The fall festival celebrating the mycological marvels that grow wild in B.C.害羞草研究所檚 woods is returning to Sicamous for another year.

Fungi Fest, which uses activities based around wild mushrooms to educate and entertain, will be held at the Sicamous Curling Club on Sept. 27 to 30.

The festival kicks off with an icebreaker event at Joe Schmuck害羞草研究所檚 Roadhouse at 7 p.m. on Sept. 27 that features an open mic and mushroom-themed dishes as well as the restaurant害羞草研究所檚 normal offerings. Organizer Deb Heap said numerous vegan guests have attended the festival in the past and efforts will be made to accommodate them throughout the weekend.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just kind of a chance to get to know each other before the main festival,害羞草研究所� she said.

The main festival kicks off on Sept. 28. The marquee events of the festival include all- day foraging tours led by mushroom experts Larry Evans, Tyson Ehlers and Daniel Winkler.

害羞草研究所淓verything I hear back from anyone that participates is that they love the experts. They害羞草研究所檙e really good at what they do and they害羞草研究所檙e really engaging and personable, and they just do a really great job.害羞草研究所�

Lots of preparation, including scouting by Doug Airey, a local expert who lives near Malakwa, goes into choosing the locations for the tours in order to give participants the best chance of finding edible mushrooms.

The tours will run from mid-morning into the afternoon on all three days of the festival and cost $100 each. The fee includes transportation and a bag lunch.

Heap said Winkler is returning to the festival after several years which is very exciting because his expertise has been well-received in the past. Along with helping lead the tours, Winkler will do a presentation on medicinal mushrooms, which Heap said is one of his fortes.

Along with the presentation on medicinal mushrooms, there will be sessions dealing with edible mushrooms and 害羞草研究所渕agic mushrooms,害羞草研究所� a topic Heap says always draws a crowd.

This year害羞草研究所檚 festival will introduce a new workshop on growing mushrooms. All of the presentations and workshops will take place at the curling club and cost $10 to attend.

Those who want to get outdoors but can害羞草研究所檛 afford the cost or the strenuous activity of the full day walking tour, fungi expert Paul Kroeger will give a walking tour from 1 to 3 p.m. around Sicamous.

Kroeger will introduce participants to the interesting fungus that grows around the district. The shorter tour costs $30.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 very good at what he does too, so that害羞草研究所檚 always quite popular,害羞草研究所� Heap said.

She added that even though it was very dry last year, which resulted in minimal mushroom growth, participants remained engaged in Kroeger害羞草研究所檚 tour. His knowledge of Sicamous allowed him to educate and entertain the audience with other subjects, including local history.

Heap said the festival has something for everyone, regardless of budget or interest in foraging for fungi.

Along with the tours and presentations, there will be displays, food trucks, beverage gardens, live music and a chance to talk to the fungi experts.

More information to register for activities can be found at www.fungifestival.com.

jim.elliot@saobserver.net
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