WINSLOW, Maine – Mainers are getting an early taste of the state’s official sweetener the day before they celebrate it statewide.

Sunday is Maine’s annual Maple Syrup Sunday, but many of the participating sugarhouses are also open on Saturday. The Maine Maple Producers Association promotes the syrup-filled weekend every year to allow the public to learn how the product is made.

Events are planned all over the state on both days. Sugarhouses that are hosting events on Saturday stretch from Wells in southern Maine to Woodland near the Canadian border. Many facilities will also have free samples.