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Two great Vermont maple
traditions celebrate anniversaries in 2006
MONTPELIER, Vt. Vermont's two
biggest maple-themed events will celebrate milestone anniversaries
in 2006. Vermont Maple Open House Weekend will turn five this
March and the Vermont Maple Festival will mark its 40th anniversary
in April.
The Fifth Annual Maple Open House Weekend
takes place from March 24-26 at sugarhouses and other venues
statewide. Maple Open House Weekend is the official kickoff to
the maple sugaring season in Vermont and offers an open invitation
to the public to visit sugarhouses throughout the state. Activities
during Maple Open House Weekend include pancake breakfasts, touring
sugarhouses to see maple syrup being made and sampling maple
specialties like maple cream, maple candy and, of course, sugar
on snow. Visitors can also learn a great deal about the history
of maple in Vermont and see how the sugaring process has evolved
over the years through technological advances.
Vermont Maple Open House Weekend is one of the Vermont Chamber
of Commerce's Top Ten Winter Events for 2005/2006. It begins
with the Ceremonial Tree Tapping event on Friday, March 24, at
the University of Vermont's Proctor Maple Research Center in
Underhill Center. It is intended to highlight the importance
of research to the maple sugaring process. Vermont Governor Jim
Douglas will tap the same maple tree tapped by Governor Richard
Snelling at the first ceremony in 1981. Details are available
online at www.vermontmaple.org.
The 40th annual Vermont Maple Festival comes to St. Albans from
April 28-30. The Vermont Maple Festival features sugarhouse tours,
maple product competitions, maple specialties, a craft show,
a carnival, specialty foods exhibits, and the annual road race
known as the 'Sap Run.' Additional details are available online
at www.vtmaplefestival.org.
"Maple Open House Weekend and the Vermont Maple Festival
are two quintessential Vermont events and truly offer something
for the whole family," said Vermont Tourism and Marketing
Commissioner Bruce Hyde. "Maple is the official flavor of
Vermont, and the sugar maple is the official state tree, and
participating in these events illustrates how intricately maple
is tied to Vermont's identity and heritage," Hyde added.
Vermont is the nation's leading producer of maple syrup with
annual production between 400,000 and 500,000 gallons. Vermont's
high concentration of sugar maple trees are also one of the reasons
it consistently offers the nation's most vibrant fall foliage.
You can find out much more information about Vermont maple online
at www.vermontmaple.org,
the official website of the Vermont Maple Sugarmaker's Association
(VMSMA).
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