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Maple Syrup Festivals in the GTA
March and early April are all about the sweet stuff. Maple syrup, that is. Quintessentially Canadian, a good maple syrup festival is great fun for the whole family. And besides, maple syrup is a source of antioxidants and one of the healthiest ways to sweeten food and drink, so we're loading up on locally produced syrup while we can. Start dreaming of maple taffy and flapjacks, because the sap is running! Pancakes and other activities are not usually included in the price of admission so check for additional fees and reservations before visiting.
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Kortright Centre: Vaughan: March 4-April 2
The granddaddy of them all, Kortright has trees aplenty and amazing pancakes and sausages. The gift shop is a big draw and there are often additional activities on hand, like face painting.
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Tiffin Centre for Conservation: Nottawasaga
Spring Tonic Maple Syrup Festival admission includes a yummy pancake and sausage breakfast, topped with, you guessed it, maple syrup. There's the sugar bush and sugar shack to explore, and wagon rides and live music. The animal show will be super popular with the littles. The festival doesn't start until April 8, but you can take a self guided tour of the grounds and sugar shack starting March 14.
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Brook’s Farms: Mount Albert (east of Newmarket): Weekends March 4-early April
We're not sure what's better, the barn play land or the maple muffins and butter tarts, but it's all a win-win! That's all in addition to the regular maple festivities, of course!
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Terra Cotta Conservation Area: Halton Hills: March 4-April 2, weekends
Taffy making, pony rides, entertainers—there's loads to do at Terra Cotta. We know we'll be checking out the giant games—massively sized checkers, anyone?
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Bronte Creek: Border of Burlington and Oakville: March 4-5, 11-19 and 25-26
We do believe that the sausages at the Bronte Creek Maple Syrup festival are the best we've ever tasted. There is also a great family activity centre as well, Spruce Lane Farmhouse, showing how farm life used to be, and interpreters offering interesting educational tidbits at the stops along Maple Lane.
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Bradley Museum: Clarkson and Lakeshore: March 11-19
Meet Bonhomme or try your skills at an Easter egg geocache? Lumberjack photo booths? There's so much more than maple syrup and pancakes during Maple Magic Month at Bradley Museum (but those are totally tasty too).
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Mountsberg Conservations Area: Milton: February 25-April 2
Maple Town at Mountsberg Conservation Area has got some pretty cool stuff going on. There are birds of prey demonstrations in the Raptor Centre and the family can look for bison, eagles, hawks and owls along the Wildlife Walkway. Plus, pancakes.
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Westfield Heritage Village: Rockton: March: 5, 12, 15, 16, 19, and 26
Horse drawn wagon rides, lots of maple sap and syrup, and a gift shop stocked with delicious fudge and other baked goods—it's a good thing we're trekking all over the sugar bush because we want to eat, eat, eat.
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Purple Woods Conservation Area: Oshawa: March 11-19, 25-26, and April 1-2
Even the name sounds magical: Purple Woods. And the fun and treats are certainly magical as well. Pancakes, wagon rides and lots of syrup, plus ample parking.
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Bruce’s Mill Conservation Area: Stouffville: weekends March 4 - April 2 plus March Break
There will be a strolling magician and Treewalk Village is open! Plus ponies, pancakes and a straw bale maze. We're super excited, can you tell?
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Horton’s Tree Farms: Gormley: Starts March 11
Have a hike and then indulge in pancakes with maple syrup served in an authentic log cabin. Check out the home farm and sap samples and learn all about trees and ecology. Enjoy a beautiful day at Horton's Tree Farms.
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Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival: April 1-2
This festival is Sunderland's chance to shine. From bathtub races to BBQs and so many musical acts, this may just be the festival to beat. If that weren't enough, the kids will be enamoured of the best-dressed dog competition (think tutus). All this with pancakes flipping all weekend—that's what memories are made of.