Tap into Maple is a successful marketing program braiding together local maple syrup producers, restaurants and retail sellers of maple products in a self-guided driving tour with 21 stops.
Started in 2014, the program entices people to the region in search of a family experience and a sweet treat during the annual sugaring.
"We've seen a lot of new faces come on site due to this program," said Graydon Lau, co-owner of Quayle's Brewery at 4567 Line 12 N. in Oro-Medonte.
The program run by Orillia & Lake Country Tourism helps attract people to the rural brewery.
"We've had people say, 'Oh, we heard about this program. We are here to check it out. We've never been here before.' Most come from York Region and the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), but we have also seen locals that are visiting for the first time," said Lau.
This is the third year Quayle's has taken part in Tap into Maple. Initially, it tried making maple-infused beer but found out maple sugar simply feeds yeast in the beer.
This year, the brewery is offering a glass of stout with a maple sugar-rimmed glass. It's part of the 'maplelicious menu,' which also features maple butternut squash soup and maple coffee cake.
Quayle's sources its maple syrup comes from Shaws, which has been part of Tap into Maple since the start.
"We've been dealing with Tom (Shaw) and his team. They are wonderful people to work with, so it's a natural opportunity and partnership," Lau said.
Shaws Maple Syrup and Catering has been making maple syrup since 1904.
"Tap into Maple is a wonderful collaboration between the people that make maple syrup and the people that serve food with maple syrup on it," said Tom Shaw.
While keeping his eye on the evaporator, Shaw said it's been a traditional season this year with sap starting to run in March, instead of February.
"We are at boil No. 9 right now, and there is lots of season left."
Shaw said the seasonal pancake house on site has been busy. During March break, there were horse-drawn wagon rides, which continue on weekends.
Shaws has 4,500 trees tapped with 30 kilometres of tubing bringing the sap to the evaporator through vacuum pumps. The goal is to make 1,500 gallons (5,678 litres).
Brent Beers owns Maple Grove Syrup. He has been making maple syrup since he was in high school. He's been running his business on a 50-acre sugar bush in Severn for the past 15 years.
This year, he's made a significant investment in tubing, pumps, tanks and an evaporator, with crews working over the winter to install it.
He has 5.5 km of pipeline with 1,600 taps. He has two pump houses that pump sap to his storage tanks, where it's filtered and then evaporated to make maple syrup.
"We've already have about 27,800 litres in sap in one week ... so we've had an excellent season so far," said Beers. "When we tapped in February, we had four feet of snow in the bush. We tapped by snowshoe."
He said Tap into Maple has brought visitors to his property over March break and on weekends, some of whom are staying at Bayview Wildwood Resort, and people from Muskoka who are staying at local Airbnbs.
Maple Grove Syrup has partnerships with Mariposa Market and Lake Country Grill in Orillia and the Blue Moon Junction Cottage Bar & Grill on Highway 11 near Washago.
"It's been an awesome program," Beers said.
Shannon Hawke, marketing and sales co-ordinator for Orillia & Lake Country Tourism, says Tap into Maple gives the region an economic boost during the traditional sugar season.
"Maple season is such a great time here. It's great to showcase it," she said.
Hawke said it attracts a lot of visitors from the GTA who have never seen how maple syrup is produced.
"It's an opportunity to see that full process from tap to boil to serving," she said.
Shops such as Copperpot Nuts, at 2 Gray St. in Coldwater, and Chelsea Chocolates, at 3239 Penetanguishene Rd. in Craighurst, have people coming in just for maple nuts and maple chocolates, respectively.
"We are really highlighting that partnership piece. You are getting the farm-to-table experience with the culinary and the local maple syrup used in the products," Hawke said.
Wye Marsh's Sweetwater Harvest Festival runs this Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 16160 Hwy. 12 E. near Midland, with old-fashioned maple syrup production, maple taffy, bannock, and more.
Tap into Maple ends with Maple Weekend April 5 and 6.
More information can be found on the Tap into Maple website.