The annual tree tapping ceremony was held in Perth County on Friday morning to mark the start of the 2023 maple syrup season.
The tapping was held at Hoover’s Maple Syrup farm in Atwood.
Event organizers said this was a ceremonial event since most producers had already tapped their trees for the season, due to the milder temperatures earlier in the month.
The local chapter of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association and the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival committee hosted the event.
During the ceremony, Breslau’s Snyder Acres was named producer of the year.
“We’re overwhelmed,” said Graham Snyder of Snyder Acres farm.
“It’s the first time we ever entered into a competition and to hit it right, right off the bat was something.”
It is not just about bragging rights, there was much more at stake.
“All of our syrup for the next year’s festival will be purchased from that producer of the year,” said Matt Jessop with the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival committee.
Jessop said Snyder Acres will also be displayed first in the vendor mall at the festival.
The Elmira Maple Syrup Festival is scheduled for Sat. Apr. 1, 2023, following a three-year hiatus.
After receiving some feedback from the community, the committee said they made several notable changes to the festival.
“We’ve moved our pancake tent to a new location, we’ve made some upgrades to our website and branding and we’ve also made some big improvements to our transportation network,” said Jessop.
Organizers said if the weather cooperates, they are expecting the largest crowds ever for this year’s event.
