Celebrate the sweetness of the maple sugaring season as this annual family favorite returns to the Stamford Museum and Nature Center.
Presented by First County Bank, Maple Sugar Festival Weekend takes place at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center on Saturday, March 4, and Sunday, March 5, 11 am to 3 pm.
March 4 & 5 at the SM&NC will be chockful of fun family activities like scavenger hunts, face painting, live music, arts & crafts, and close-up views of the animals of Heckscher Farm as well as the exotic denizens of our Heckscher WILD! exhibit.
Visit the little red sugarhouse on Heckscher Farm to see firsthand how sap is turned into maple syrup. Learn how trees are tapped, find out how sap is collected, and make a maple-themed craft. There are also demonstrations of how Native Americans of the area made maple sugar using vessels of bark and wood and cooking the sap with the “hot-rock method.”
Saturday, March 4, brings a special treat: In the comfy confines of the SM&NC’s Bendel Mansion, festival-goers can watch local teen chefs create delicious dishes using SM&NC maple syrup and vote for their favorites in the First County Bank Teen Chefs Challenge. The event starts with the tastings at 11:30 am and ends at 1:30 pm with the winner declared by popular vote and celebrity judging. (Young chefs ages 10-18 are invited to participate; please contact Allison Biele at 203.977.6548 or [email protected] to learn more.)
On Sunday, March 5, enjoy the popular pancake brunch from 11 am to 2 pm in Bendel Mansion and tour the latest exhibition in the Stamford Museum Galleries: Powerful yet Fragile: Connecticut’s Waterways, a provocative display of images captured by the Women Photographers of Connecticut, a diverse group of women photographers from across the state. And don’t forget to purchase a pint of fresh maple syrup to take home!
Daily Admission Fees:
- Members: $5 per person | Non-Members: $10 per person
- Director’s Circle & Family Plus Members and all children 3 & under: FREE
- Pancake Brunch (SUNDAY only, 11 am – 2 pm) Additional $6 fee per person.
(Please note that dogs are not allowed on SM&NC Grounds.)
Save time and purchase your tickets in advance for the Maple Sugar Festival and Sunday’s Pancake Brunch!