Enjoy the 59th Vermont Maple Festival in Saint Albans
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April 24-16, 2026 | Saint Albans, Vermont
Syrup lovers, mark your calendars! The 59th Annual Vermont Maple Festival is back April 24–26, 2026, bringing with it three unforgettable days of sticky-sweet fun, local flavor, live music, and pure maple joy in downtown Saint Albans.
If you’ve ever wanted to experience Vermont at its sweetest, the Vermont Maple Festival is the place to do it.
Each spring, downtown St. Albans transforms into a full-blown celebration of maple season, where sugarhouses, musicians, bakers, runners, and families all come together under one sticky-sweet banner.
The festival begins even before the official kickoff, with the Maple Cooking Contest on Thursday evening.
Local cooks put their best maple-infused creations forward, knowing that only pure Vermont maple syrup will do. It sets the tone for the weekend ahead, where creativity and tradition go hand in hand.
Live Music, Carnival Rides, and Friday Night Energy
By Friday, the energy spills into the streets.
The Main Street Stage comes alive with live music, starting with rising country artist Maddi Ryan, whose heartfelt vocals are matched only by her growing list of accolades. L
ater in the afternoon, Conniption Fits take over with a high-energy set that blends decades of crowd-pleasing hits into one big, danceable celebration. Meanwhile, Taylor Park hums with activity as kiddie rides spin up for the weekend, signaling that this is as much a family festival as it is a culinary one.
Saturday is when the festival really hits its stride. If you’re traveling with kids, you’ll want to make a beeline for the new Youth and Teen Zone at City Hall Auditorium, where indoor games like giant Jenga, cornhole, and ladder ball offer a weather-proof way to burn off energy.
Just down the street in Taylor Park, the entertainment lineup keeps things lively with performances that range from laugh-out-loud juggling acts by Jason Tardy to the crowd-favorite Aim High Canines, where talented rescue dogs leap, spin, and soar in a show that’s as inspiring as it is entertaining.
Sugarhouse Tours and Vermont Maple Heritage
For those looking to dig a little deeper into Vermont’s maple roots, Saturday also offers guided sugarhouse tours departing from Church Street.
These excursions take visitors into the heart of the sugaring process, where generations of Vermont families have turned sap into syrup.
Check out Branon Shady Maples in Fairfield, a fourth-generation operation that has grown from a modest family farm into a large-scale maple producer with tens of thousands of taps. It’s a chance to see firsthand just how much work and tradition go into every bottle.
Maple Tastings, Local Flavors, and a Month-Long Food Competition
Back in downtown St. Albans, the flavors of maple take center stage in more ways than one.
The Maple Beverage Tasting at 14th Star Brewing invites visitors to sample everything from maple craft beer to cider, wine, and spirits. It’s a ticketed event, but one that rewards curiosity with a surprising range of flavors that stretch far beyond pancakes and syrup.
And if you’re the kind of traveler who likes to eat your way through a destination, the month-long Best Maple Menu Contest is reason enough to linger in northwestern Vermont.
Restaurants across the region compete for top honors by creating maple-inspired dishes, and diners themselves act as the judges. It’s a delicious scavenger hunt that turns every meal into an opportunity to discover something new.
A Creative Twist: Poetry and Community
There’s also a quieter, more reflective side to the festival this year.
In celebration of National Poetry Month, The Eloquent Page bookstore is hosting a poetry contest centered around the theme “Sweet Taste of Spring.”
Writers of all ages are invited to interpret Vermont’s maple season through verse, adding a creative layer to a weekend already rich with tradition.
The Sap Run and Maple Festival Parade
Sunday brings a shift in pace, but not in energy.
Early risers can take part in the Annual Sap Run, an 8.5-mile race that begins in Swanton and ends right in front of Taylor Park. It’s equal parts athletic challenge and maple celebration, with syrup-themed prizes, sweet treats at the finish line, and a festive crowd cheering runners across the final stretch.
Later in the day, the Maple Festival Parade rolls through downtown, complete with floats, local personalities, and plenty of small-town charm. Kids line the sidewalks, neighbors catch up between marching bands, and the whole community leans into the joy of the season.
The weekend wraps up on a musical note, with Vermont native Isaac French taking the stage on Sunday afternoon. His blend of pop and folk, shaped by themes of love, family, and everyday life, feels like the perfect soundtrack to a festival that’s all about connection.
Also Read: An Outdoor Weekend in Saint Albans, Vermont
Why the Vermont Maple Festival Is Worth the Trip
At its heart, the Vermont Maple Festival isn’t just about syrup.
It’s about the people who make it, the communities that celebrate it, and the traditions that carry it forward year after year.
Whether you come for the food, the music, the family fun, or simply the promise of spring in Vermont, you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for the season, and probably a few maple treats tucked into your bag for the road.
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