The Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival is an annual event held in Wakarusa, Indiana. Wakarusa is a small town located in Elkhart County, Indiana, about 10 miles south of Elkhart and 5 miles north of Goshen along State Road 19.
When is the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival?
The Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival is held every year during the first full weekend in April. In 2023, the festival will take place on April 1st and 2nd. The festival typically runs from 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and 9 AM to 4 PM on Sunday.
What happens at the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival?
The Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival celebrates the history and tradition of maple syrup production in northern Indiana. The festival features:
- Pancake breakfasts featuring fresh maple syrup from local producers
- Arts and crafts vendors selling maple syrup related products
- Educational demonstrations about the maple syrup making process
- Horse-drawn wagon rides through the maple sugar bush
- Live music and entertainment
- A maple syrup competition with categories for different grades of syrup
- A 5k run/walk through town called the “Maple Stomp”
- Children’s activities like puppet shows and crafts
The highlight of the festival is the free all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast served under the big tent on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Around 15,000 pancakes are served each day of the festival!
Where does the festival take place?
The Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival takes place in downtown Wakarusa, centered around the town square. The main festival area is closed to traffic during the event. The street fair and vendors extend two blocks west from the square along Indiana Street. The pancake breakfast tent is set up in the north parking lot along Waterford Street.
How did the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival start?
The Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival began in 1970 as a way to celebrate and preserve the history of maple syrup production in northern Indiana. Long cold winters and sandy soil make the area ideal for growing maple trees and producing syrup. Native Americans first tapped maple trees in the area hundreds of years ago.
In the late 1800s, settlers began commercial production of maple syrup and sugar. By the 1920s, Elkhart County led the state in maple syrup production. Wakarusa became known for its high quality maple syrup.
As technology changed, maple syrup production declined across Indiana. The festival was started to bring awareness back to Wakarusa’s syrup making heritage. It has steadily grown over the past 50+ years into one of northern Indiana’s most popular early spring festivals.
How can I get to the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival?
Wakarusa is located just south of the Toll Road (I-80/90) in northern Indiana. It is easily accessible from the Toll Road exits 92 or 96. From Exit 92, head south on SR 19 for about 6 miles. From Exit 96, travel north for 4 miles. There will be signs directing traffic and parking once in Wakarusa.
Free shuttle buses run from nearby Nappanee and Goshen to help alleviate traffic congestion in Wakarusa. Shuttles run continuously from 8 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and 8 AM to 4 PM on Sunday.
Where can I park for the festival?
Public parking for the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival is available in designated lots around town. These include:
- Wakarusa Missionary Church – 1 mile north of downtown on SR 19
- Wakarusa Elementary School – 1 mile southwest of downtown off Waterford Street
- Wakarusa Public Library – 2 blocks south of downtown off SR 19
- First Baptist Church – 2 blocks west of downtown off Waterford Street
Parking volunteers will be available to direct you to these lots. Please follow their instructions carefully as some streets may be blocked off. Handicapped parking is available near the festival grounds, but fills up fast on the weekend.
What about accessibility at the festival?
The Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival organizers make every effort to make the event accessible to all visitors. The festival grounds are mainly paved and level for better wheelchair access. Handicapped parking, as mentioned above, is available near the festival entrance.
Restrooms with handicapped accessible stalls are located in multiple spots around the festival perimeter. These locations are marked on the festival map. The breakfast tent and food vendors also have dedicated handicapped access points.
If you have any specific accessibility concerns, be sure to ask a festival volunteer or staff member. They will be happy to assist you and make sure you have a great experience at the festival!
Are pets allowed at the festival?
For safety and health reasons, the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival organizers kindly request that visitors do not bring pets. The large crowds and all the delicious food can create an overstimulating environment for pets. There are a few exceptions for service animals. Be sure to check with festival staff upon arrival if you need to bring a service animal.
What are the costs for attending the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival?
One of the best things about the festival is that admission into the festival grounds is free! You can wander around the street fair, watch demonstrations, and listen to live music at no cost.
There are a few activities that require purchased tickets or vouchers:
- Pancake breakfast – $8 for adults, $4 for kids 3-12 years old
- Arts and crafts vendors – Varies by vendor
- Wagon rides – $4 per person
- Maple Stomp 5k run – $30 for pre-registration, $35 day-of registration
Food vendors and some children’s activities may also have a small fee. But the majority of entertainment and exhibits at the festival are completely free to enjoy.
What is there to eat and drink?
