Trifter

Attendees, sometimes as many as 70,000 of them, flock to the two-weekend event, arriving from such distant points as Richmond, VA, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, PA, and Raleigh, NC. This year, 2009, the festival is being held on the weekends of March 14-15, and March 21-22.

Known as “Little Switzerland”, Highland County (pop. 2536) is known for its spectacular fall colors, Civil War History, wool production, and, of course, the high-calorie Maple Festival. Visitors needn’t fear the calorie count, however, since there are miles and miles of beautiful mountain hiking trails available to help burn off all the maple products one could ever hope to consume: donuts, syrup, sugar, BBQ, peanuts and pecans, hard candies, taffies, apple butter, pork rinds, funnel cakes, and buckwheats.

Tourists can stop in at any of the local “sugar camps”, southernmost in the country, and see how the syrup and molasses are made, all the way from the tapping of the trees to finished products, with some camps using old-fashioned “open pan” wood-fired evaporators, while others utilize ultra-modern oil fired evaporators to process the almost clear tree sap.

So Much to Do

Although the theme of the festival is, of course, all things maple, there is much more to see and do. Some of the regions finest artisans and crafters display their works throughout the county, in the school complex in the county seat of Monterey, outdoors in both Monterey, and nearby McDowell, and at the various sugar camps.

Bluegrass and country music, dancing (Festival Fling Dance, and the Sugar Shakeup Dance), and great barbecues are not to be missed, as well as The Maple Queen Contest, featuring the “sweetest” gals in the county.

Antiques aficionados will want to stop at the many shops in the area, and cozy bed and breakfast inns beckon (book well ahead of time for festival lodging).

Stonewall Jackson led his troops to victory at McDowell in the spring of 1862, during his successful Valley Campaign, and the breastworks and battlefields are a magnet for history buffs.

Highland County is located west of Staunton, via U.S. 250, a winding old trucker’s route west; with some hairpin curves so sharp that one old-timer said he could see the rear license plates of his semi as he made the turn. Visitors should be ready for all kinds of weather, so pack the shorts, sunglasses, umbrellas, and cross-country skis for this venture. The highway is well maintained, so the festival is an all-weather event.

Don’t forget to pick up some of those famous maple donuts for the ride home; at least two-dozen is the recommended amount, since the first dozen is unlikely to make it all the way home.

For great music, and festival updates, tune in to the local radio station, WVLS 89.7, and for more information, visit www.highlandcounty.org .