Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival
| Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival | |
|---|---|
 Logo as of 2024 | |
 People attending the festival in 2011 | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Mushroom festival |
| Begins | May 25, 2024 |
| Ends | May 26, 2024 |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Downtown area of Morgan Hill, California |
| Country | United States |
| Years active | 43 |
| Inaugurated | October 18, 1980 |
| Founder | Brad Spencer |
| Most recent | May 27–28, 2023 |
| Activity | Mushroom dishes |
| Organized by | Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, Inc. |
| Filing status | 501(c)(3) |
| Sponsors | Local mushroom farms |
| Website | mhmmg |
The Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival (rebranded as Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival for 2024)[1][2] is an annual festival in the downtown area of Morgan Hill, California.[a] It is hosted by the nonprofit organization Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, Inc.[5] The festival was established in 1980 by Brad Spencer,[4] and several sponsors supply mushrooms to create mushroom-themed dishes.
History
Locals of Morgan Hill referred to the city as "the Mushroom Capital of the World" before Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.[6]
Founder and fire chief Bradley Ross Spencer (July 6, 1942 – July 2, 2015[7]) first conceptualized the festival when he wanted to raise money for his local fire department, the Morgan Hill Fire Department.[8] On October 18, 1980, the first festival was held, attracting 30,000 visitors.[4]
In 2014, 80,000 people attended the Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival, setting a new record.[4] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was cancelled in 2020[9] and 2021.[10] In 2023, it was postponed after numerous safety concerns were raised regarding the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting.[11] As of 2024[update], the festival raises money for scholarships for high schoolers within the Morgan Hill Unified School District.[12]
Activities
Customers may visit booths preparing dishes made from mushrooms. Other activities include arts-and-crafts, museums, live music, and scholarship award ceremonies.[13] Wine tasting was added to the festival in 2016.[9][13]
The festival is usually hosted in May.[9][13]
Notes
References
- ^ "Breaking news: Mushroom Festival 2023 is coming back this spring with big changes". Morgan Hill Life. January 29, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ "Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival Postponed". NBC Bay Area. April 5, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Cheek, Marty (February 9, 2023). "Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival can inspire Gilroy residents to not give up on the Garlic Festival". Gilroy Life. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Cheek, Marty (May 26, 2014). "Record 80,000 attend Mushroom Mardi Gras". Morgan Hill Life. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras". Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ "How Mushrooms Put Us on the Map". Morgan Hill Historical Society. January 4, 2021. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ "Bradley Ross Spencer July 6, 1942 - July 2, 2015". Gilroy Dispatch. July 7, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ISBN 9780738529776.
- ^ a b c Cheek, Marty (April 28, 2022). "Entertainment: Mushroom Mardi Gras will entertain with great food, music, vendors". Morgan Hill Life. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ "Mushroom Mardi Gras canceled for 2021". The Morgan Hill Times. February 3, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ Hase, Grace (April 7, 2023). "Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival canceled after security company pulled out". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ Airoldi, Robert (January 24, 2024). "Breaking news: Mushroom Festival 2024 announced". Morgan Hill Life. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- ^ ABC 7 News. May 15, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2023.