Maple Syrup Festival
In late winter, here in our mountains surrounding Pickens, when nights are freezing and days begin to warm, it's maple sugaring time!
Next, we collect and transport the sap to a sugar house where it is boiled down in large evaporating pans making the thick, golden syrup. It takes about 45 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. The hot syrup is then filtered and packed into storage jugs. West Virginia has a long history of sugar making. The Indians made syrup first. They threw hot rocks into hollowed-out logs that were filled with sap. The early settler quickly learned to make the sweet stuff and use it as their main source of sugar. Today, maple syrup and sugar are widely used in cooking, baking, and as topping. Join us for a full weekend of activities celebrating this tradition each year on the third full weekend in March! The 2012 festival takes place March 17 & 18. Events include:
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Tour of Maple Syrup Camp |
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Pancake Feed |
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Craft Sale and Demonstrations |
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Artists at Work |
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5K Run & Walk |
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Quilt Show and Sale |
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Woodcarving Demonstration |
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Soapmaking |
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Art and Photo Show |
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Muzzle Loading Contest |
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Woodchopping Exhibition |
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Entertainment |
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Ham & Bean Buffet Dinner |
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Square Dance |
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Basket Weaving |
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West Virginia Wineries |
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Souvenir Maple Syrup |
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Antique Gas Engines |
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Rock Climbing Wall |
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Children's Activities Playground |
The Pickens Depot and Roberts-Cunningham Museum are also open throughout the weekend. For more information contact Kim Dulaney at; 304 924-5096 304 924-6513 fax PO Box 94 Pickens, WV 26230 For syrup or sugar camp information; 304 924-5404 or 1 877 986-2753 Blue Rock Farm Studio bluerockstudio@hotmail.com