SHERBURNE - Spring is on the way, and maple season is here! The final two weekends in March have been designated as New York State Maple Weekends, where the public can get a firsthand look into local operations and learn about the seasonal process of maple sugaring.

The beloved Upstate NY tradition of making maple syrup will be highlighted this year at Rogers Environmental Education Center during their Maple Magic Weekend Celebration at the end of March. The event will be led by Friends of Rogers staff, as well as three students from Colgate University who are volunteering this season to support burgeoning Maple Magic programs at Rogers Center.

The Chenango County Historical Society will also provide information on the rich history of maple sugaring in CNY, and details about the Maple Sugar Heritage Collaboration that brought the Sugarshack to Rogers Center. The Sugarshack opened for operation in February of 2025 during Winter Living Celebration. This will be the inaugural Maple Weekend event at Rogers Center.

“It has been sap-tacular getting to work with Rogers this season! We hope other people will come out to support and spend some quality time at the Sugarshack. We can’t wait to see you there!” said Simon Romano, a Colgate student volunteer from Arlington, Virginia.

This year’s Maple Magic Weekend Celebration will be in Sherburne on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29, and will run from 12PM-3PM on both days. The evaporator will be bubbling and boiling in the Sugarshack, which will be open for delicious syrup samples and educational demonstrations of the Indigenous and colonial methods of maple sugaring. The event will also feature live acoustic music with traditional maple folk songs.

“The Sugarshack building and operation has been collaborative with so many community partners like the Chenango County Historical Society, DCMO Boces, the DEC, and Clear Path for Veterans,” said Ariah Mitchell, Educator and Communications Lead for Friends of Rogers. “We’re thankful to have volunteers to help lead events where the community that helped us build this program can be truly involved in the beloved art of making maple syrup.”

Rogers Center is one of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) four environmental education centers. Rogers Center is located at 2721 state highway 80, Sherburne NY, 13460.

The mission of the Friends of Rogers is to provide outstanding educational opportunities that excite, inspire, and motivate people of all ages to enjoy, understand, appreciate, and protect our natural environment.

- Information from the Friends of Rogers