Maple Sugaring Open House at Brooksvale Park Saturday

Hamden’s Department of Arts, Recreation & Culture and the Friends of Brooksvale Park will hold its annual Maple Sugaring Open House on Saturday, March 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brooksvale Park, 524 Brooksvale Ave.

Park staff and volunteers will be on hand at various learning stations throughout the park to introduce participants to the history and science behind this ancient craft. Native American legends about the discovery of maple sugaring will be presented and exhibits, artifacts and hands-on activities will illustrate the changing role of technology in maple syrup production.

Participants can also visit the maple grove and sugar shack at Brooksvale Park, providing an opportunity to understand the process from sap to syrup.

The program is free and open to the public. Though the Veterans’ Memorial Building, where the storytelling takes place, is accessible, other learning stations are in a wooded area, and the sugar shack is on ground can be dirt or uneven.

Maple Syrup made at the park and by local Connecticut Sugarmakers will be for sale during the open house while supplies last. Prices range from $7 for a half-pint of Brooksvale Park syrup and up depending on size and container type. 

Kennedy Maple Kettle Corn will also be made fresh that day and will be available for purchase. Small bags are $4 and large bags are $7.

Heavy rain or blizzard will cancel the program until the next day. Maple sugaring season is traditionally muddy and cold, so participants should dress for the conditions.

Brooksvale Park is located one mile off Whitney Avenue (Route 10) on Brooksvale Avenue in northern Hamden.For more information and directions, visit www.brooksvale.org, www.brooksvalepark.wordpress.com or on Facebook