SKOWHEGAN — The 11th annual Maple Festival will take place at various venues Friday through Sunday, March 24-26.

Celebrating Somerset County’s status as the top maple-producing county in the United States, this festival offers activities for all ages with a pancake breakfast, maple-marshmallow roasting, a maple leaf hunt and more, according to a news release from Maine Street Skowhegan.

SKOWHEGAN, ME- August 14: James Smith lll of Smith Brothers Maple in Skowhegan fills trays with maple syrup to make maple candy inside the new Maple House exhibit building at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds on Sunday, August 14, 2016. (Photo by David Leaming/Staff Photographer)

SKOWHEGAN, ME0 March 3: Jason Tessier scoops off foam as maple sap boils down into maple syrup at his farm in Skowhegan on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Tessier said this is the first time boiling this season and said it is still early and he expects conditions to improve soon. (Photo by David Leaming/Staff Photographer)

The festival leads up to Maine Maple Sunday, when sugarhouses around the state open their doors to the public with free maple syrup samples and demonstrations on how pure Maine maple syrup is made. Many farms offer games, activities, treats, sugarbush tours and more.

Schedule of events:

Friday, March 24

Maple sap collecting, 4:30 p.m., Chez Londorf, Burrill Hill Road.

Saturday, March 25

Pancake breakfast, 7-10 a.m., Tewksbury Hall, Skowhegan Island. Breakfast will feature locally sourced foods including homemade whole-grain pancakes, Somerset County maple syrup, free-range sausage, fresh fruit and local coffee, tea, cider, and milk. Cost is $6 for adults, $4 for children 12 and younger.

Maple Leaf Hunt, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., downtown. Pick up a checklist at the Bankery, 87 Water St., search for leaves in downtown businesses, and turn in a completed list to be entered into a prize drawing.

Chez Londorf Maple Open House, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Chez Londorf, Burrill Hill Road.

Springtime celebration, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Country Crow Primitives, 61 Water St. Celebrate spring with homemade treats, in-store specials and more.

Maple marshmallow roasting, games and activities, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., municipal lot.

Sugar Dash 5K, noon, municipal lot. Proceeds from the walk/run organized by Jobs for Maine Graduates will benefit the American Breast Cancer Foundation.

Skowhegan Rotary beer, wine, and food tasting, 5-8 p.m., Skowhegan Armory, 11 N. School St. Tickets cost $17 per person prior to event, $20 at the door, 21-plus event. To purchase tickets, see the Facebook event.

Sunday, March 26

Maple open houses: Visit local maple producers — including Tessiers Farm, Strawberry Hill Farms, Smith Brothers Maple, and more — for tours and samples.

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