27th Annual Mushroom Festival

September 8 and 9, 2012

in The Mushroom Capital of the World, Kennett Square, PA

Kennett Square was filled with guests enjoying the 26th Annual Mushroom Festival.

The mushroom will take center stage in the Mushroom Capital of the World for the weekend of September 8 and 9 at the 27th Annual Mushroom Festival. A stroll down Mushroom Boulevard (State Street the rest of the year) will showcase mushrooms prepared in cuisines from around the world. Artists and vendors will descend into Kennett Square to share their unique products created across the country. Come Mushroom Festival weekend, there will be farm tours and growers’ exhibits, contests, games, music, and more to explore in the region where over 65 percent of the country’s mushrooms are grown. A celebrity chef or two will be in town to share their mushroom cooking recipes and tips. As planning continues, one thing is sure, mark your calendar to join  us for what promises to be the best Festival yet.

Grants Awarded at Spring Event

$55,000 in grants awarded to 33 local nonprofit organzations
The Mushroom Festival’s Board of Directors announced the 33 organizations that received a total of $55,000 in grants from the proceeds of the the 2011 Festival on April 20,at  the Mushroom Festival Spring Event. The grant presentation was the highlight of the annual Spring Event held at Hartefeld National. Learn more about the organizations and how they will use the grants in their work for our community on our Beneficiaries page.

Click here for photos and information about the 2012 Spring Event.

2012 T-shirt Design Contest

2011's winning design

 Designs being accepted for the 2012 Mushroom Festival Souvenir T-Shirt Design Contest

Each year the Mushroom Festival T-shirt Design Contest gives local artists an opportunity to have their design chosen then printed on the annual festival souvenir t-shirt. Plus the creator of the winning T-shirt design wins $500!  Deadline to enter is June 8, 4 p.m. Learn more and download the application here.

Artists wanted to Paint Mushrooms

Searching for talented artists to paint mushrooms for the annual Painted Mushroom Silent Auction

There are 12 108 lb. concrete mushrooms waiting for the area’s talented artist to decorate. The Painted Mushrooms will be on display and auctioned at the Mushroom Festival on September 8 and 9, 2012. Click here to learn more and be part of the fun.

Recipes wanted for Soup Cook-off

Amateur Mushroom Soup Cook-off Applications are being accepted now

Think you have unique recipe for mushroom soup? Want to prepare it at the Mushroom Festival and compete for a $500 cash prize and bragging rights of the Best Amateur Mushroom Soup for 2012? Click here for the rules and application for this year’s annual cook-off. Deadline to enter: July 30, 2012

 Volunteers Needed!

Your help is needed to make the Festival a success

Volunteers are critical to the Mushroom Festival. Each year well over 350 wonderful people volunteer a morning, an afternoon, a whole day or even the entire weekend to make the Festival a success. Without their support the Mushroom Festival would not be possible. We’re looking for individuals and service-oriented organizations to help us this year. Through our Button-Up-A-Booth program local businesses and organizations will adopt one of our volunteer locations to staff for the day. In exchange for volunteering the organization may display literature about themselves. Click here to learn more about volunteer opportunities at the Mushroom Festival.

Join the Community Parade

Details and Applications now available

The annual Mushroom Festival Community Parade celebrates living, working, and playing in Kennett Square and Southern Chester County. Be part of the fun by marching in the parade.  Click here to learn more.

Be part of the Mushroom Run/Walk

Applications for the Mushroom Run/Walk now available

Start the Sunday of the Mushroom Festival with a run, jog or walk through the Red Clay Valley as part of the 5th Annual Mushroom Run/Walk. Preregistration deadline is September 6. First 150 registrants receive a free t-shirt. Click here for details.

Share your Classic Car

Applications now available for the Antique and Classic Car Show

Proud of an antique or classic car you own? Show it to guests as part of the 27th Annual Mushroom Festival. Preregistration deadline is August 31, 2012. Event day registrations are available from 8:30 to 10 am on Saturday, September 8. Click here to learn more.

Vendors wanted

Interested in having a Mushroom Festival Booth?

• 2012 (Vendor Applications (Craft, Promotional, and Food Vendor) are now available. Download from our Vendor page.
• Spaces fill quickly. Download the application and return ASAP for consideration as a vendor for the Street Fair.

25th Anniversary Commemorative Cookbook

Mushroom Festival 25th Anniversary Commemorative Cookbooks are still available

If you missed your chance to get a copy of the Mushroom Festival 25th Anniversary Commemorative Cookbook filled with all sorts of great mushroom recipes, they are now available at The Mushroom Cap (114 West State Street, Kennett Square, PA) for $12.  Orders can be shipped ($4.50 shipping charge) by calling 610-444-8484

2011 Festival Results

Special thanks to 6abc’s Alicia Vitarelli for joining us at the Community Parade!

6abc’s Alicia Vitarelli made it to the 26th Annual Mushroom Festival and was part of the Community Parade. Alicia joined WPVI Action News Team in October 2010 as a news reporter/anchor.  Find her on Facebook

	Amateur Mushroom Soup Cook-off Congratulations to Katie Hagerty of Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania for winning the Amateur Mushroom Soup Cook-off. She won $500 for her “Chianti Crimini Mushroom Soup with Blue Cheese Crostini.” For all the results from the Amateur Mushroom Soup Cook-off click here.
	Who’s the Cutest Button, Crimini, and Portabella? Click here to see the results of the 2011 Cute as a Button (Mushroom) Baby Photo Contest.
	Congratulations to Giorgi Fresh on winning Best of Show in the Mushroom Judging Contest– second year in a row!  Click here for all results.
	Click here to see all 12 marvelously creative Painted Mushrooms as well as the results of the Silent Auction.
	Congratulations to Congratulations to Paul Springer and Sarah Rusk as the Overall Men’s and Women’s finishers in the 2011 Mushroom Run/Walk on Sunday, September 11. Paul finished the run down Creek Road and back in 16:58 and Sarah in 19:38.  Click here for all the results.
	Congratulations to Palette’s Restaurant and Grill from Wilmington, Delaware for winning the People’s Choice award for the Best Mushroom Soup in the Delaware Valley. Chaddsford Winery received the People’s Choice for Best Red Wine and Paradocx Winery received the People’s Choice Award for Best White Wine.  Details here.