The sugar house at Pineland Farms, where many Maine Maple Sunday activities were hosted last weekend. Rory Sweeting / Lakes Region Weekly

Maple farms all across the Lakes Region celebrated Maine Maple Sunday, a 42-year-old statewide celebration of Maine’s maple syrup industry.

Many of the farm operators said that they expected a significantly higher turnout compared to last year. In 2024, Maple Weekend coincided with a massive snowstorm, which blanketed the Lakes Region in particular in up to 12 inches of snow, and severely disrupted attendance and celebrations across the state.

Sen. Angus King, fourth from right, visited Greene Maple Farm in Sebago. Contributed / Greene Maple Farm

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One of the longest Maine Maple Weekend traditions in the state is that of Greene Maple Farm in Sebago. According to Alan Greene, one of the farm’s current owners, his father began holding Maple Sunday events even before it became a statewide holiday in 1983. Perhaps because of how long they have been celebrating, Greene Maple Farm saw several high-profile visitors, including Sen. Angus King and Maine Department of Agriculture Commissioner Amanda Beal.

Greene explained that his farm has 1,200 taps and makes roughly 400 gallons of syrup a year. Regarding Maple Sunday plans, he said that the farm planned to do tapping demonstrations, give tours of the sugar house and sell products such as maple cotton candy, coffee and pancake mix. He expected a turnout of around 1,500 people over the course of the weekend, in addition to 400 people attending a pancake breakfast that Greene Farm was holding at Sebago Town Hall.

Shank Painters, a Portland-based pirate-themed band, after playing at Grandpa Joe’s Smoke House. Rory Sweeting / Lakes Region Weekly

Also celebrating Maple Sunday in Sebago was Grandpa Joe’s Sugar House. Co-owner Ben McKenney, alongside Jack Wadsworth, a forester and friend of the farm, explained that the sugar house has been celebrating Maple Weekend for more than 30 years, and that they had a strong attendance this year. In addition to selling maple products such as cotton candy and whoopie pies, the sugar house hired multiple live entertainment acts, including the Maine Squeeze Accordion Ensemble, as well as the Shank Painters, a Portland-based pirate-themed band.

“It takes a village to run this Maple Sunday,” joked McKenney.

Coopers Maple Products, a Windham-based maple farm, has been celebrating Maple Sunday for three decades. Co-owner Gaylene Cooper explained that the farm demonstrated how maple syrup was made, while also selling snacks such as syrup over ice cream, maple sugared nuts, whoopie pies, maple fudge, maple cream, and candy made at the farm, alongside a pancake breakfast. She expected that the event would have a large attendance, with between 2,000 and 3,000 people visiting over the course of the weekend.

Eric Cooper of Cooper Maple Products demonstrating how maple syrup is made. Rory Sweeting / Lakes Region Weekly

Celebration of Maple Sunday was not limited to smaller farms. Pineland Farms, a sprawling and diversified educational farm in New Gloucester, also highlighted its maple production. Educational Director Cathryn Anderson explained that the farm hosted Maple Week, with a whole slate of activities occurring since the Monday prior to Maple Weekend. Many of these activities were centered around the farm’s sugar house, which was built in 2020. Anderson said that Pineland was open for visitors to do a two-hour self-guided tour of the farm, including the sugar house.

Activities at Pineland included demonstrations from the sugar team of how maple syrup is boiled, with free samples served to guests, as well as tree tapping demonstrations. In addition, a bean bag toss was set up on the patio between the sugar house and one of the barns, and a short hike lead visitors on a “Quest for the Magnificent Maple.” Regarding attendance, Anderson said told the Lakes Region Weekly that tickets were sold out, and that 400-500 people were expected to visit on Maple Sunday itself.

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