Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival | |
---|---|
![]() Logo as of 2024 | |
![]() People attending the festival in 2011 | |
Status | Active |
Genre | Mushroom festival |
Begins | Memorial Day weekend |
Ends | One day after |
Frequency | Annually |
Venue | Community and Cultural Center |
Location(s) | Downtown Morgan Hill [a] |
Coordinates | 37°7′35″N 121°38′59″W / 37.12639°N 121.64972°W |
Country | United States |
Years active | 43 |
Inaugurated | October 18, 1980 |
Founder | Bradley Ross Spencer |
Most recent | May 26, 2024 |
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 held 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.
Founder and fire chief Bradley Ross Spencer (July 6, 1942 – July 2, 2015 [6]) first conceptualized the festival when he wanted to raise money for his local fire department, the Morgan Hill Fire Department, after it was affected by Proposition 13. [7] [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] The festival raises scholarship money for high schoolers within the Morgan Hill Unified School District. [12] [13]
In 2024, the event was rebranded as the Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival. [1] [14] Unlike previous festivals, a twenty dollar admission was implemented [15] to pay for costs and scholarship funds. [14]
Customers may visit booths preparing dishes made from mushrooms. Other activities include arts-and-crafts, museums, live music, and scholarship award ceremonies. [16] Wine tasting was added in 2016. [9] [16] A Mushroom Expo in the rose garden of the Community and Cultural Center showcases the use of mushrooms. [14]
The festival is usually hosted in May. [9] [16]
Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival | |
---|---|
![]() Logo as of 2024 | |
![]() People attending the festival in 2011 | |
Status | Active |
Genre | Mushroom festival |
Begins | Memorial Day weekend |
Ends | One day after |
Frequency | Annually |
Venue | Community and Cultural Center |
Location(s) | Downtown Morgan Hill [a] |
Coordinates | 37°7′35″N 121°38′59″W / 37.12639°N 121.64972°W |
Country | United States |
Years active | 43 |
Inaugurated | October 18, 1980 |
Founder | Bradley Ross Spencer |
Most recent | May 26, 2024 |
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 held 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.
Founder and fire chief Bradley Ross Spencer (July 6, 1942 – July 2, 2015 [6]) first conceptualized the festival when he wanted to raise money for his local fire department, the Morgan Hill Fire Department, after it was affected by Proposition 13. [7] [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] The festival raises scholarship money for high schoolers within the Morgan Hill Unified School District. [12] [13]
In 2024, the event was rebranded as the Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival. [1] [14] Unlike previous festivals, a twenty dollar admission was implemented [15] to pay for costs and scholarship funds. [14]
Customers may visit booths preparing dishes made from mushrooms. Other activities include arts-and-crafts, museums, live music, and scholarship award ceremonies. [16] Wine tasting was added in 2016. [9] [16] A Mushroom Expo in the rose garden of the Community and Cultural Center showcases the use of mushrooms. [14]
The festival is usually hosted in May. [9] [16]