Maple Sugar Festival
Sugar tour

Celebrate 60 Sweet Years of Maple Sugaring at Maple Sugar Festival!

Saturday, March 8, 2025, 9 am – 4 pm

Join in the fun for the 60th annual Maple Sugar Festival. Each year we celebrate the first signs of spring, from the festival’s humble beginnings of a kettle on a tripod to today’s full day of activities with the all-important pancake breakfast topped off with real Michigan maple syrup. Join the generations of visitors who have walked across the iconic bridge to breathe in the fresh air and delicious smells of pancakes cooking as you immerse yourself in everything the festival has to offer.

This year, we’re making the day even better! All activities will be at KNC’s main campus, so you can dive into a full day of fun, nature, and community. Maple Sugar Festival is KNC’s largest fundraiser, with proceeds supporting innovative programming conservation, and research; you’re not just having a great day – you’re making a difference. See you there for a day of sweetness, fun, and a dash of spring magic!

Rediscovering History at KNC
Join us to celebrate tradition, science, and culture! Chris Chosa, KNC Grants Manager and an Ojibwe descendent raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is undertaking a groundbreaking experiment to revive early maple sugar production methods lost to history. With over two decades of experience in the sugar bush and academic research from Michigan Technological University, Chris is on the verge of recreating a process unseen for more than 500 years. This remarkable journey into the past will be showcased live at this year’s Maple Sugar Festival, offering visitors a rare chance to witness history in the making. Check out the process and talk with Chris in the Arboretum from 10 am – Noon and 1-3:30 pm.

Presale tickets now open – purchase online by March 6 for $2 off admission!

KNC Members get FREE admission! Become a Member or renew your Membership here >

 

KNC Visitor Center

  • Pancake breakfast 9am-3pm
  • Hot drinks for purchase from Factory Coffee
  • Plainwell ice cream with real maple syrup 1pm – 3:30pm
  • NEW Forest Canopy exhibit
  • Creature Feature Presentations
  • Kids activities in the Skylight Classroom 

Outdoor Activities

  • Maple sugaring demonstration stations along the Fern Valley Trail 10am-Noon & 1pm – 3:30pm
  • Rollers and Strollers: shorter maple sugaring experiences intended for folks with limited mobility or small children, 10-11am and 2-3pm
  • Old fashioned games in the Arboretum
  • Horse & tractor drawn wagon rides with Tiller’s International & Shalom
  • Storybook trail 

Rediscovering History at KNC
Join us to celebrate tradition, science, and culture! Chris Chosa, KNC Grants Manager and an Ojibwe descendent raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is undertaking a groundbreaking experiment to revive early maple sugar production methods lost to history. With over two decades of experience in the sugar bush and academic research from Michigan Technological University, Chris is on the verge of recreating a process unseen for more than 500 years. This remarkable journey into the past will be showcased live at this year’s Maple Sugar Festival, offering visitors a rare chance to witness history in the making. Check out the process and talk with Chris in the Arboretum from 10 am – Noon and 1-3:30 pm.

Purchase admission in advance and save $2! 

Early Bird Admission, February 1 – March 6:
KNC Members free
$13 per Non-Member Adult
$8 per Non-Member Child (12 & under)
$8/per Non-Member Adults 55+
Admission ticket includes all activities. 

Purchase Admission & Pancakes Here >

Pancake Breakfast Ticket:
$10 per  Adult
$8 per Child (12 & under)
Pancake breakfast includes pancakes with real maple syrup, sausage from Bennett’s Farm, and juice.

Plainwell Ice Cream with maple syrup will be available for $2 per serving from 1-3:30 pm. Locally-owned Factory Coffee and Cherri’s Chocol’art will be onsite selling coffee and sweet treats all day!

Day-of Admission, March 8:
KNC Members free
$15 per Non-Member Adult
$10 per Non-Member Ages 4-17 and 55+
Admission ticket includes all activities. 

“Sweet” Maple Sugar Festival Sponsorship Opportunities

Maple Sugar Festival is KNC’s longest running and most popular event of the year. The history of Michigan Maple Sugaring is nearly as old as the land itself and the taste of pure maple syrup is as irresistibly delicious today as it was for our ancestors. Your sponsorship is appreciated by KNC’s extensive membership and the 2,800 + guests who come to enjoy all that Maple Sugar Festival has to offer.

Read more >

 

Thanks to our 2025 Maple Sugar Festival Sponsors!