Mountain Mushroom Festival

Saturday, April 25, 

9 a.m. – 7 p.m. (booths) and 9:30 p.m. (grandstand entertainment)

Sunday, April, 26 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

The Mountain Mushroom Festival is a celebration of the Appalachian culture: the morel mushroom, KY agate (state rock of Kentucky), arts and crafts, Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky River, and mountains. The festival’s mission is to share the cultural heritage and traditions of our community and support area groups (mushroom hunters, agate hunters, local crafters, artisans, and civic organizations) and businesses to foster community pride and stimulate economic development. A local volunteer committee partners with the community to present a variety of activities and provide educational opportunities. The festival provides a weekend of free activities and entertainment for everyone.
 

LOCATION:

• Latitude: 37.70026 Longitude: -83.97518

• The festival area is in the downtown area of Irvine on Court Street and Broadway. 

• The Agate, Gem, Mineral & Rock Show will be held at the Estill County School Central Office gym, 253 Main Street, Irvine. Enter at the back of the building.

• The Kruzers Car Club Show will be at the corner of Main Street and Mack Street, Irvine.

• The Pancake Breakfast will be at the Masonic Lodge, 221 Broadway & Lilly Avenue, Irvine.

• The Student Art Show will be at the Horizon Adult Daycare, 178 Broadway, Irvine.

• The Photography Contest winners will be at River City Music & Arts, 211 Main St., Irvine.

• The Health Screenings and Vision Screenings will be at the Horizon Adult Daycare, 178 Broadway, Irvine.

 

ACTIVITIES:

Mushroom theme activities include a morel market with morels for sale brought by the local hunters. The availability is dependent on the amount that the local hunters bring to the mushroom tent. Even when a late spring or dry spell makes morels scarce, morels can be tasted after the cooking demonstrations. Other activities include prize money for most mushrooms and largest, educational panels on mushroom hunting, interviews with hunters on the foodway stage, mushroom photo stand, Morey Morel mascot, natural habitat terrarium for displaying the native morel, morel/shiitake/oyster cooking demonstrations, shiitake log inoculation demonstrations, window decorating contest, fungus 5K & 2K run/walk, parade, and sale of festival t-shirts.

 

Agate activities include agate hunts in the creeks of Estill County and a KY Agate, Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show. The show features KY agates, gems, minerals, fossils, and rock displays, and vendors selling everything from agates to rocks to jewelry.

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Arts and crafts are promoted through artisan booths, heritage craft demonstrations, quilt trail display, bicentennial train display, and Middle School/High School Student Art Show.

 

Heritage activities include the Estill County Historical Society Museum, Fitchburg Furnace display, Daniel Boone National Forest display, and flintknapper demonstrations.

 

Grandstand Entertainment on the stage will include cloggers and live performances by a variety of groups performing different genres of music.

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Other activities will include a Car Show, Oleika Shriners train, health screenings, vision screenings, food court, games, Photography Contest display, Window Decorating displays, Kids Zone, and inflatables.
 

Admission to the festival is free. All events are open to the public and handicapped accessible. No pets please.

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Hold the Date!! Hope to see ya’ at the 31th annual Mountain Mushroom Festival, April 24-25, 2021. It is always held during the last full weekend of April.

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