There’s a moment every year in Ottawa when winter doesn’t feel quite as heavy. The sun lingers a little longer, the air softens just enough, and talk turns to one thing: maple syrup. That’s when Maple Fest returns to Proulx Maple & Berry Farm in Cumberland, drawing families, couples, and friend groups out of the city and into the sugar bush for one of the season’s most anticipated traditions.
Running through March and into April, Maple Fest celebrates the time honored process of turning sap into syrup. Visitors can step inside a working sugar shack to see how it all happens, from tree to tap to boiling pan, and learn how generations of producers have perfected the craft. There’s something grounding about watching steam rise from a wood-fired evaporator while the sweet scent of maple fills the air.
But the festival is about more than syrup. It’s about the full experience. Kids race toward the play structures or line up for wagon rides through the trees. Families wander forest trails, boots crunching over lingering snow. Friends gather around outdoor fire pits, warming their hands and sharing maple taffy poured fresh onto snow.
For many, Maple Fest has become a yearly ritual, a way to mark the shift from winter to spring. It’s an outing that feels distinctly Canadian, rooted in tradition but always welcoming to newcomers. The farm’s market offers maple butter, candies, and bottles of syrup to take home, ensuring the sweetness lingers long after the day ends.
