Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 23 : Winter 2015 | Page 71

will host the New England Nordic
Ski Association (NENSA) U16 Cross
Country Ski Championships. Visit the
Fort Kent Outdoor Center’s website
for details.
March is also the start of the annual
maple sugar run in northern parts of
the U.S., and yes, the Greater Fort Kent
area participates in this great annual
tradition as well.
The woods are full of tapped maple trees
and boiling syrup in camps making that
sweet nectar. The University of Maine
at Fort Kent celebrates this tradition
every year. On March 19, stop by
UMFK for their Annual Sucrerie (Sugar
Shack). This event is a re-creation of
the maple sugar run and draws more
than 300 community members every
year. While there, enjoy the traditional
maple taffy on snow, an Acadian meal
and live entertainment. You can get
more information on this event at the
UMFK Campus Calendar website.
In between these events, people of
the area partake in downhill skiing
at the Lonesome Pine Trails (hours
and trail maps available at www.
lonesomepines.org), local community
activities, volunteering on planning
committees to organize all these events
, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing,
snowshoeing, attending UMFK events
and art displays, and enjoying the little
bit of time they spend warm inside their
homes with friends and families. So,
if you are feeling a tinge of that cabin
fever creeping up on you, get over to
the Greater Fort Kent area. They’d
love to have you visit.
Photo Copyright © 2015 Gene Cyr, Washburn northernmainepictures.com
WINTER 2015 69