CARBONDALE (SIU NEWS) — The 2026 Maple Syrup Festival, a popular springtime tradition for the whole family, is happening March 21-22 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center.
The festival features a tasty breakfast including pancakes topped with real maple syrup, but that’s not all. It’s a chance to see firsthand the extensive process involved in turning sap tapped from maple trees into syrup. It’s also lumberjack shows, live demonstrations of handcrafts such as pottery and rope making, fun children’s activities, nature walks and live music. Visitors can enjoy testing their prowess on the big climbing wall or taking a turn on the giant swing. And, they’ll want to check out the wide variety of items offered by artisans and vendors in vendor alley.
The fest runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the scenic facility located about eight miles south of Carbondale off Giant City Road. The pancake breakfast and all the trimmings is served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily—but organizers say you should arrive by 1:45 p.m. if you’re planning to eat. The fest continues through 3:30 p.m.
“The Maple Syrup Festival is really something special,” said Brian Croft, executive director of Touch of Nature and the Office of Sustainability. “We tap the trees and make our very own syrup at Touch of Nature. When people attend, they can enjoy fresh maple syrup and see what all is involved in the intensive process that converts the sap to syrup. And there’s so much happening that day, ensuring people of all ages have a great time.”
Demonstrations of maple syrup processing will be ongoing during the festival. A wide array of other exciting activities are slated for the weekend, with most offered free of charge, and it’s a rain-or-shine event.
The daily activities schedule of free activities also includes:
- Children’s activities, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Lumberjack game shows, 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. daily.
- Blacksmithing demonstrations by the Southern Illinois Metalsmith Society, noon and 2 p.m. each day.
- The Carbondale Park District’s mobile target sports unit will be on site throughout the festival, giving participants the opportunity to safely practice using slingshots and tomahawks.
- Live music, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
For a small fee, participants can enjoy:
- The climbing wall, 10 a.m.-noon, 12:30-3 p.m.
- The giant swing, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-3 p.m.
- The bar and grill is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Limited quantities of fresh, homemade maple syrup will be available for purchase each day at the center’s Maple Syrup Store. Come early to be sure you get some.
Tickets for the pancake breakfast highlighted by real maple syrup are available at the door at Freeberg Hall.
Ticket prices are:
Ages 11 and older: $15.
Ages 4-10: $8.
Ages 3 and younger: free.
SIU students: $8 with valid student ID.
Volunteers from Scout troops, church groups and service clubs, the university and the community at large are needed to assist with serving breakfast, cleaning tables, assisting with children’s activities and other tasks. Volunteers can enjoy a complimentary pancake breakfast at the beginning of their shift. Sign up online to assist.
For more information about the Maple Syrup Festival, visit the website, email ton@siu.edu or call 618-453-1122.
