Hurley K-12 Students Celebrate Annual Maplefest

Community event features maple syrup production and fundraising for school programs.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:10pm

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A bold, graphic illustration featuring a repeating pattern of stylized maple leaf shapes in vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow, capturing the energy and creativity of the Maplefest community event.The annual Maplefest celebration at Hurley K-12 School showcases the community's passion for local maple syrup production and its commitment to supporting educational programs.Ironwood Today

Students and staff at Hurley K-12 School in Ironwood, Michigan celebrated their annual Maplefest event on Saturday, with the help of the Hurley Lions Club. The event featured the process of making maple syrup, including the final step of boiling off moisture in a new finishing room funded by the Hurley Education Foundation.

Why it matters

Maplefest is a longstanding tradition at Hurley K-12 that brings the community together to learn about and appreciate the local maple syrup production process. The event also serves as a fundraiser for important school programs and initiatives.

The details

During Maplefest, ninth-grader Bruce Tijan supervised the final boiling step to extract moisture from the maple sap in the school's new finishing room. This space was created with funding from the Hurley Education Foundation and is used to store water extracted from the sap, as well as house the equipment for the finishing and bottling processes. The water is then reused for other school projects, such as cleaning.

  • Hurley K-12 School held its annual Maplefest event on Saturday, April 12, 2026.
  • The new finishing room was recently created with funding from the Hurley Education Foundation.

The players

Bruce Tijan

A ninth-grade student at Hurley K-12 School who supervised the final step of maple syrup production during the Maplefest event.

Hurley K-12 School

A public school in Ironwood, Michigan that hosts the annual Maplefest event to celebrate local maple syrup production.

Hurley Lions Club

A community organization that provided support and assistance for the Maplefest event at Hurley K-12 School.

Hurley Education Foundation

A foundation that provided funding to create a new finishing room at Hurley K-12 School for maple syrup production.

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The takeaway

Maplefest showcases how Hurley K-12 School leverages community partnerships and student involvement to celebrate local traditions and raise funds for important educational initiatives.