2024 Schedule:

Saturday October 5th

• 11:15am- Noon Mycography: Spore Printing for Art and ID by Jess Fritz

  • Spore color can be a critical identification feature for many species of fungi. With a little forethought and consideration, these prints can also be retained as beautiful records of the individual fruit body. A mushroom will draw a picture of itself, given time and the right conditions, showing off the intricate patterns of gills or pores that make up the fertile surface. Participants will have the chance to make a simple print, look at examples of different kinds of fungi spore prints, and get tips for making clear and interesting impressions.​

• 11:00am- Noon Family Programming: Upcycled Toadstool Hat Craft​​​​​

  • Using recycled paper and cardboard, participants will cut, decorate, and construct their own unique mushroom hats that can be proudly worn all weekend! Open to participants of all ages, although small children may need the assistance of guardians with cutting and pasting.

• 1:30pm-4pm Farm tour of Soulshine Acres by Anna & Andy

  • Take a tour of Soulshine Acres, an 800+ log forest-farming mushroom operation. Learn about outdoor cultivation techniques of mushrooms such as Shiitake, Oyster, Lion's Mane, Reishi and more. The farm tour will be followed by an inoculation demonstration and Q&A session. This off-site tour is limited to 15 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Secure your spot by signing up at the check-in table on the day of the event!​

• 1:30pm-3:00pm Guided Mushroom Hike by Martha Bishop

  • Come join Martha Bishop and Bob Antibus of the Ohio Mushroom Society, on a guided hike.​

• 2:30pm-4pm Family Programming Fun with Fungi: Assorted Games!

  • Participants can explore a variety of family-friendly games and activities, including: Mushroom Memory Match games, felt fungi puzzles, coloring pages, word searches, and thematic read-alouds. Open to participants of all ages.

• 3:30pm-4:30pm Fire Making and Earthliving Skills by Austin Cannon 

  • In this class we will discuss techniques to help bring your fire starting to the next level! We will be using both modern and ancestral methods, all experience levels are welcome.​

• 4:30pm-6:30pm Live music by Rock Salt and Nails 

  • Rock Salt & Nails is an acoustic/Americana/roots band from Northeast Ohio that has been together since 2008. With covers of songs by artists such as Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Utah Phillips and the Carter family, we draw on a wide variety of influences. Our songwriting blends our love of storytelling and truth telling, with a range of acoustic instrumentation. Professor Jim on the clarinet adds some bluesy tones to our mix.​

• 6:30pm-7:30pm A Mindful Journey Through Nature at Sunset by Michelle Greenfield

  • Open to a renewed sense of interconnection with the natural world through this intentional mindful walk in the woods at Tenderfoot Learning Lab during the Fall Fungi Festival. Mindfulness in nature has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, improve cognitive function and boost the immune system. Michelle Greenfield will guide participants on an easy saunter, where they will become more connected to and immersed in the more than human world, relax their busy minds, and find easeful presence.​

• 7:30pm-9:00pm Night Hike

  • Experience the enchantment of the Fall Fungi Festival Night Hike, discovering nature's hidden treasures out in the open or tucked away in plain sight under the moonlit sky. Discover the mysterious world of mushrooms, insects, and nocturnal creatures, illuminated by an array of flashlights, including UV light, as you venture through the forest after sundown. Embrace the seasonal magic as you unveil the beauty and biodiversity flourishing in the shadows of autumn.​

• 9:00pm-11:00pm Jam Circle around Bondfire

  • We are excited to share that we will be providing complimentary Saturday day passes to the Fall Fungi Festival for musically inclined individuals who bring an instrument and are eager to perform around a campfire on the evening of Saturday October 5th at 9 PM. If you would like to participate, please reach out to Tourism Manager Madison Donohue at Madison@RuralAction.org to recive your promotional code​

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Sunday October 6th

• 8:30-9:30am Morning Yoga by Michelle Greenfield

  • Wake up and start your day with yoga for everyone - all levels welcome! Teacher Michelle Greenfield will guide participants in movement, breath, stretching and some even some fun. Morning yoga gets you started with activated energy and presence, setting you on a positive path for the rest of your day.​

• 9:30am-11:00am Introduction to outdoor mushroom cultivation lesson by Marc Amante, Agriculture & Natural Resources Extension Educator of Central State Extension

  • Most mushrooms grown and eaten in this country are produced in indoor facilities, but growing mushrooms outdoors offers some unique opportunities and advantages. In this talk, we will discuss the cultivation of mushrooms in mulch, compost, and logs and how to integrate outdoor mushroom production into any garden or farm business. Participants will also get a chance to see and use tools for inoculating logs in a demonstration of log inoculation techniques.

• 9:30am-11:00am Guided Mushroom Hike by Joe Brehm 

  • Explore the hidden wonders of the forest through expert insights and curiosity.

• 11:00am-12:30pm Family Programming: Pond Study

  • Participants will be equipped with aquatic nets, hand lenses, and hand microscopes to explore and investigate life in the pond. Be prepared to get a little messy! Open to participants of all ages.​

• 11:00am- 2:30pm Mushroom Cooking Demo by Mike Young

  • My name is Mike Young, and I have been cooking in the Athens area for the past 10-12 years. Moving up from fast food, to spending a year and a half cooking with Chef Becky Clark at Little Fish Brewing Company, to my current position at Kiser’s BBQ, I have always been interested by not only our local food culture, but the abundance of natural food sources in our area. I started foraging for mushrooms as a fun, active way to connect with that abundance, and have greatly enjoyed its addition to my culinary education. At this year’s Fall Fungi Festival, I look forward to sharing what I have learned about preparing and cooking mushrooms. See you there!​

• 1:00pm-4:00pm Guided Mushroom Hike by Homer Elliot

  • Discover the diverse world of fungi, while exploring the trails on Tenderfoot’s property.​