Nature center to celebrate Maple Fest

Red Oak Nature Center will offer an early, sweet taste of spring when the annual Maple Fest shows visitors how tree sap is collected and turned into tasty treats.

Maple Fest offers tours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 18, on Route 25, one mile north of Butterfield Road in Batavia. The event is free.

Naturalists from Red Oak will lead visitors to various stations in the woods to view demonstrations of how maple sap is harvested and turned into maple syrup.

Each group will tap a maple tree, then witness the process of how sap is boiled and converted into syrup. Group taste-tests will follow.

"Early spring is the perfect time to collect maple sap because the days start getting warmer but the nights are still cold," said Margaret Gazdacka, facility manager at Red Oak.

"Visitors will witness this age-old practice of taking sap from a tree and turning it into syrup you use on your pancakes."

Maple-themed treats and hot beverages will be for sale. The event also will feature items for sale from Vermont - the maple syrup-producing capital of the world - that include small bottles of maple syrup, candy and beef jerky. Dimple Donuts is providing maple doughnuts, while supplies last.

Groups of 10 or more must preregister by calling (630) 897-1808.

Scout groups are encouraged to attend Sunday, March 19, when Red Oak hosts its Scout Syrup Sunday event. Reserve tickets via the online event calendar at foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.