The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 374 on St. Joseph Island be hosting the 49th Annual Maple Syrup Festival in Richards Landing, April 9 & 10, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Every year, the festival serves thousands of “all you can eat” pancakes and sausages topped with sticky and sweet St. Joseph Island maple syrup to residents from Wawa to Sudbury and everywhere in between.
This treat is available for just $9 per adult, $8 per senior, and $5 for each child under the age of 12.
The 2016 festival includes many of the usual features including local Maple Syrup Producer booths with a variety of syrups, candies and sugars.
Craft vendors and local organization information tables are favorites with the regular patrons.
The yearly $1,000 prize raffle tickets will be for sale.
This year, the festival is privileged to include a few special guests: Central Algoma Secondary School's History Club, the 49th Field Regiment, RCA and Sault Ste. Marie & Algoma District CUPE Council.
The History Club will be selling ”trench cakes.” Funds raised will help the 12 students in the club attend the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge; an honor they won by raising funds for the Vimy Ridge Foundation.
A great addition for the Legion's event, April 9 is Vimy Ridge Day. Also in attendance will be the the 49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Sault Ste. Marie).
As the Legion is there to serve them, they are coming to help serve others. Their recruiter will also be on hand with information about how to become an artilleryman with the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve.
On April 10, Sault Ste. Marie & Algoma CUPE Council will sponsor the festival. As part of their community outreach, they will be paying $5,000 worth of customers' breakfasts.
The Maple Syrup Festival on St. Joseph Island is a wonderful community experience. More than 100 volunteers make the event possible.
Every Legion Branch continues to struggle to find innovative ways to support Veterans, their families and community service organizations. This event is the largest fundraiser for Branch 374, it helps keep the doors open for Veterans and for the community.
Without events such as this festival, the Legion would not be able to continue to offer they help they generously offer.
Many friends and family annually mark their calendars to attend. It is a sign of spring, where you are guaranteed to run into old acquaintances.
If you have never been, you should attend to sample some local maple syrup and experience some “down-the-line” hospitality.
