A day at the Warkworth Maple Syrup Festival

Growing up as a kid in the County, I have fond memories of going to the maple sugar bush. There is something about combining a child's love of snow and syrup that leads to a magical experience. The memories clearly stuck with me as I couldn't wait to take my own son one day. A few weekends ago I ventured out with my family to the Warkworth Maple Syrup Festival and I have to say it was even more amazing than what I had remembered.

First, I must give kudos to the organizers of the Warkworth Festival. When I originally heard that you had to take a bus to the sugar bush, I was a little apprehensive about how well that would work out with a 1 year old. But the bus service was quick and extremely well executed. We didn't get on the first bus but only had to wait about 5 minutes for the second. It was my son's first time on a bus and I think that experience in itself was one of the highlights. He hammed it up as usual smiling all the way and giggling for the little old ladies as we sang the "wheels on the bus" song.

Upon arriving you’re ushered into one of two lines; one for the pancakes and another for just the festival itself. The lines were long but moved fairly quickly. If there is one critique I would have of the event is there were too many individual payments for activities. You lined up to pay to get in, lined up to pay for the pancakes, lined up to pay for horse drawn carriage ride. As I said the lines did move fairly quickly but with most people attending with children, lining and taking out your wallet 3-4 times isn’t ideal. It would be great if they implemented an all-in pass where you could pay your entry fee and the activities you wanted along with it.

  The pancakes were delicious and piping hot.

Naturally, my son's favourite part was the syrup! He hasn't had much in terms of sweets so this was a completely new experience for him. As you can tell he loved it and refused to give up the Popsicle stick even after the syrup was long gone.

There were tons of activities and events going on in downtown Warkworth as well. We didn't get to them all as a 1 year old has a short attention span.

A few tips for those planning to attending

• Bring boots and good footwear as it is muddy.
• Leave the stroller at home; due to the mud it's difficult to maneuver it throughout the venue. We went for our 'chuckle pack' (aka baby carrier) instead.
• Dress warmly! This is usually a given but important to dress for the weather and it would be wise to bring an extra set of clothing in case the kiddos like the mud a little too much.
• Bring easily assessable cash to pay for the activities
• You must go into the town to catch a shuttle. Although this was fairly clear on their website, we did see a lot of people show up to the sugar bush itself. They do not have a lot of onsite parking so it’s reserved for those with handicapped parking permits only.
• Baby wipes/wet naps. Most of us parents have these kicking around but definitely something you want to pack in the purse because kids and syrup leads to a sticky mess!
• And finally make sure to bring your camera to snap all those smiles!

If you’re looking for a day away from the busy hustle and bustle of the city or to explore one of the many amazing things about Northumberland County, I highly recommend a day at the Warkworth Maple Syrup Festival. It’s a magical experience that won’t soon be forgotten!

For more information visit http://www.warkworthmaplesyrupfestival.ca/