2024 Sticky Sweet Sugar Shack & Maple Syrup Events for Kalamazoo

maple sugar maple syrup sugar shack

Maple Syrup Events are a Sure Sign Spring is Coming in Michigan

One of our favorite signs of spring on our event calendar: maple syrup time!

Tapping the trees for syrup is a time-honored spring tradition in Southwest Michigan, and another great sign that warmer weather is on its way.

If you’re new to this annual tradition in SWMI, we’ve got the scoop on some common FAQs and local events for this sweet season.

Maple Syrup 101

Can you make syrup from all varieties of maple trees?
Yes, but their sugar concentrations vary. Sugar maples have the highest concentration of sugar.

What is a “sugar shack?”
A sugar shack is a small cabin or group of cabins where sap from maple trees is boiled to make syrup.

How much sap is needed to make 1 gallon of maple syrup?
In a word- LOTS. Approximately 40 gallons of sap from a sugar maple tree are used to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.

How do you remove the sap from the maple tree?
Collecting sap requires “tapping” maple trees. The experts at the Kalamazoo Nature Center demonstrate the process here:

Kalamazoo Nature Center Maple Sugar Festival

KNC’s annual Maple Sugar Festival is the organization’s largest fundraiser. This popular event is an annual favorite for SWMI families.

The proceeds from the event support KNC’s programming offered throughout the year.

More SWMI Festivals & Events

Many events require registration and sell out every year – sign up soon!

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