Think maple syrup; odds are your mind will immediately jump to thoughts of Vermont. However, nearby Pennsylvania is also a major producer of the sticky, sweet stuff, with more than 150,000 gallons produced statewide in 2022.
Dating back to 1948, the Pennsylvania Maple Festival celebrates and showcases the Keystone State’s rich history of maple syrup production. It occurs in the borough of Meyersdale, Pa., in the scenic Laurel Highlands, approximately 160 miles northwest of Washington, DC.
The multi-day festival includes a grand parade with marching bands, floats, and the newly crowned Maple Queen. There are also activities for the kids, live entertainment, antique street rod shows, an old-fashioned horse-pulling contest, artists and crafters galore, a quilt show, an antique tractor and farm show, and a dinner theater featuring the Maple City Players, among many other special events.
Pennsylvania Maple Festival attendees also have the opportunity to watch live demonstrations of maple syrup production and to shop for locally made maple products in the festival’s country store.
This year’s festival kicks off next weekend, Saturday, April 22, and Sunday, April 23, and continues the following week from Wednesday, April 26, through Sunday, April 30.
More details, including a full schedule of events, are available on the festival’s website, www.pamaplefestival.com.
