File Photo - Bottles of pure maple syrup at the 27th Annual Maple Syrup Festival at the Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids, IA John Beyer/The Gazette

Maple trees are pushing sap up their trunks to become the year’s first and sweetest crop — maple syrup.

This annual awakening will be celebrated at the Indian Creek Nature Center on Saturday and Sunday at the 29th annual Maple Syrup Festival.

Follow the sap as it flows from tree to table through live demonstrations of sap collecting and syrup making, re-enactments of American Indian and early colonial sugar making. Then sit down and enjoy a breakfast of pancakes, sausage and Nature Center maple syrup. There also will be live music and other activities.

The festival will run from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. each day.

Syruping activities go on throughout the month of March, though.

“We provide syruping programs for small groups by appointment between Feb. 28 and March 24,” says Jan Aiels, education facilitator at the nature center. “The programs include tree tapping, sap boiling, history and lore, and end with a taste of delicious syrup over ice cream. It’s a wonderful way for children and adults to learn a fascinating heritage craft.”

Maple sap only flows when warm, sunny days are followed by cold nights with temperatures below freezing. That weather pattern usually happens in early March and can last up to six weeks according to Nature Center Director, Rich Patterson.

This year the nature center started tapping the trees in mid-February.

Volunteers collect sap from about 80 taps in preparation for the festival.

“When sap begins dripping we know the end of winter is near, and there is nothing more delicious than fresh maple syrup,” Patterson says.

Advance tickets for the festival are $7 for adults; $4 for children ages 3 to 12 and are available at the Indian Creek Nature Center, from any board member or online at Indiancreeknaturecenter.org.

Tickets prices increase $1 at the door on the day of the event.

Groups interested in scheduling individual programs can call the Nature Center at (319) 362-0664 to reserve a time.