PRESS RELEASE – The Maple Syrup Festival will be held Saturday, March 28. The fun begins at the Williams County Fairgrounds in Montpelier, Ohio.
Bring your family and friends to see a working sugar shack in operation, enjoy pancakes with pure maple syrup, and take part in educational and fun activities.
Breakfast will be served beginning at 7:30 a.m., with all other events starting at 8:00 a.m. and continuing until noon.
Pancakes and sausage prepared by the Williams County Fair Foundation and Williams County Pork Producers topped with pure maple syrup provided by the Northwest Ohio Maple Syrup Producers will be served in the Gillette Building.
There will be two serving lines to better serve those attending at both the east and west entrances. Accessible parking will be available on the west side of the Gillette Building.
Horse-drawn wagons (weather permitting) and tractor-drawn wagons will be on hand for rides across the covered bridge to the sugar shack.
The sugar shack is complete with a stainless evaporator, holding tank and filtering unit. See the tree tapping process of gathering the sap and the boiling process in the evaporator until the sap becomes syrup.
The Northwest Ohio Maple Syrup Producers will have real maple syrup that can be purchased along with fresh-spun maple cotton candy, maple candy, and other maple products.
Fresh popped kettle corn will be available to purchase from Poppin’ George.
Returning this year from the Ohio Division of Wildlife for ALL AGES will be an inflatable BB gun range, an archery range, and an archery simulator range. Come and try out your shooting abilities. This is always a favorite!
Come see the portable sawmill demonstration by King Lumber. Talk with representatives from the Northwest Ohio Woodland Owners Association and see samples of hardwoods and more. Do you have tree and forestry questions? Then ask the ODNR-Division of Forestry your questions; they will be found at the Williams Soil & Water Conservation District’s annual tree seedling sale.
Talk with Tim Sanders, a local taxidermist, and Joe Blosser, hunter and trapper, and see their magnificent exhibits of pelts and animal mounts.
Events will also include learning about bees and beekeeping from Bethany Carlson, and seeing and touching live reptiles and amphibians with Mic Runyon and his assistants. Visitors can also learn about wildlife and local programs from the ODNR-Division of Wildlife.
Ask Craig Bonner, Division of Wildlife-Wildlife Management Consultant, your questions about taking care of your private land and talk with Pheasants Forever Biologist Sam Wilson about grassland management, conservation programs, and wildlife along with members from Williams County Pheasants Forever chapter.
Learn about entomology with live insects from OSU Extension agent Kayla Wyse. Find out about local recycling from Shannon at the Health Department. See and learn about Early American artifacts from Bob Wilson and Andy Driskel.
Bring your family and friends to the Williams County Fairgrounds in Montpelier on Saturday, March 28, for a fun-filled morning while enjoying pure maple syrup, pancakes and sausage, seeing how maple syrup is made, plus loads of woodland and wildlife fun!
There is no charge for the events or entry to the fairgrounds. There is only a charge for breakfast and products purchased.
This event is being sponsored by the Northwest Ohio Maple Syrup Producers, Williams County Fair Foundation, Williams County Fair Board, Williams Soil & Water Conservation District, and The Ohio State University Extension of Williams County.
If you would like more information, contact the Williams Soil & Water Conservation District at 419-636-9395 or visit www.williamsswcd.org.