Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival
People attending the festival in 2011
StatusActive
GenreMushroom festival
BeginsMay 25, 2024 (2024-05-25)
EndsMay 26, 2024 (2024-05-26)
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Downtown area of Morgan Hill, California
CountryUnited States
Years active43
InauguratedOctober 18, 1980 (1980-10-18)
FounderBrad Spencer
Most recentMay 27–28, 2023
ActivityMushroom dishes
Organized byMorgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, Inc.
Filing status501(c)(3)
SponsorsLocal mushroom farms
Websitemhmmg.org/home

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.[lower-alpha 1] 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 Bradley Ross Spencer (July 6, 1942 – July 2, 2015[7]) first conceptualized the idea when he was a fire chief for the Morgan Hill Fire Department.[8] Spencer established the festival to raise money for his fire department. On October 18, 1980, the first festival was held, bringing in 30,000 visitors.[4]

In 2014, 80,000 people attended the Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival, setting a 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]

Activities

Customers may visit booths preparing dishes made from mushrooms. Other activities include arts-and-crafts, museums, live music, and scholarship award ceremonies.[12] Wine tasting was added to the festival in 2016.[9][12]

The festival is usually hosted in May.[9][12]

Notes

  1. ↑ The festival's location is inconsistent. Since 2005, it is located at Morgan Hill's downtown area.[3][4]

References

  1. ↑ "Breaking news: Mushroom Festival 2023 is coming back this spring with big changes". Morgan Hill Life. January 29, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival Postponed". NBC Bay Area. April 5, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Cheek, Marty (May 26, 2014). "Record 80,000 attend Mushroom Mardi Gras". Morgan Hill Life. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras". Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ "Bradley Ross Spencer July 6, 1942 - July 2, 2015". Gilroy Dispatch. July 7, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  8. ↑ Sharma, U.R. (2005). Images of America: Morgan Hill. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. p. 125. ISBN 9780738529776.
  9. 1 2 3 Cheek, Marty (April 28, 2022). "Entertainment: Mushroom Mardi Gras will entertain with great food, music, vendors". Morgan Hill Life. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Mushroom Mardi Gras canceled for 2021". The Morgan Hill Times. February 3, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. 1 2 3 "Bay Area LIFE: Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras is fun for whole family!". ABC 7 News. May 15, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
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