Special maple beer to be featured at 30th annual Maple Sugaring Days March 1-2
Celebrate all things maple, along with some milestone anniversaries, at the Forest Preserve District of Kane County’s Maple Sugaring Days event from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 1-2, at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles.
Forest Preserve naturalists will demonstrate how to tap a maple tree. You also can try drilling and setting your own tap. Watch sap simmer over an open fire, as it thickens to syrup.
Outdoors, learn about the history of maple tapping, while inside Creek Bend Nature Center, visit the Maple Café to sample pure, local syrup. Syrup will be available for purchase, while supplies last.
As part of this popular spring festival, join in celebrating two anniversaries — the Forest Preserve District’s 100th anniversary and Maple Sugaring Days’ 30th anniversary.
To mark the occasions, they have a new addition to this year’s festival. Riverlands Brewing Company has created an exclusive Maple Replay Imperial Stout, brewed in collaboration with the Kane Forest Preserve Foundation.
The craft brew features the same maple syrup that’s offered at the festival, sourced locally from Funks Grove, Ill. The beer honors the centuries-old tradition of maple sugaring, and will be available for purchase inside the beer tent at Maple Sugaring Days.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit nature education and other initiatives supported by the Kane Forest Preserve Foundation.
Maple Sugaring Days will also have the usual goodies available for purchase inside the nature center, including maple sundaes (ice cream drizzled with syrup), hot chocolate, and maple-glazed doughnuts. Thanks to event sponsors Culver’s in St. Charles and Original Country Donuts Elgin.
No registration is required for Maple Sugaring Days and admission is free. LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve is located at 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles.
For more information on Maple Sugaring Days, call 630-444-3190, visit www.kaneforest.com, or find the Forest Preserve District of Kane County on social media by searching @forestpreserve.