You can’t go to a maple syrup festival without trying some maple treats! The highlight is obviously the pancake breakfast featuring fresh local maple syrup. But throughout the festival grounds you’ll also find:
- Maple cotton candy, maple popcorn, maple nuts, and other maple snacks
- Funnel cakes, elephant ears, and fried dough with maple drizzle
- Maple syrup tasting bar
- Maple slushies and maple lemonade
- Turkey legs,Walking tacos, hamburgers, cheese curds, and other classic fair foods
- Local craft sodas and beers
Make sure to bring cash, as some vendors may not accept credit cards. ATMs are located near the information booth in the center of the festival.
What should I wear and bring?
April weather in northern Indiana can be unpredictable, so make sure to dress in layers. The festival takes place rain or shine, so bringweather appropriate outerwear like light jackets or rain ponchos just in case. The grounds can get muddyif it rains, so wear boots or old sneakers.
Other items you may want to bring include:
- Sunscreen and/or hat
- Water bottle or reusable cup
- Small backpack or fanny pack
- Cash for food and vendors
- Portable phone charger
Leave large bags and coolers at home, as those are not permitted on the festival grounds.
Where can I get more information?
Visit the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival website at www.wakarusamaplefestival.org for full details, FAQs, activity schedules, vendor info, and the latest updates. You can also follow the festival on social media:
- Facebook: @wakarusamaplefestival
- Twitter: @wakarusa_maple
- Instagram: @wakarusa_maple_fest
During the festival, volunteers at the information booth can answer any questions you have. And be sure to pick up the official festival program when you arrive on the grounds.
What’s the history of maple syrup production?
| Time Period | Maple Syrup History |
|---|---|
| Pre-Colonial Era | Native Americans are the first known maple tappers, using bark buckets to collect sap |
| Early Colonial Era 1600s | European settlers adopt maple tapping from Native Americans |
| Mid 1700s | Settlers begin boiling maple sap into syrup and sugar |
| 1800s | Metal buckets introduced. Large-scale production with taps, pipelines, and evaporators expands in northeastern states. |
| 1870s | Indiana becomes a leading producer of maple syrup and sugar |
| 1900-1920 | Maple syrup production peaks in Indiana and Midwestern states |
| 1940s-1970s | Syrup production declines as farms modernize and focus on other crops |
| 1970 | First Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival held to preserve syrup making heritage |
| Today | Revival of artisanal and small-scale maple syrup producers supplying local markets |
What are the steps to make maple syrup?
Here is a basic overview of the traditional maple syrup production process:
- Tap maple trees by drilling holes and inserting taps to extract sap in late winter/early spring when temps are above freezing during the day and below freezing at night.
- Hang a bucket from each tap to collect the dripping sap, which looks like clear water.
- Collect sap from buckets and strain out debris. Sap can then be processed immediately, stored cold, or frozen.
- Boil and evaporate sap down to syrup. Around 40 gallons of sap boils down to 1 gallon of syrup. As water evaporates, sugar concentration increases changing it from sap to syrup.
- Test syrup’s density and sugar content as it boils using a hydrometer. Stop boiling when it reaches 66% sugar density.
- Filter syrup again to remove sediment called “sugar sand” that forms during boiling.
- Grade, bottle, and can syrup while hot. Maple syrup grades range from light amber to dark brown.
- Store bottled syrup under 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Modern maple operations use plastic tubing systems and reverse osmosis filters for higher yields. But the basic process remains the same as the Native American and pioneer methods.
What are common maple syrup grades?
Maple syrup is classified into grades based on its color and flavor profile:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| Grade A Light Amber | Very light color and mild maple flavor |
| Grade A Medium Amber | Light amber color and rich maple flavor |
| Grade A Dark Amber | Darker color and more robust maple flavor |
| Grade A Very Dark Amber | Very dark color with strong maple flavor |
| Grade B | Strongest maple flavor with slightly caramelized hint; Used for baking |
Lighter syrup comes from sap early in the season. Darker syrup comes from sap harvested later as flavor compounds concentrate. All grades have the same nutrition and sugar content.
How can I use maple syrup?
Maple syrup is delicious drizzled over pancakes and waffles, but has so many more uses:
- Sweetener for coffee, tea, oatmeal
- Glaze for meat like ham or salmon
- Maple vinaigrette salad dressing
- Add to baked goods like muffins, breads, granola
- Maple butter
- Maple candy
- Maple milkshake
- Maple espresso rub for steaks
Maple syrup can sub in for granulated sugar in many recipes. Lower oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent overbrowning. For every 1 cup sugar, use 3/4 cup maple syrup and reduce other liquids by 3 tablespoons.
Conclusion
The Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival offers a fun and delicious way to experience a beloved Indiana tradition. It’s also a great family friendly event welcoming all ages. The festival perfectly captures the history and community spirit of Wakarusa’s maple heritage. So come enjoy music, food, crafts, demonstrations and of course plenty of maple syrup!
