Mushroom Festival - 2024 Program

2024 morgan hill mushroom festival program Meet California’s New State Mushroom: The California Golden Chanterelle! Thanks to AB 261 by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, California has gained a new official state symbol this year, our very own state mushroom — the California Golden Chanterelle . Why a State Mushroom? Given California’s wealth of natural resources and the essential role mushrooms play in maintaining our biodiversity, a state mushroom has finally been added to the family! Recognition of a state mushroom honors and helps increase awareness and appreciation of the natural world. New species are being discovered, even as many others are threatened by habitat loss, climate change, and other factors. The idea is to highlight the mushroom’s pivotal role in nourishing our forests and grasslands, which is done through extensive belowground networks and symbiotic connections with plant roots. “Mushrooms decompose dead wood, improve groundwater quality and quantity, store carbon in the soil, and play a critical role in climate resilience and healthy soils,” Why the California Golden Chanterelle? Cantharellus californicus, also known as the California golden chanterelle, was selected due to its popularity, integral role, and symbiotic relationship with California’s ecosystem. The commonly collected edible mushroom — with a slightly fruity apricot scent and a nutty flavor when cooked with butter — is long loved by Californians. Moreso, it was recently recognized as a unique endemic species to the state, typically found in hardwood forests, especially under oak trees, making it the perfect recipient to further symbolize California’s rich and unique biodiversity! Northern California is home to diverse varieties of rich, nutritious, and edible wild mushrooms that grow year-round. 11 Visit the Mushroom Expo, sponsored by the WESTERN MUSHROOM GROWERS ASSN in the Rose Garden at the Community & Cultural Center. People who are ordinarily not familiar with the mushroom have the opportunity to learn new recipes, educate themselves on the health benefits of mushrooms and view firsthand how the growing process works. The Mushroom Expo will offer samples, including Kombucha Mushroom Beer, hand out tote bags to the first 500 who attend and educate festival goers on all things related to the mushroom. Adjacent to the Mushroom Expo, Chefs will be preparing scrumptious mushroom dishes both days of the festival at the Cooking Stage in the Hiram Morgan Hill Room. Learn culinary secrets, recipes and cooking tips. Samples of the chef’s creations will be handed out the audience participants after each demonstration. How a typical California Golden Chanterelle may be growing in its natural habitat Photo credit: pgately via. iNaturalist (CC-BY-NC) Photo credit: Kelly Crumrin, via. iNaturalist (CC-BY-NC) ~ MUSHROOM EXPO ~ This year’s festival has plenty of fun(gi) for all ! DID YOU KNOW THAT MORGAN HILL IS THE WESTERN UNITED STATES MUSHROOM CAPITAL OF THE WORLD? (muhsh-roomz)