Maine Maple Sunday is the sweetest tradition in Maine and the unofficial kickoff to spring. Held annually on the fourth Sunday in March, it’s a day when sugarhouses across Maine open their doors to the public, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how maple syrup is made—along with plenty of free samples.

When Is It?

Maine Maple Sunday is officially the fourth Sunday in March.

2026 Dates: Weekend of March 21-22.

While Sunday is the official day, many sugarhouses celebrate the entire weekend, calling it “Maine Maple Weekend.” Some larger operations even host events throughout the month of March.

What to Expect

Visiting a sugarhouse on Maple Sunday is a sensory experience. You’ll smell the sweet, caramel-like aroma of boiling sap before you even step inside.

Demonstrations: Watch the evaporator in action as clear, watery sap is boiled down into amber syrup. Farmers love explaining the science and art of the process.
Free Samples: The highlight for most! Expect small cups of warm syrup, often served over vanilla ice cream.
Sugarbush Tours: Walk through the woods (the “sugarbush”) to see the tubing systems and tapped trees.
Pancake Breakfasts: Many local fire departments, granges, and Rotary clubs host pancake breakfasts nearby to support the event.
Family Fun: Larger farms often have hayrides, petting zoos, and live music.

From Tree to Table: The Process

It takes roughly 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of syrup.

Tapping: In late winter, when days are warm (above freezing) and nights are cold (below freezing), sap begins to flow.
Collection: Sap is collected via buckets or, more commonly, tubing systems that run to a collection tank.
Boiling: The sap is boiled in an evaporator to remove water and concentrate the sugars.
Finishing: When the syrup reaches 219°F and the correct density, it’s filtered and bottled.

Top Sugarhouses to Visit

Southern Maine

Merrifield Farm (Gorham): A family favorite with a large sugar shack, museum, and ox-cart rides. Expect crowds, but the experience is worth it.
Hilltop Boilers (Newfield): Famous for their prize-winning syrup and friendly cows. They often spread events over multiple weekends.

Central Maine

Balsam Ridge (Raymond): Combine maple syrup with Christmas tree farming. They offer excellent tours and live music.
Pineland Farms (New Gloucester): A massive agricultural campus that offers a polished, educational experience perfect for families.

Northern & Western Maine

Luce’s Maine Maple Syrup (Anson): A large producer with a great shop and stunning views.
Maine Maple Products (Madison): One of Maine’s iconic producers, offering a wide range of maple treats.

Beyond Syrup: What to Buy

Don’t leave without stocking up. Maple Sunday is the best time to buy:

Maple Candy: Shaped like maple leaves, these dissolve in your mouth.
Maple Cream: A spreadable, butter-like treat made from 100% syrup. Perfect on toast.
Maple Cotton Candy: A cloud of spun sugar with distinct maple flavor.
Maple Whoopie Pies: A Maine classic with a maple twist.

Tips for a Sweet Trip

Wear Mud Boots: It’s called “Mud Season” for a reason. Sugarhouses are often down dirt roads, and sugarbushes are wet. Leave the sneakers at home.
Bring Cash: While many take cards now, internet connections in rural Maine can be spotty. Cash is king.
Go Hungry: Between samples, pancake breakfasts, and treats, you will eat a lot of sugar.
Check the Map: The Maine Maple Producers Association publishes an official map of participating houses. Check it before you go to see hours and activities.
Arrive Early: The most popular spots get crowded by mid-morning.
Plan a Route: Many sugarhouses are in the same general area. Pick a region and visit 2-3 in a loop.

The Science Behind the Sweetness

Maple sap runs when nighttime temperatures drop below freezing and daytime temperatures rise above. This freeze-thaw cycle creates pressure changes that push sap up through the tree. In Maine, this usually happens from late February through early April, with the peak often falling right around Maple Sunday.

The sugar maple (Acer saccharum) produces the sweetest sap, typically containing about 2% sugar. That’s why it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of finished syrup—all that water must be boiled away to concentrate the sugars.

Maple Grades Explained

Maine maple syrup is graded by color and flavor:

Golden (Delicate Taste): Light color, mild flavor. Made early in the season.
Amber (Rich Taste): Medium color, more pronounced maple flavor. Most popular grade.
Dark (Robust Taste): Darker color, strong maple flavor. Great for cooking and baking.
Very Dark (Strong Taste): Deepest color, intense flavor. Made late in the season.

All grades are pure maple syrup—the difference is when in the season they were produced and how the flavor develops.

Why This Matters

Maple sugaring connects Mainers to a tradition that predates European settlement. Indigenous peoples taught early colonists how to tap trees and boil sap. The techniques have evolved—modern tubing systems and reverse osmosis have replaced buckets and all-night boiling—but the essential process remains the same.

Maine Maple Sunday celebrates this heritage while supporting rural communities. Most sugarhouses are small family operations where the income from maple production supplements farming or forestry. When you buy syrup directly from a producer, you’re supporting a way of life that has sustained Maine families for generations.

It’s also the first sign of spring. After a long Maine winter, seeing the smoke rising from sugarhouses and tasting that first sample of fresh syrup means warmer days are coming. Maple Sunday is as much a celebration of surviving winter as it is about the syrup itself.

Planning Your Route

Many sugarhouses cluster in specific regions, making multi-stop tours practical:

Western Foothills Loop: Start in Raymond at Balsam Ridge, continue to Naples and Bridgton area producers, then head to Fryeburg for a late lunch.

Central Maine Circuit: Begin in Augusta or Gardiner, hit producers in Windsor and Whitefield, then work north toward Skowhegan and Anson.

Aroostook Adventure: The County has excellent maple producers, often with smaller crowds than southern operations. Combine with a true north Maine experience.

Making the Most of the Day

Start early: The best sugarhouses draw crowds by mid-morning. Arrive at opening time for the first stop.
Pace yourself: The sugar consumption adds up. Take breaks between stops.
Buy early: Popular grades and sizes sell out. Make purchases at your first stop if you see what you want.
Stay for the stories: Sugarmakers love talking about their craft. Ask questions and you’ll learn things no brochure can teach.

The Lasting Connection

The syrup you buy on Maple Sunday isn’t just a souvenir—it’s a connection to a specific place and family. Each bottle represents the sap from trees that have stood for generations, boiled by people who’ve learned the craft from their parents and grandparents. When you pour that syrup on your pancakes months later, you’re tasting Maine spring and remembering the sugarhouse where you watched it being made.

That’s the real magic of Maple Sunday: not just great syrup, but the beginning of relationships with the people and places that produce it. Many visitors return to the same sugarhouses year after year, watching families grow and operations evolve, becoming part of the extended community that gathers each spring to celebrate the sweetest season.