Sure sights, sounds, and smells of springtime in the Valley-- it's the 33rd Annual Maple Syrup Festival and Pancake Breakfast in Boardman Park.
"This is a community based organization, community based event. We give a lot of money back to the community. This is our second biggest fundraiser of the year," said Anthony Daprile, Chairman of the Pancake Breakfast.
Rotary Club volunteers will flip more than 3,000 flap jacks a day on back-to-back weekends, for pancake lovers of all ages.
So if you do about 3,000 a day, and this goes today, tomorrow and next weekend, what are we looking at, 10,000 pancakes? "Oh at least, at least...," said one volunteer.
Before the syrup ever makes it to the pancakes on your table, the sap has to be collected from the maple tree, through a spiel, or a plastic tube.
"Your syrup's going to be around 66, 67 percent sugar at the end, so in a few hours we should be having some maple syrup," said Gabe Manginelli with Boardman Park.
Besides the food, the festival also features plenty of fun activities for every member of the family.
"Great family event; the wood carvers are in the building next to the pancake breakfast. There's the art show, and there's also a basket raffle; a lot of things for the family to do," said Beth Harnishfeger, enjoying a hayride with her children and grandchildren.
Local Boy Scout Troops are on hand to show off their skills, and history buffs will appreciate Civil War re-enactments by the 61st Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
"We're going to do some drills for the public, and we'll probably do some firing demonstrations, and then after lunch this afternoon, we're going to go off into the woods there, and we'll skirmish," said First Lieutenant Ron Kyser.
The Maple Syrup Festival and Pancake Breakfast continues Sunday and again next weekend March 27 and 28 from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
