As autumn once again comes into the greater Auburn area, Syrup Sopping Day makes its annual return to Pioneer Park in Loachapoka on Saturday, Oct 26th. The festival, known for its traditional syrup-making and sugar-milling displays, has returned to Loachapoka for the better part of a century each October to celebrate Lee County's rich agricultural history. Hosted by the Lee County Historical Society, Syrup Soppin' at Pioneer Park is free to attend and is set to begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, with over ten thousand visitors expected.
Loachapoka, a small suburb to the west of Auburn, was settled in the early 19th century as a regional trade center in Lee County. By the mid-1900s, the town had become a small farming community, with sorghum and ribbon cane crops, traditionally used in the production of syrup, being grown.
By the 1970s, the town would first celebrate Syrup Sopping Day, an event that would serve as a celebration of the economic roots of Loachapoka. The Lee County Historical Society, the host of the event, is a local organization in the community that preserves and promotes the rich heritage of Lee County, and Syrup Sopping Day is one of many events held by the society to celebrate the region's history.
In the years since the festival's inception, the event has grown to a tremendous size, attracting thousands of yearly visitors from across the nation to bask in the syrupy fun. This year, the event is set to be one of the largest yet, as over 120 different vendors and a variety of local entertainment will fill the fairground for the day's activities. While over ten thousand guests are expected, the event has seen upwards of twenty thousand in years past.
Syrup Soppin' at Pioneer Park, located off Highway 14 west of Auburn, is traditionally composed of various unique syrup-based events. Syrup is typically made by grinding sugar cane into juice using a mule or tractor-powered mill and then boiling the juice into cane syrup, which can then be bottled and consumed.
Festivalgoers will have the opportunity to smell the boiling cane sugar syrup as it is produced and watch mules grind the cane sugar in an old-fashioned cane sugar crusher mill. The festival is famous for the sweet smell of the bubbling sugar filling the air as the day progresses.
The event also showcases several historical reenactments, including Creek Indian demonstrations, as a means to acknowledge the indigenous heritage of Lee County. Other showcases include blacksmithing and quilting demonstrations, where reenactors will appear in period attire to perform traditional mid-19th-century professions. Local historical buildings, many of which have been built over a century ago, will be open for tours during the event.
While this year's event is set to begin at 8 a.m. in Loachapoka, many guests commonly arrive earlier to be the first in line for the festival's renowned sweet potato and sausage biscuit breakfast. Both indoor and outdoor vendors will offer a number of dining options at the event, including barbecue, polish sausages, hot dogs, ice cream, kettle corn, fried pies and more. Guests should also look forward to visiting the Pioneer Park cookhouse, where southern foods, such as sweet potato fritters, open-fire cooked camp stew, collard greens, pinto beans and corn muffins will be served. The festival's favorite snack, boiled peanuts, will also be available.
A variety of arts and crafts vendors will also be at the event, where guests will be able to purchase authentic pioneer living items, including pottery, paintings, photographs, jewelry and metal crafts. Local live music, including traditional "old-time" music of the South, will be performed at the park for the enjoyment of attendees. Other vendors, for home improvements, self-help, health information and more, will also be present.
Before leaving, attendees can choose to purchase from a variety of different syrups directly from local producers, directly benefiting many in the local Loachapoka community. The syrupy fun is set to conclude around 3 p.m. on Saturday; in the case of rain, the event will be pushed back to Sunday, Oct 27th.
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