It’s maple sugaring time!

Or at least, it will be soon. Mark your calendars for March 12 and March 13, 2016, to take part in one of the most fun and educational events of the year at Creek Bend Nature Center at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles.

At the Creek Bend Nature Center, you can explore the art, science and folklore of the “sugar bush,” or maple grove.  You’ll learn how to tap a maple tree, and you can try your hand at drilling and setting a tap.

Organizers will simmer sap over an open fire and watch as it thickens to syrup. There will be a “Sugarin’ Time” hike, during which you’ll learn how to distinguish maples from other species of hardwood trees in the woodland. The event will include face painting for kids, a “sweet” scavenger hunt, and more!

This free program is for all ages.

For information, call 630-338-6292 or email programs@kaneforest.com.

Maple Sugaring Time

• When: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 12, and Sunday March 13
• Where: Creek Bend Nature Center, LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles
• Cost: Free for all!

SOURCE: Kane County Forest Preserve District