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Kenton County Parks and Recreation Sugar Camp 2020 at Middleton Mills Park postponed to March 4-7


*Update: Due to the anticipated weather, conditions won’t allow for Sugar Camp to take place this week and it has been postponed to March 4-7. The temperature has to be just right in order for the sap to flow. This event will be held in Middleton-Mills Park (3415 Mills Rd., Covington, KY 41015) at Shelter House 2.

Original story below:

Kenton County Parks & Recreation (KCP&R) is hosting Sugar Camp 2020: Making Maple Syrup on February 26-29 in Middleton-Mills Park (3415 Mills Rd., Covington, KY 41015) at Shelter House 2

Photo from last year’s Sugar Camp.

Step into the forest and back in time to experience life in a mid-1800’s sugar camp. Visit a working sugar camp, demonstrating the art and science of making maple syrup the old fashioned way. First, visit an American frontier settler camp and see how one would work with many of the tools and accoutrements used 150-200 years ago.

A second camp set up nearby provides participants an opportunity to see how Native Americans would have lived and worked at the time.

See how sap water was processed into hard sugar using hand-hewn wooden bowls and birch bark molds. Visitors will be encouraged to participate in many of the day-to-day tasks of Sugar Camp. Learn about and make a “spile”; help tap Sugar Maple trees and gather sap; taste unrefined sweet sap water and sample home-made maple syrup.

Reservations for class-size groups, individuals, and families will be requested. Weekday time slots are Wednesday through Friday at 10-11:30 a.m., Noon to 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday ONLY: Drop-In Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with additional activities available. Dress for the weather.

Reserve your spot today through the online registrations system here. KCP&R chooses the best time for maple sugaring in Kentucky based on the weather.

Volunteers Needed – Sugar Camp Preparation Work Day to be held at Middleton-Mills Park at Shelter House 2 on Monday, February 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to set up camp and gather, haul, split and stack firewood for Sugar Camp.

For news of upcoming programs, activities, and events to be held in Kenton County’s parks, call the Parks & Recreation office at 859/525-PLAY (7529), visit the website  or follow Kenton County Parks & Recreation on Facebook @KentonCountyParks.

Kenton County Parks & Recreation


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One Comment

  1. Rhonda Ritzi says:

    Due to the anticipated weather, conditions won’t allow for Sugar Camp to take place this week and has been postponed to March 4-7. The temperature has to be just right in order for the sap to flow.

    If you have already registered, your reservation has been transferred to the following week, same day and time. A receipt will be sent to you for confirmation. If this time and day does not work for you, please contact Parks & Recreation at (859) 525-7529 or via email at parks.recreation@kentoncounty.org.

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