2022 International Maple Conference, Oct. 26 - 29, in La Crosse, WI

On October 26 – 29, 2022, Wisconsin has the privilege of putting its Maple excellence on center stage as the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association invites maple professionals from all across North America and beyond to the La Crosse Center on the banks of the beautiful Mississippi River for the 2022 International Maple Conference. This celebration of maple will include NAMSC Meetings and a U.S Maple Alliance Meeting. It will also include a trade show of key products, equipment, and services for all maple syrup producers and professionals to view. Technical sessions highlighting the latest research initiatives and programs funded by the NAMSC and other groups of interest. The trade show, lunch area, and technical sessions are all on one level of the La Crosse Center within steps of each other. The IMSI grading school will also take place in conjunction with the Conference at the Radisson Hotel on October 30 – 31, 2022 A person can register at https://extension.umaine.edu/maple-g.../2022-schools/

The 3 ¼ day event will begin with the Vendor Maple Trade Show and the Taste of WI on Wednesday night. The Taste of WI will kick off the conference. It will include a variety of speakers welcoming everyone to the great state of WI and WI’s favorite cuisine. Thursday Oct 2, 2022 will begin with the opening ceremonies followed by NAMSC, U.S. Alliance, and Extension meetings. The day will also include a Maple Market Update with panel leaders (IMSI reps, NAMSC board members, and Industry Leaders) and a Keynote Speaker: Native Americans talking about maple, past, present, and future. Thursday will also include an optional tour of Historic/Dark La Crosse Trolley Tour (hybrid of these two): The "Dark" portion of the tour focuses on downtown La Crosse’s macabre past. The tour will go down a dark path through the red-light district, Prohibition, small-town politics, and vigilante justice in a young and restless river town bordered by the sleepless Mississippi River will include a coffee, lunch, wine and cheese, and dessert stops. Thursday night will be dinner on your own. There are many excellent restaurants within walking distance of the La Crosse Center.
Friday Oct. 28, will be filled with three different Coach bus tours. The tours will including the Great River tour which will include stops at the Eagle Center, WI Winery, and the Legendary Dahl’s Auto Museum. Lunch will include a “True WI Friday Fish Fry” The Maple Tour will include a variety of sugarbushes including Maple Valley, Country Maple Supplies, Phil and Sarah Gudgeon’s Maple Syrup and wildlife reserves. Lunch will include a “True WI Sunday Chicken Dinner.” The Madison tour will include a once in a lifetime tour of Forestry Products Lab and UW Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory, and a glimpse of the WI State Capital. Lunch will include a “True UW Madison Lunch.” After the tours, unwind Friday night, with a “tailgating night”, happy hour, a special surprise WI entertainment, tailgating games on the patio with outdoor fire rings and the vendor maple trade show. The silent auction will begin at 4:30 proceeds from the auction will benefit Maple Research. Various Raffles will be held including but not limited to beautiful Maple Leaf quilt hand crafted by a WMSPA member.
On Saturday Oct 29, there will be a one-day registration for those that don’t plan on attending the whole conference. The day will have a variety of technical sessions including researchers, judging from a judges point of view, long term impacts of tapping and sap collection on tree growth and health, total yields and syrup flavor from Red Maple, Cooking with Maple and more education sections to come. Throughout the day there will also be vendor spotlights showcasing the various vendors. There will be an optional tour to Granddad Bluff and shop local scavenger hunt Experience Saturday throughout the day. Saturday night will include the banquet with various awards and recognitions will be given. These will include the awards from the different maple judging contests including maple cream, maple syrup, and maple themed photos. The silent auction will conclude at 7:30 p.m. with proceeds going toward maple research. The 2002 International Maple Conference is open to all size maple producers and beyond. Registration, Vendor and Sponsorship Registration information can be found at www.wismaple.org/2022. Lodging can be found at https://explorelacrosse.sendsites.ne...MapleSyrupBt4z Many hotels offer free shuttle service from the airport. All hotels are in walking distance from the La Crosse Center. If you have any questions or would like to make an auction donation please contact Theresa Baroun, director@wismaple.org (920)680-9320. All schedules are subject to change. Go to www.wismapl.org/2022 for the most recent changes and updates.