‘It’s like homecoming week’: 56th annual Belmore Maple Syrup Festival underway

The 56th annual Belmore Maple Syrup Festival hopes to raise enough money to keep the town arena open - CTV's Scott Miller reports.

The Belmore Arena is packed, which means only one thing, it’s time for the 56^th edition of the Belmore Maple Syrup Festival.

“I think for a lot of people, it’s like homecoming week. They see people they went to high school with, or played ball with, or lived next door to 50 years ago,” explained Deanne Dickson, who has volunteered since the first Belmore Maple Syrup Festival started in 1968.

For the past 56 years, pancake lovers from across Ontario have converged on the tiny village of Belmore for a heaping plate of pancakes and syrup, but also small-town charm, where after picking up your initial plate of food, volunteers hand deliver seconds, thirds and as many pancakes as you can eat.

“I just enjoy meeting all the people and seeing different folks. Some of them, you just see once a year, when they come here. So, I just enjoy it. It’s fun,” said long-time volunteer, Sandy McEwen.

Over Thursday and Saturday, 150 gallons of maple syrup will be poured, 2,400 eggs will be cracked, 600 kg of flour will be sifted, and 4,000 lbs of sausage will be consumed.

“We usually get between 5,000 and 6,000 people. So, three or four pancakes per person counts up to over 20,000 pancakes,” said festival co-organizer Barry Mulvey.

Three hundred volunteers make the two-day event happen. Everyone from 93-year-old Mary Mighton, clearing tables,

“I just love meeting all the people. I love to volunteer,” said Mighton.

And to the next generation sneaking in some pancakes between shifts.

“This morning, I was in the kitchen cracking eggs for the pancakes. I think it’s important for everyone to volunteer. It takes a lot of people to put on this event, so we need all the help we can,” said teenager Stellarae Stroeder.

While most folks come from within an hour or two drive, Chris and Alison Williams came all the way from England.

“Brilliant, very well organized. Great food. Marvelous,” said Chris Williams.

“We might need to take some maple syrup out with us,” added Alison Williams.

“I thought it’d be really good since my sister and brother-in-law were visiting from England to bring them to see some real Canadian heritage, and tradition. So, this is the perfect place for it,” said the Williams’ Belmore chaperones, Steve and Carol McDougall from Port Elgin.

The pancakes and syrup keep flowing on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Belmore. All proceeds go towards keeping the Belmore Arena running.

“We just keep this place going. We’re quite proud of that, not having to rely on government dollars,” said festival co-organizer, Mulvey.