It’s the Sweetest Time of Year at Conservation Halton - the syrup will be running

By Gazette Staff

February 26th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

The sweetest time of year returns starting on February 28, 2026, as Maple Season kicks off at Conservation Halton’s parks.

Running on weekends, holidays, and March Break until April 5, 2026, this cherished tradition invites guests to experience the transformation of maple tree sap into syrup at Mountsberg’s Maple Town and explore the Indigenous origins of maple sugaring at Crawford Lake Conservation Area.

Natures gift

In the sugar bush at Mountsberg’s Maple Town, visitors can watch sap transform into syrup in the evaporator, warm up by a fireside lounge, or help their kids become ‘certified’ Sugar Rangers through fun challenges. Sweet samples of maple sugar and fresh syrup await, along with syrup drizzled pancakes at the Pancake Pavilion and maple treats available at the Country Store and Discovery Centre Gift Shop.

New this year, Maple Town extends beyond daylight hours with Syrup & Starlight, an exclusive two-night evening experience on March 7 and 28. Guests can enjoy a moonlit wagon ride, an exclusive tour of the Sugar Bush, an Indigenous food tasting, live fiddle music, and more. This limited-capacity event offers a magical new way to experience Maple Season after dark.

A couple of sausages on the side would make this a perfect meal.

Guests looking to enhance their visit can add a wagon ride or a maple sugar making workshop to their visit, or Talons & Tailfeathers for an up-close encounter with Mountsberg’s resident birds of prey. Maple Town visitors will learn about the history of sugar making from its Indigenous origins and early iron kettles to modern techniques, and about how Conservation Halton staff steward the sugar bush today.

At Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Sweet Water Season highlights the rich Indigenous heritage of maple sugaring. Guests can visit the Spirit of the Lake exhibit featuring works by Indigenous artists and an interactive holographic experience, then step back in time at the reconstructed 15th-century Longhouse Village, when maple sugaring marked the first harvest of the year.

Sweet Water Talks run throughout the day, inviting visitors to gather in the Longhouse Village and learn about how maple sugar was traditionally prepared in this part of Ontario. Guided tastings offer the chance to compare the unique colours and flavours of maple and birch syrups.

“Maple Season is a cherished tradition for so many families, and we’re always looking for new ways to deepen the experience,” said Brenna Bartley, Education and Outreach Manager at Conservation Halton. “This year, we’re especially excited to introduce Syrup & Starlight, inviting guests to enjoy the magic of Maple Season after hours—combining the warmth of maple traditions with the beauty of the night sky will be a special experience!”

For tickets, pricing, and details about Maple Season, visit conservationhalton.ca/mapleseason.

QUICK FACTS

• Maple Town location: Mountsberg Conservation Area, 2259 Milburough Line, Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0
  • Maple Town will run weekends, holidays, and March Break until Sunday, April 5, 2026, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
  • The Syrup & Starlight evening event will run on Saturday, March 7, and Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm
• Sweet Water Season location: Crawford Lake Conservation Area, 3115 Conservation Road, Milton, ON, L9T 2X3
  • Sweet Water Season will run weekends, holidays, and March Break until Sunday, April 5, 2026, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• For more information or to purchase tickets, visit conservationhalton.ca/mapleseason

Conservation Halton is the community-based environmental agency that protects, restores and manages the natural resources in its watershed. The organization has staff that includes ecologists, land use planners, engineers, foresters and educators, along with a network of volunteers, who are guided by a Board of Directors comprised of municipally elected and appointed citizens. Conservation Halton is recognized for its stewardship of creeks, forests and Niagara Escarpment lands through science-based programs and services. Learn more at conservationhalton.ca.