Foodies, travellers, and curious individuals alike, rejoice! The complete Elmira Maple Syrup Festival “food to try list” is here!
Maple syrup is at the top of the list when people ask “what is a Canadian food?”. There are only 2 countries in the world that make maple syrup. A uniquely North American product, the US makes 25% of the world’s supply and Canada makes an impressive 75%. Within Canada, the province of Québec produces 90%, with the remaining 10% spread between Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia.
Maple farms are known as the “sugar bush”. To harvest maple syrup, trees are tapped with a metal tube so the sap collects in buckets or with suction and hose lines between trees. After collection, it’s boiled in a sugar shack. There are different grades of syrup based on the colour, ranging from light amber to dark, all of which are life-changingly (yes, I made up that word) delicious.
Growing up in Ontario, visiting the sugar bush and learning about maple syrup production was a common school field trip. Heck, even as an adult I’ve visited them just for fun.
This year I wanted to check out the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival but there was one big problem – I had a wisdom tooth pulled the day before. That meant limited food options for at least a few days. Thankfully, Canada’s liquid gold is, well, liquid! I would be able to eat softer items like the classic pancakes, and some maple candies, but a few festival-specific items would be eaten only with the eyes.
Read on for the complete list of Elmira Maple Syrup Festival food to try when you visit. If you’re thinking of attending, also check out the Ultimate Guide to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival.
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What is the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival?
Each April, the 1-day Elmira Maple Syrup Festival draws crowds in the tens of thousands who wish to taste all things maple. In addition to all sorts of food and drink, there’s live music, family entertainment, sugar bush tours, artisan booths, and more.
Top 6 Elmira Maple Syrup Festival Food to Try
Here are a few sweet and savoury treats to try at the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival.
1: Award-Winning Maple Syrup
Each year, prior to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, a competition is held to find Ontario’s best maple syrup. Members of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association submit amber maple syrup to be blindly judged for density, clarity, colour, and flavour. The winning batch is then used as the official festival pancake pairing. They also have 2 booths to purchase even more golden goodies from the Festival’s Producer of the Year.
2: Pancakes with Maple Syrup
A staple tradition at the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival is the pancake breakfast at Lions Hall, adjacent to the main festival road. Starting your day with pancakes cooked on an open-air griddle and drenched in maple syrup is as wholesome as it gets! It was so lovely to see the whole community come out to make the event happen – girl guides, boy scouts, parents, firefighters, etc… Seeing everyone pitch in made me pause and appreciate the beautiful and important aspects of life pre-pandemic that have remained part of what makes a community.
3: Maple Taffy
Let me tell you…I was not leaving the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival without lapping up that sweet sugary snow. I hadn’t tasted it in years and was very much looking forward to this nostalgic Canadian delicacy. For those that haven’t yet indulged in this sticky saccharine treat, you’re seriously missing out. It consists of 2 simple ingredients: snow and maple syrup. The maple syrup is heated and condensed before being poured over (clean!) snow and rolled over a popsicle stick. Whether you call it snow taffy, tire sur la neige, tire d’érable, or maple taffy, make sure to visit the taffy demonstration near the bandstand in Gore Park and try some on festival day.
4: Maple Tarts & Cinnamon Buns
Remember when I said in the Ultimate Guide to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival to bring a tote bag or backpack? These buttery flakey goodies are a few of several reasons why you’ll be happy you came prepared! Ontarians will likely be familiar with the province’s famous butter tarts. While they are in their own right quite fantastic, maple tarts skyrocket their appeal to the next level. Trust me. Try them.
Before heading to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival I reached out to all of you on Instagram to ask about your favourite festival foods. Numerous responses mentioned cinnamon buns. Naturally, I made it my mission to buy some. Sadly, I couldn’t find them, however they’re on this list in case you have better luck!
