In the springtime when the sap starts flowing from the trunks of the eastern maple trees, every child in Quebec starts smiling. They know they're in for a special treat.
The trees are tapped and the sap is collected in buckets before being boiled down to make pure, all-natural maple syrup. Then comes the fun part. Children pour the hot maple syrup over cold snow and voilà - a sweet and tasty chewy candy is ready to eat.
To celebrate this valued family tradition in Squamish, the Francophone school École Les Aiglons is hosting the Cabane à sucre Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday, March 27 at Garibaldi Highlands Elementary school from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is just $2 per person or $5 per family which includes a generous tasting of boiled maple syrup right off the clean snow.
"It's one of the most fun times in Quebec culture and we want to invite the community to celebrate with us," said Stephanie Brown, president of the École Les Aiglons PAC.
Brown also hopes the event will help to spread awareness and clear any misconceptions the public may have about the school. Although École Les Aiglons is governed by a separate school district, the Conseil Scolaire Francophone, it is still a publicly funded school. All students are eligible to attend classes at the school, but they must have a francophone background and home support in the French language.
The school, which has 32 students from kindergarten to grade 4, encourages and celebrates francophone cultures and traditions.
"We're a small school hoping to get better," said Brown.
The Maple Syrup festival is the first of its kind in Squamish. Because it takes more than 40 litres of sap to produce one litre of pure maple syrup, the syrup will be imported from Quebec and the snow will be imported from Garibaldi Park or Whistler. "It's so much fun we thought this would be a good way to promote our school," said. "It's really yummy and fun for all the kids."
The event will also feature a silent auction, games, live entertainment and a concession stand selling organic maple syrup, hot and cold drinks and traditional Quebecois snacks.
