WILDWOOD, Mo.— The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has announced that it will not hold the annual Winter in the Woods Festival this year due to COVID-19 considerations.

The yearly festival, normally held the first Saturday in February, will be put on hold for 2021. MDC anticipates resuming the Winter in the Woods Festival in February, 2022.

“Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and St. Louis County gathering restrictions, we felt it was necessary to cancel the Winter in the Woods Festival at Rockwoods Reservation this year, which would have taken place on February 6,” said MDC Interpretive Center Manager Amy Wilkinson. “We hope to bring the festival back in 2022. We encourage families to bundle up and continue to explore nature in winter!”

Known for years as the annual Maple Sugar Festival, the popular event has expanded in the last few years to embrace other aspects of the winter season in addition to maple sugaring.

For other in-person or virtual program opportunities, including maple sugaring classes, visit the MDC St. Louis Region events page at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZP6.