BUXTON, Maine — Maine Maple Sunday dates back hundreds of years and after having to cancel last year due to COVID-19, maple producers were excited to welcome people back to their farms this year. In some cases, people who have never visited before.
"This is a new experience for me 'cause I really never been to anything like this before," Vernon Maze said.
Maze is from Austin, Texas, and has been in Maine working on COVID-19 testing for about eight months. He was excited to experience his first Maine Maple Weekend. He said he was having fun and felt safe even during the pandemic.
"Everybody is doing the six feet like they're supposed to so it's real safe to come on out," he said.
"This is really getting people back to normal this is something we lost in the spring last year," Scott Dunn, owner of Dunn Family Maple and President of the Maine Maple Producers Association.
He said the industry took a hit last year, but he hopes this Maine Maple Weekend will help producers bounce back.
"The comments from the crowd are great they're really enjoying it it's a chance to get out and I think it's showing us that we're getting back on track of what we lost," he said.
This past fall, Maine maple producers held a smaller version of Maine Maple Weekend. Dunn said he expects that event to continue.
"We're looking to have it be an annual event for years to come," Dunn said.
While Maine Maple Weekend comes around every March, the sweet treat is available all year long.