Five maple producers from St. Lawrence County will be participating in this year's Maple Weekend. Operations in Norwood, Canton, Madrid and DeKalb Junction will be open to the public. They will all feature different activities, including teaching how maple syrup is produced and tours of facilities and sugar bushes. Some will offer free samples.

Maple Weekend is a statewide event put on by the New York State Maple Producers Association.

According to a news release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office, New York ranks second nationwide in maple production, accounting for 18 percent of the nation’s output with 574,000 gallons produced in 2013. New York's maple producers used 2.2. million taps in 2013, the highest number since 1949.

St. Lawrence County's Maple Weekend events are:

• Fine-n-Dandy, 2620 County Route 35, Norwood, March 29 and 30. Activities include making and packaging maple sugar and/or cream and tours through the woods, free samples at the sugarhouse. Call 528-4700 or 388-4149 or email findandy@twcny.rr.com for more information.

• Finen Maple Products, 529 Austin Ridge Road, Norwood, March 22, 23 and 29. Will feature rides through the sugar woods, weather-permitting and free samples. Fresh maple syrup will be available for sale. Call (240)405-2231 or (301)524-8628 or email finenmaple@gmail.com for more information.

• Parker Maple Farm, 2591 County Route 21, Canton, March 22 and 23. Activities will include sugar house tours and, weather-permitting, boiling on a new wood-pellet evaporator. There will be maple candy and cream-making demonstrations and a coloring contest. Winner gets a maple gift basket. For more information, call 212-2399 or 6780, or email joshua@parkermaple.com.

• Sweeter Creations Sugar House, 348 Pearson Road, Madrid, March 22, 23, 29 and 30. There will be demonstrations of new sap collection methods from over 1,200 trees and various maple products for sale. Call 322-5535 or email blondie8363@gmail.com for more information.

• The Orebed Sugar Shack, 503 Ore Bed Road, DeKalb Junction, March 22, 23, 29 and 30. They will host free guided tours and demonstrations of modern and old-fashioned equipment. There will be free face painting, guided tours through the woods, horse-drawn wagon rides and chainsaw carving demonstrations. There will be free raffles for adults and coloring contests for children. Call 347-3415 or 528-2450, or email orebedsugarshack@tds.net for more information.