Apr 11, 2026 @ 9:00 AM

Maple Syrup Fest

Learn more about how and where maple syrup is made, and grab a tasty treat, all at the Annual Phelps Maple Syrup Fest!

Join us in Phelps at Phelps School for a sweet celebration of maple syrup! Phelps Maple Syrup Fest is a family friendly event, where you can:

• Stroll the Arts & Crafts Show
• Watch tree-tapping demonstrations
• Cooking with Maple Syrup demos with The Tipsy Housewife and Buffy’s Northwoods Kitchen
• Find treats at the Maple Café and amazing breakfast from Sunrise Lodge
• Take a tour of local sugar bushes to see where this popular treat originates and how sap becomes syrup
• Meet Alice in Dairyland
• Watch the exciting Maple Syrup Judging Contest
• This Phelps event is perfect for all ages! The day’s activities and sugarbush tours are free of charge for all attendees. A portion of the proceeds from Maple Syrup Fest will benefit area high school graduates through continuing education scholarships.

Fun & Educational Classes at Maple Syrup Fest!

Want to make your own syrup or honey? Do you already tap your own trees but are looking for some tips on filtering or perfecting your craft? We’ve got experts on hand! This year’s classes and demos include:

• Beekeeping and Honey
• Flavors of Maple Syrup
• Cooking with Maple Syrup
• Hands-on Tree Tapping Demos
• Making Maple Taffy on the Snow

Maple Syrup Judging Contest – run by the professionals at Smoky Lake Maple Products

Congratulations to the 2026 Maple Syrup Judging Contest winners!

Best Overall – Maple Syrup of the Year!

B&H Honey and Maple Syrup, Chilton, WI

Category: Golden Color & Delicate Taste

1^st – Twin Pines, Norway, MI

2^nd – Fish House Sugar, Appleton, WI

3^rd – Maple Sweet Dairy, DePere, WI

Category: Amber Color & Rich Taste

1^st – B&H Honey and Maple Syrup, Chilton, WI

2^nd – Ski’s Sugar Shack, Merrill, WI

3^rd – Schleif Sugar Bush, Merrill, WI

Category: Dark Color & Robust Taste

1^st – Primrose Maple, Elkhart Lake, WI

2^nd – Wrenchy’s Tap House, Kaukauna, WI

3^rd – InTheWoods Sugar Bush, Manitowoc, WI

Category: Very Dark Color & Strong Taste

1^st – 10 Acre Black Maple Syrup, DePere, WI

2^nd – Fritzo, Howards Grove, WI

3^rd – Pickerel Lakes Maple, Eagle River, WI

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL 2026 SYRUP ENTRY SCORES

Each year contestants submitted syrup for judging from all over the region and State! Maple syrup for the judging contest comes from sugar bushes with just a few trees tapped to thousands of trees.

We have had many great entries over the years, making the job tough for our dedicated judges. Grade A syrup is categorized by color and taste. Entries are evaluated on density, clarity, flavor, color and containers. Each year all entries give the judges a great experience tasting each of the unique syrups and picking out the underlying flavors.

Please remember that entries may be disqualified with a density score too low to qualify as maple syrup. Judge’s notation: keep boiling!

Fun Facts about Maple Syrup

• Did you know that maple syrup was one of Wisconsin’s first agricultural products?
• It takes 10 whole gallons of sap to make 1 quart of syrup!
• Maple syrup is actually good for your health – it increases red blood cell growth and is proven to treat digestive disorders.
• Humans aren’t the only ones that take advantage of maple trees – squirrels tap the trees with their 2 front teeth and drink the sap straight from the tree!
• Not all maple syrup is the same; flavor can be affected by the tree tapped, weather and climate, and different production methods. Don’t just buy one bottle – try out different maple syrup products for a variety of sweet tastes!
• Wisconsin produces an average of 74,000 gallons of maple syrup a year!

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Sponsoring one of our local activities or making a donation is a great way for your business to receive positive exposure in multiple ways.  Contact the Phelps Chamber to learn how to become a sponsor of this wonderful event!