A half-century ago, the first Franklin County Maple Festival was held in downtown St. Albans. Although there were other festivals throughout the state, it soon became clear that this one was bigger and better than the rest. In 1973, Governor Thomas Salmon signed a declaration proclaiming it the official Vermont Maple Festival. Since that time, much has changed at the festival, but a lot has also stayed the same. The Vermont Maple Festival is a three-day extravaganza, starting this year on Friday, April 22. One of the most popular events is still the parade—always held on the last day. Of late, the opening ceremony has also been well attended and generally features local dignitaries toasting with maple milk. In 1994, Governor Howard Dean chose the festival as the forum for his introduction of maple as the official state flavor of Vermont.