3-07-2024 4:20am

IT'S SYRUP TIME

Jeff Barto Editor

Maple Syrup Festival 2024 Gets Cooking at Cunningham Falls State Park

Event takes place two weekends in March

Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites everyone to come celebrate the annual Maple Syrup Festival at Cunningham Falls State Park, the weekends of March 9-10 and March 16-17. During this event, held annually for more than 50 years, guests can gather around the Sugar Shack to watch sugarmakers demonstrate the traditional way of boiling sap into syrup against the backdrop of Maryland’s woodlands.

Live bluegrass music will fill the air as Maryland-made maple syrup is served over a hot pancake and sausage breakfast. Guests can also take a hayride through the Maple Grove to see exactly how Park Rangers collect sap. And everyone can try their hand in the great pancake race – trying to flip a pancake on the run ahead of other contestants.

Guests are reminded that due to ongoing road construction work on Maryland Route 77, motorists will be detoured using MD-77 to US 15 (Catoctin Mountain Highway) to MD-550 (Sabillasville Road) to Foxville Deerfield Road and back to MD 77.

Events take place each day of the event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A sign language interpreter will be stationed at the Sugar Shack on both Sundays. Syrup-making demonstrations and hayrides take place every hour on the hour. A $5 donation per person is requested at entrance. Breakfast is available during the festival hours for an extra cost.

Proceeds from the Maple Syrup Festival benefit the nonprofit Friends of Cunningham Falls and Gambrill State Parks.

The park opens at 9 a.m. and closes at sunset. Pets are permitted on a leash, outside only. This event is ADA accessible. Visitors may contact 301-271-7574 for more information.