activities including educational stations with historical and modern demonstrations of how sap turns into syrup, Sacred Fire Chats to learn about Indigenous culture, a blacksmith demonstration, scavenger hunts and more.

Although there’s an additional cost, the warm maple taffy is a must as is a visit to the Pancake House to fill up on pancakes with real maple syrup! For an additional fee you can also reserve a wagon ride to the sugar bush rather than walking (recommended for families with children aged 12 and under and tickets are limited).

There are additional premium experiences that can be booked including Lamplight: Maple Syrup After Dark ($65 + tax for adults 19+), Sap to Syrup: A Maple Syrup Making Experience ($45 + tax), and VIP Tours of Maple Syrup in the Park ($45 + tax).

Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended.

Where: 14452 Winston Churchill Boulevard, Halton Hills

When: March 14-17th, 23rd and 24th, 2024

Cost: Adult (ages 15+): $13; Youth (ages 6-14) $7.50; Seniors (age 65+) $10.50; Children (ages 0-5) free. Credit Valley Parks Passholders: free. Early bird discount of $3 per ticket until February 28th.

Additional Information: www.cvc.ca

5. Sweetwater at Crawford Lake

A visit to Crawford Lake Conservation Area during maple season is a great opportunity to learn about the Indigenous origins as well as current practices of maple sugaring.

Visitors can join a guided maple and birch syrup-tasting session, visit the ‘First Harvest: Celebrating Sweet Water‘ exhibit in a replica 15th-century Longhouse Village, watch a Sweet Water demonstration by a fire in the Longhouse Village and enjoy some maple taffy made on snow.

Where: 3115 Conservation Road, Milton

When: March 2 – April 7, 2024 (weekends, holidays and March Break) 10 am – 4 pm

Cost: Non-Member: Adult $10.50+HST; Senior $8.25+HST; Child (5-14) $7.25+HST; Children 4 and under – free. Members: Included in membership.

Additional Information: www.conservationhalton.ca

6. Maple Syrup at the Village – Black Creek Pioneer Village

Visitors to Black Creek Pioneer Village during March Break can celebrate spring and the charm of maple syrup season. Costumed educators will demonstrate the process for making maple syrup and the old-fashioned skills needed for the sugarbush.

There will be storytelling and entertainment, a lively sugar shack party, genuine maple syrup to sample and a variety of pancake options on the menu at the Pavilion Snack Bar.

Where: 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto

When: March 11-15, 2024, 11 am – 4 pm.

Cost: Adults: $24.20+HST, Senior/Student: $22+HST, Child (ages 3-14): $19.80+HST. Free for Toronto Region Conservation Park members.

Additional Information: www.blackcreek.ca

7. Maple Syrup Season at Westfield Heritage Village

During March Break and other select days in March, visitors will enjoy the special Maple Syrup Season program that includes two demonstration sites (three kettle method and a modern sugar shack), maple syrup panels on display, a Maple Trivia Trail to follow, scavenger hunts, maple syrup sample tasting and a pancake meal available for purchase in the Ironwood Hall. Maple treats will also be available for purchase in the General Store and Gift Shop.

A selection of historical buildings will also be open and volunteer historical interpreters will provide a variety of demonstrations as visitors explore the village site.

Advance reservations are required (members and non-members) for a two hour time slot and a maximum of six people arriving in one vehicle.

Where: 1049 Kirkwall Road, Rockton

When: March 3-29, 2024 (hours vary – check website for details). 10 am – 4 pm.

Cost: Non-Members pay a Reservation Fee ($10) + a Vehicle Fee ($11) + $5 per person. Ages 5 and under are free. Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) members pay the $10 Reservation Fee only.

Additional Information: www.westfieldheritage.ca

8. Maple Syrup Festival at Bruce’s Mill

Special family-friendly activities on weekends and throughout March Break during the maple sugar season at Bruce’s Mill include maple syrup making demonstrations, horse drawn carriage rides, food trucks and more!

Treewalk Village, the park’s treetop trekking adventure park of magical treehouse villages for kids, will be open during the Maple Syrup Festival as well. Additional fee required. Ideal for ages 3-8.

Where: 3291 Stouffville Road, Stouffville

When: March 9 – April 7, 2024 (hours vary – check website for details)

Cost: Adults (age 14-64): $11.50+HST, Seniors (age 65+): $9.50+HST, Children (age 4-13): $7.45+HST, Children 3 and under are free with adult purchase. Free admission for TRCA members. Parking: $4.80+HST. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Additional Information: www.trca.ca

9. Maple Magic Festival at Bradley Museum

Mississauga’s annual maple syrup festival takes place at the Bradley Museum and includes a variety of maple-themed activities for all ages. Over two weekends in March, visitors can learn about the Indigenous origins of the maple harvest, experience the process of making maple syrup, indulge in pancakes with real maple syrup, and enjoy crafts, games and guided tours of the site. 

Museum interpreters will be conducting outdoor guided tours of the maple sap line as well as tours of the historic Bradley House. An Elder from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation will be on hand to teach about Indigenous seasonal food traditions and there will be puppet shows, crafts, games and more.

Free shuttle service is available from the Clarkson GO station.

Where: 1620 Orr Road, Mississauga

When: March 9, 10, 16, 17, 2024. 12 pm – 4 pm.

Cost: Tickets start at $6.75. Children 3 and under are free.

Additional Information:

10. Sugar Shack TO

Can’t get out of the city? Not a problem – you can still enjoy some maple sugar fun on the Toronto waterfront! This fun event sponsored by Redpath Sugar transforms Sugar Beach into a maple-filled, Canadiana Extravaganza!

Activities include two sugar shacks serving up maple taffy, a lumberjack show, maple infused comfort foods, a maple sugaring demonstration, a warming station with bonfires, interactive activities and more. Sugar Shack TO is K9 friendly so bring your four-legged family members but be sure to keep them on a leash.

Where: Sugar Beach, 11 Dockside Drive at Lower Jarvis and Queens Quay

When: March 9-10, 2024

Cost: Free General Admission. Maple Taffy – $5 each or 3 for $10.

Additional Information: www.sugarshackto.ca