Sap Happy Maple Weekend Returns to Bowdoin

POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Parks’ popular Sap Happy Maple Weekend will take place at Bowdoin Park Thursday, March 21 through Sunday, March 24 with a line-up of fun, educational, and delicious events for all ages. View the event flyer.

“Maple Weekend is a truly a unique experience,” said County Executive Sue Serino.

“Residents of all ages can come out to sample our house-made maple syrup, learn the history of the syrup-making process, and be our judges for the second annual Best Pancake Competition! I am grateful to our Parks team for creating this fun collaboration with fellow County departments and community businesses.”

Sap Happy Maple Weekend events will be held in collaboration with the County’s Office for the Aging (OFA), Eastern Dutchess Road Runners Club, The Culinary Institute of America, Just a Little Pie Shop and the New York State Maple Producers Association. Dutchess County Parks Pure Maple Syrup will also be available for purchase (cash only) throughout the weekend, while supplies last. Event information, including registration and updates, for Sap Happy Maple Weekend are available on the Dutchess County Parks Facebook page and at dutchessny.gov/parks.

Sap Happy Maple Weekend Features
Seniors Pancakes in the Park and Maple Bingo will be held in collaboration with OFA on Thursday, March 21 from 10:30am-1:30pm in the Auditorium at Bowdoin Park. Residents ages 65 and older and a caregiver are invited to come enjoy a free pancake breakfast and play a game of maple-themed Bingo. Registration opens Friday, February 23 and is available by calling OFA at 845-486-2555. Reservations are required as seating is limited.

Parks staff will provide hands-on learning opportunities for all ages during its popular Maple Education Demos and Tasting sessions on Friday, March 22 and Sunday, March 24.

Participants will learn about the art and history of making maple syrup and watch the different steps of the maple syrup making process, from the tapping of trees to sap collection, and boiling it down to make syrup. Native American methods for creating maple sugar will also be explored. Sessions will be offered at 10am, noon, and 2pm. Classes are $5 per person and pre-registration is required. Register at DutchessNY.gov/Parks.

The second annual Sap Happy 5K Run/Walk will be held in partnership with Eastern Dutchess Road Runners Club steps off on Saturday, March 23, starting at 8:30am. The run will be rain or shine, and the course route is along the paved and gravel roadways within Bowdoin Park. Pre-race bib pick-up will be at Fleet Feet Poughkeepsie, located in the Shoppes at South Hills, from March 20th-22nd during store hours. Day-of race bib pick-up will begin at 7:15am at Pavilion 5 at Bowdoin Park. All registered participants will receive a maple-themed bandana and awards will be given to the top five male, female, and non-binary runners. Pre-registration is required and costs $20 per person or $15 for Eastern Dutchess Road Runners Club members. Register online at Dutchessny.gov/Maple5K.

The second annual Community Breakfast and Best Pancake Competition will be held Saturday, March 23rd from 9:15am to noon in the Bowdoin Park Auditorium. Dutchess County Parks staff will again team up with Culinary Institute of America students in a competition for who makes the Best Pancake. Who wins? You decide! Tickets are $5 per person (cash only at the door) and children 6 and under are free. Tickets are on a first come, first served basis and while supplies last. Walk-up Maple Education workshops will also be held (weather depending) and are included with pancake breakfast entry.

Just a Little Pie Shop will feature Dutchess County Parks’ Pure Maple Syrup in a signature Maple Syrup Pie, which will be available for purchase at the shop from Wednesday, March 20 through Wednesday, March 27, or while supplies last. Just a Little Pie Shop is located in Eastdale Village on Route 44 in the Town of Poughkeepsie.

Maple Education Group Opportunities
Dutchess County Parks is a member of the New York State Maple Producers Association, which will bring its Maple Experience Mobile Classroom to local School Districts in March and April, including a field-trip experience at Wilcox Memorial Park in Milan on April 3rd for home school groups, and local clubs. Please call (845) 298-4600 for more information.
Other group Maple Education experiences are available at Bowdoin and Wilcox Park by appointment. For more information on these or other Parks Naturalist programs, please call (845) 298-4600.