TABLE PICKS Top 3 Events for Spring 2026

1. New Hampshire's 31st Maple Weekend (March 21 & 22, 2026) March is maple sugaring time in the Northeast — a season that transforms the serene, snow-blanketed landscape into a hub of sweet activity. From late February through early April, the region's forests awaken as night temperatures drop into the 20s and sunlit days climb into the 40s. These magical highs and lows coax the sap of New England sugar maple trees to flow, signaling syrup producers to fire up their kettles and begin the age-old process of syrup making. &emsp;At the annual New Hampshire Maple Weekend, maple syrup lovers from neighboring states as well as Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and Maryland flock to rustic sugar houses, where the air is thick with the sweet aroma of boiling sap and the promise of warm, golden syrup. Visitors learn about the process, from tapping trees and collecting sap to boiling and refining it into New Hampshire maple syrup. &emsp;This year's tour features nearly 200 sugarhouses throughout the state. The New Hampshire Maple Producers Association coordinates this fun-filled weekend. &emsp;Shawn Atkins, vice president of the Association, notes, "The maple industry is growing, especially as people have come to see maple syrup as a 'super food.' It's all-natural with nothing added to it and is used in baking, cooking, baked beans, fish marinades and more." &emsp;Maple Weekend's popularity is growing, too, thanks to the map the organization created three years ago. &emsp;"The map we've put together has been a huge success for us," Atkins explains, describing how this tool assists people in planning their tours. The map shows the location of participating sugar houses, and another page is set up for people to plan their own tours. &emsp;"The initial (online) map had 80,000 hits the first year and the second year, over 200,000," he notes, adding that this shows a huge increase in interest and number of participants. &emsp;People may plan different tours for Saturday and Sunday, and some schedule their vacations around the weekend, Atkins says. &emsp;As part of a family that opens its sugar house on the tour, the Atkins Family Sugar House located in Washington, N.H., Atkins says they have made friends who return year after year. &emsp;Dave Clark of Clark's Sugar House in Acworth, N.H., also part of the tour, is the fifth generation of his family to run the business that started in 1893, one of the longest-running operations in the Monadnock Region; he still keeps antique equipment from past generations. &emsp;"They call it 'maple sugaring' because they used to make blocks of sugar and store them in dry places, which was easier than storing liquid," Clark explains. &emsp;Tour stops offer extra treats at each sugar house. At Clark's, you'll find waffles, French toast, maple macchiato, maple pecan pies, and homemade doughnuts with maple sugar. &emsp;For more info, visit: nhmapleproducers.com/maple-weekend-2 AND DON'T MISS … 2. Vermont Craft Beer and Chili Stroll (March 27, 2026, 4-7 p.m.) Local craft brewers and restaurants offer beer and chili at this event, organized by the Southern Vermont Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce. See: visitvermont.com/chili 3.WILD New Hampshire Day (April 18, 2026, opens at 10 a.m.) The NH Fish and Game and the Wild Heritage Foundation of NH host WILD New Hampshire Day, a free, family-friendly event that includes over 100 exhibits about outdoor activities and nature. See: wildlife.nh.gov/dwnh