PETERSBURG — It may still be winter, but the Sugar Shack at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center is ready to warm up again as the center prepares for the 2026 Maple Harvest Festival.
Soon, crews will be identifying and tapping trees, collecting sap and boiling it down as Penn State students prepare to showcase the maple sugaring process during the annual spring festival that brings together the local and Penn State communities.
Scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, March 22, the Maple Harvest Festival is a well-loved community tradition that also features live music, pancakes with real maple syrup, wildlife programs, a climbing wall and more.
Timed-entry tickets are required to attend the festival and/or to visit Shaver’s Creek on those days and must be purchased online prior to the event. Tickets go on sale at noon on Feb. 25 on the Shaver’s Creek website.
This year’s festival is further bolstered by Shaver’s Creek’s year-long 50th anniversary celebration, which includes a series of events for the whole community. Laurie McLaughlin, the Shaver’s Creek program director who oversees the festival, said the festival provides an opportunity for former Shaver’s Creek students and staff to come back and celebrate the center’s deep roots and bright future.
“Maple Harvest Festival is one of our signature programs for the community. All the hard work and preparation is so worth it when we see the community enjoying the event; connecting with each other and the natural world,” McLaughlin said. “We have always been a place for students to learn and grow and a place for them to try out their craft of teaching and working with others. It brings such joy to see this in action and celebrate with those who have been a part of this special place through the years.”
The Maple Harvest Festival made its debut at Shaver’s Creek in 1984, starting off as a small group of maple syrup enthusiasts. Last year, more than 1,780 visitors attended the festival, that was made possible with the support of 219 volunteers and staff along with 16 Penn State students. In total, visitors consumed 7,272 pancakes during the two-day event.
Learn more about the Maple Harvest Festival and other opportunities on the Shaver’s Creek website.
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