Nature center hosts Maple Syrup Fest

By Chloe Gregg
Editor in Chief

Fenner Nature Center celebrated its annual Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday, March 25. Although the day was gray and rainy, the festival still kept its spirits up and brought smiles to hundreds of Greater Lansing-area residents’ faces.

Alexa Seeger, the development and events manager at Fenner Nature Center, said this year was special as it showcased some new activities and brought back fan favorite “Flapjacks for Fenner.”

“This year, Fenner (introduced) new educational stations, where visitors (could) make their own natural spiles, learn to ID trees ready for tapping and hear about ‘sap suckers,’ the animals that drink maple sap during long winters,” Seeger said.

The event itself was free to everyone, but there were some parts of the festival that guests needed to pay for, such as the pancakes. Chris Cakes served the “Flapjacks for Fenner” for $10 per person (or $6 for ages 4 and under) by showing off some pancake-flipping abilities.

Guests could also purchase some locally made maple syrup or donate some extra cash to Fenner Nature Center. This festival served as a fundraiser for Fenner Conservancy, but anyone at any time can donate to the center.

Zach Boris, an LCC nursing student who loves to collect “plant babies,” attended the festival and said he had a lot of fun.

“My favorite part was getting to try all of the different types of syrup,” Boris said about his experience. “I found that Hickory syrup was super sweet and yummy while Birch syrup tasted exactly like balsamic vinegar.”

For those interested in visiting the nature center or attending another one of its upcoming festivals, visit the website here for more information.