Tap into your sweet tooth

The snow is melting and the tree sap is flowing as the first day of spring nears next Wednesday March 20.

Two popular maple syrup festivals are back for another year.

The A.W. Campbell festival in Alvinston goes March 16 and 17, while the Ipperwash festival is on March 16 and 17, and March 23 and 24.

Both offer a wide variety of attractions, from learning how to tap a tree to horse-drawn wagon rides, bush tours and pancakes.

St. Clair Conservation Authority staff will be on hand in Alvinston to demonstrate the First Nation method of making syrup. They'll also look at methods used by early and modern pioneers to tap trees.

The A.W. Campbell Maple Syrup Festival is being held at the Conservation Area on Shiloh Line each day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.-- admission is $5 per car.

The Ipperwash Maple Syrup Festival is being held at Williamson Farms on Lakeshore Road  from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Melissa Gill, Conservation Education Technician, teaching visitors the different methods of maple syrup production used throughout history. March 2018. (Photo by St. Clair Region Conservation Authority)

Sharon Nethercott, Conservation Education Coordinator, showing visitors how trees are tapped and sap is collected from the sugar bush. March 2018. (Photo by St. Clair Region Conservation Authority)

Scenic horse-drawn wagon rides at the A.W. Campbell Maple Syrup Festival. March 2018. (Photo by St. Clair Region Conservation Authority)