Sweet rewards await visitors to Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, where the 13th annual Sugar Maple Celebration will be in full swing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 19, 2016.

Once a year, the Fresh Air Fund invites the public to visit Sharpe Reservation for a day of family fun. This year there will be planetarium shows and live animal shows by Animal Embassy, storytelling by master storyteller Jonathan Kruk, dozens of demonstrations, hands-on field games, and food and crafts from Hudson Valley vendors (cash only). The event is open to the public, and admission is free. 

The highlight of the celebration each year is the midday Maple Syrup Contest, which draws crowds for the blind tasting of maple syrup samples from operations around the region. The audience can watch the judging and then taste samples for themselves. All day, the Sugar Shack is open for visitors to watch how maple sap is turned into syrup, and they can buy maple cotton candy, maple syrup and other maple products. “I enjoy seeing people get outdoors, have fun and learn about the magic of a maple tree,” says Tim Stanley, director of the Fresh Air Fund’s Environmental Center.

Sharpe Reservation is located at 436 Van Wyck Lake Rd., Fishkill, NY. The event is cosponsored by the New York State Outdoor Education Association. For more information, directions and a schedule of activities, visit FreshAir.org/sharpe or call 845.897.4320.