You never know who or what you’ll see at the annual Powassan Maple Syrup Festival.
Chub Nadrofsky walked through the crowd dressed as Sappy, the festival mascot, encouraging people to head down to the Sportsplex to enjoy maple corn on the cob.
"We cook corn on the cob and then you can put maple syrup and butter on it," laughed Nadrofsky.
"I’ve been doing this for about 10 years on and off. You see the kids having fun, and I get to talk to a lot of people. With some people, it is the only time I get to see them."
That kind of good-natured, fun-filled attitude was evident at every turn at the 22nd annual festival.
Despite the early morning cold and flurries, people began arriving at 7 a.m. to enjoy a hearty pancake breakfast, a festival tradition.
By the end of the day, Powassan’s population of 3,200 was expected to swell to somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000.
"It is a great economic boost. It brings a lot of people from out of town and they get to see the great town of Powassan and what it has to offer. They check out the local stores and restaurants, so it is great for the community," explained festival chair Mike Odrowski.
The one-day festival draws people from as far away as London, Windsor, Timmins, and Sault Ste. Marie.
"We’re one of the largest one-day events here in Northern Ontario. Anything north of Barrie, we’re pretty much one of the largest ones," said Odrowski.
Over 150 vendors lined the main street and packed the Sportsplex.
"There is something here for all age groups. We have all kinds of fresh baked goods. Agriculture Canada is here with Maple the cow. Kids get to learn about dairy farming and how to milk a cow. We have the Great Canadian Lumberjack Show again this year, and there is great musical entertainment all day long. There are too many things going on to list," smiled Odrowski.
Six of the vendors were local maple syrup producers.
Lori Costello co-owner of Bella Hill Maple Syrup has been bringing her tasty products to the festival for the past 11 years.
"It is the time of year when it is nice to get outside and usually the weather if fairly nice, although it is cold today. We even got snow this morning. But it is nice to get everyone together and celebrate," said Costello.
"The maple butter tarts are always a hit. We’ve had those for maybe the past five or six years. This year with our syrup, we have the Temagami tart master making maple butter tarts. There’s all different kinds, some with wild blueberries in them too."
For more than two decades the festival has become a spring ritual for families.
"I just like getting out and seeing what everyone has to offer, what they bring. It is just something I’ve done since I was a kid," said Powassan resident Ashley McLeod.
"It is always very friendly and there is always so many people, depending on the weather."
