ENJOY TASTING MARYLAND MADE MAPLE SYRUP AT THE
MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL.
55th Annual
Maple Syrup Festival
For centuries people have tapped maple trees for their sap.
Today, Cunningham Falls State Park is on the southern edge of a vast maple syrup production area that ranges from Maritime Canada to Missouri. Enjoy learning about the historic process and tasting the modern product at the Maple Syrup Festival. ​
March 14-15 and 21-22, 2026
Celebrate the annual Maple Syrup Festival at Cunningham Falls State Park! Guests can watch Park Rangers demonstrate the traditional way of boiling sap into syrup, listen to live bluegrass music, and take a hayride through the Maple Grove. Try your hand in the great pancake race – trying to flip a pancake on the run ahead of other contestants – or enjoy a hot pancake breakfast with sausage and maple syrup.
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Events take place each day of the event from 10AM to 2PM. The ASL Interpreter will be stationed at the Sugar Shack every day of the event from 10:00am - 2:00 pm. Syrup-making demonstrations and hayrides take place every hour on the hour. Suggested donation at entrance is $5.00 per person. Breakfast, maple syrup products, and event souvenirs are available during the festival hours at extra cost.
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Proceeds from the Maple Syrup Festival benefit the nonprofit Friends of Cunningham Falls and Gambrill State Parks, which directly support both State Parks. The park opens at 9 a.m. and closes at sunset. Pets are permitted on a leash, outside only. This event is ADA accessible. Visitors may call 301-271-7574 for more information.
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We look forward to seeing you there!
Meet Our Sponsors
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Festival Activities
Live ‘Sap to Syrup’ Boiling Demonstrations
Conducted outdoors at the Sugar Shack: every hour on the hour, Park Rangers will speak about the entire process from tapping a maple tree, collecting the sap, and boiling the sap to make Maryland Maple Syrup. You will see the actual caldron with sap boiling over the fire outside!
Delicious Pancake Breakfast:
Enjoy hot flapjacks fresh off the griddle with local sausage and Maryland maple syrup in a large heated tent.
Additional fees apply.
Live Local
Bluegrass Bands
Bluegrass music will be performed by local musicians all 4 days from 11am - 2pm.
3/14: Seneca Creek
3/15: Plate Scraper
3/21 & 22: Horseplay
The Maple Market
Festival Merchandise & Maple Syrup Products
Shop Maryland-made maple syrup products from a local vendor, along with official "Friends" festival merchandise - available at both locations
Two convenient locations:
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Visit us at the open windows of the Nature Center
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Also located at the Lakeside Concession Building. (near the Sugar Shack)
Hayrides to
The Maple Grove
Take a ride to see The Maple Grove all around North Beach, alongside Big Hunting Creek Lake.
This year we have maple products available for purchase supplied by Split Acres Maple, located in Grantsville, MD
- a family-operated maple syrup producer in the heart of Garrett County. Dedicated to traditional yet sustainable practices, Split Acres taps the region’s finest sugar maples to create pure, high-quality syrup that captures the rich flavors of the Appalachian landscape.
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Park patrons can buy maple syrup products as well as festival
merchandise from two convenient areas in the park:
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Visit us at the open windows of the Nature Center
Also located at the Lakeside Concession Building. (near the Sugar Shack)
Event Location
William Houck Area
Cunningham Falls State Park