Mushrooms—you either love them or hate them.
If you’re over 18 and still don’t like them, you probably just haven’t tried the right ones.
Enter Cumberland Fungus Fest. It’s the perfect place to taste and learn all about the fungi that grow all through our amazing west coast forests.
Taking place this weekend, the event is being put on by the Cumberland Community Forest Society.
It kicks off Thursday night with a enchanted “Magical Mushrooms, Elves, Pixies and More…” fundraiser at the Cumberland Museum. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and at 7:30 a talk will be given by forest ecologist, mycologist, and author Andy MacKinnon.
Learn about “fairy rings, elfin saddles, and witch’s butter.” You’ll be entering an enchanted realm to start off the weekend’s festivities.
From there, it’s just $25 for General Fungus Fest Passes which give you access to all of Friday and Saturday’s activities at Harmonic Arts and Cumberland Cultural Centre. You’ll also get exclusive access to register for guided walks with an incredible roster of forest ecologists, mycologists, herbalists, story tellers, and more!
Join in the day for participatory workshops, mind blowing seminars, kids activities, specimen tables, and more from hosts like mycologist Dr. Kent Brothers, Master Herbalist Yarrow Willard, biologist and Forij founder Jennifer Dou, among many others.
Or if you’re more of a night owl, join later for the much-anticipated Fungus Bazaar from 7p.m. to 11 p.m. The bazaar features vendors, art, craft, food, drink, music, dance performance, and fungus-loving fun with friends!
Special musical guests include DJ Selector Sproutsonic and Avro! They’re described as “merging myth and fantasy with the dystopian dream of the not too distant future.”
Sounds pretty psychedelic.
For the general public, the Fungus Bazaar Craft Market is just outside the Cultural Centre and will be open for shopping anytime between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
