This January, the Museum will once again partner with the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz to transform the London Nelson Community Center into a mycology paradise. Stroll through a re-created woodland forest, discover hundreds of mushroom species, and enjoy hands-on activities for all ages. With fascinating speakers, demos, and wild mushroom treats, it’s three days of fungi fun you won’t want to miss! 1/10-12, 2025 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair!
Come to Santa Cruz and explore the fascinating world of Fungi. Learn interesting and fun facts about the hundreds of beautiful and fascinating species of mushrooms found in the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Area. Fungi will be beautifully displayed in a re-created woodland habitat. This unique Santa Cruz tradition features three days of fantastic fun, informative speakers and demonstrations, with fungal activities for the whole family.
The Fungus Fair is held each year in January in Santa Cruz at the London Nelson Community Center.
This three day event features hundreds of species of local fungi presented in a unique fashion, and draws thousands of visitors each year. The Fair showcases speakers, a special Kids’ Room, and a taxonomy panel for identification of fungi you find. Many books and mushroom-related items are available for sale, as are wild mushroom delicacies.
Did you know that without fungus, we’d have no bread, cheese, beer, or wine? Or that anti-cholesterol medicine was developed from mushrooms? Come to the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair to learn all there is to know about the fascinating world of mushrooms.
This unique Santa Cruz tradition features fantastic fungus fun for the whole family. Bring the kids and stroll through a re-created woodland forest displaying hundreds of wild mushrooms; the Fungus Fair also features a special room full of hands-on activities for the kids, including fungus exploration tables, clay mushroom building, face painting, and more!
Friday, Jan 10, 2025
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday, January 11-12, 2025
9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Advanced Tickets Are Available Now!
Activities
FFSC mushroom experts will be available throughout the fair to identify the mushrooms you’ve found. Bring yours, ideally stored in a paper bag rather than plastic. Paper allows fungi to “breathe” and keeps them fresher!
Nationally and locally renowned speakers will present talks on a wide variety of topics in the Main Lecture Room (Room 3) and the Mushrooms 101 Room (Room 1). See Program Schedule for details.
The habitat display area will present hundreds of mushroom species commonly found in the Santa Cruz/San Francisco/Monterey Bay area.
Visit the Kid’s Room for mushroom activities!
Mushroom Cap Creation Station
• Design your own “spore-tacular” mushroom cap to wear around the festival! This all-ages activity lets you make your own unique fungal fashion statement styled after our own native Amanita muscaria. Take your custom mushroom cap home and show off your mycological masterpiece!
Fungi Fine Lines and Watercolor Wonders
• Create scenes full of fantastic fungi, from morels to chanterelles! Using stencils, trace the shapes of your favorite mushrooms in wax crayon and then paint a watercolor scene for your fungi. For some extra “pop”, use white crayon and dark watercolors to make your mushrooms magically appear! Perfect for all ages.
Toadstools for Tots
• Let your little ones get creative with this fun and simple mushroom craft! Use simple materials to make mini mushrooms in a playful activity that’s easy for little fingers to enjoy. Leave with a cute handmade mushroom to remind them of their Fungus Fair adventure!
Note to parents: the Kid’s Room is only open on Saturday and Sunday.
Throughout the three day event, Fungus Fair attendees will be able to learn more about local mushrooms, view remarkable mushroom arts and crafts, taste unusual and exceptionally good fungal fare, and be a part of the FFSC’s overriding mission – “We Keep the Fun in Fungi!”
The FFSC actively promotes the study of mushrooms, and is dedicated to encouraging an avid interest in the fungal kingdom. We hunt mushrooms for scientific interest and for the table. We encourage a sense of wonder with regard to one of the least understood segments of our global environment. We are fungiphiles, and you just might be one, too…