5: Mini Maple Cheesecake
Historically I have not been a cheesecake eater. However, over the last few years my tastebuds have seen the light and now there is no turning back. When I saw these mini maple cheesecakes topped with maple cookies, along with several other tantalizing flavours, I ordered several. Spoiler: I should have ordered more. These little pops of joy were divine!
6: Maple Butter
Maple Butter is as it sounds – though perhaps more appetizing. Think of it like peanut butter or Nutella, but maple. Perfect for toast, croissants, cheese, warm drinks, inside pastries, or even as a glaze for meats and fish, it’s a versatile cupboard item. You could also just eat it by the mini spoonful…but you didn’t hear that from me!
7: Maple Candy
Okay, I may not have a photo of maple candy here, however this Bourbon Aged Maple Syrup from Voisin’s looked like adult candy – don’t you agree? Joking aside, there are a variety of maple candies to try. A few to keep your eye out for include hard maple candies, maple gummies, and the classic soft maple candies that melt on your tongue.
8: Turkey Thighs
This was a surprise to me. Apparently gigantor turkey thighs are a hit at the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival! While I couldn’t try one of my own thanks to the recently absent wisdom tooth, I witnessed several happy individuals walking with a fistful of tin foil-wrapped barbecued meat.
9: Back Bacon on a Bun
Back bacon on a bun was another highly suggested item from all of you on Instagram. The line-up was huge so, despite my personal ability to suggest it, I feel I can safely say to you, dear reader, that they’re another savoury must-try.
10: Apple Fritters
The excellent thing about the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival is that if you miss the event you can try many of these goodies at the nearby St. Jacob’s Farmers’ Market. Apple fritters are one such item. To set the stage, close your eyes and imagine the scent of cooked cinnamon-spiced apples that are enveloped by warm and crispy golden brown dough and coated in powdered sugar glaze. Mmmmm!
11: Mennonite Baking
Mennonite baking is cozy indulgence at its finest. Heavy with butter, sugar, and centuries of tradition, the best way to enjoy Mennonite desserts is at a table overflowing with friends and family. There is an ample selection of Mennonite treats at the festival, like Shoefly Pie, breads, cinnamon buns, cookies, squares, and more. It also makes for excellent housewarming or host gifts.
12: Artisnal Ice Cream
I was not expecting ice cream at a spring festival, but there it was! Huron County’s Salt Mine Ice Cream is gluten free, uses locally-sourced ingredients, and is run by the friendly wife and husband duo, Brayden and Chase.
13: Different Ethnic Food Stalls
Polish pierogi, German pretzels, Middle Eastern kebab, Indian curries, and much more was available to satiate the crowd. My tip? Come hungry, bring friends, and order a little bit of everything.
14: Hot Apple Cider
On a chilly spring day, hot apple cider is the perfect hand and belly warmer!
If you are visiting Waterloo Region for the first time, feel free to reach out via Instagram or email. I’m more than happy to share food, neighbourhood, or travel suggestions.
Helpful Tips for Booking Your Trips
Flights
If you want affordable flights, you must get into the points and miles game. Check out my Travel Coaching services to help Canadians fly for less than a tank of gas!
Car Rentals
To help you explore new destinations, turn to Discover Cars for a huge range of vehicle options and excellent prices.
Accommodation
There are so many options for affordable, comfortable, and unique accommodation. Some of my favourite accommodation options are housesitting and hostels. I’ve been using Trusted Housesitters and Hostelworld for years. If you prefer hotels, then check out Booking.com.
Activities
Get Your Guide is a fantastic resource for different activities to try when travelling. They have everything from walking tours, food tours, tickets to attractions, and multi-day trips, and more. Check out this super cool view I had of Tallinn when I was in Estonia for the Christmas markets in 2023, all because of a Get Your Guide experience. My favourite tour so far that I’ve been on with Get Your Guide is a fantastic walking food tour I did in Dublin. That experience had a wild twist – you’ll have to read this blog post to find out why!
