Fall Fungi Festival
About this Event
Join us for this year’s Fall Fungi Festival, a two-day, one-night celebration of all things mushrooms!
Dive into hands on inoculation workshops, guided hikes with mushroom enthusiast, engaging fungus forays, family-friendly activities, mushroom dehydration demos, overnight camping, and so much more.
This is a welcoming, inclusive event for anyone curious about mushrooms and the natural world. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned forager, you’ll find something to inspire you, and a community to connect with.
Hosted at the beautiful Tenderfoot Learning Lab, the festival takes place in a richly biodiverse environment, nestled within mixed mesophytic forests. Wander three miles of trails among towering pines, oaks, poplars, maples, beech, sassafras, and the occasional hemlock and sycamore in shaded ravines.
Throughout the weekend, enjoy a marketplace of nature-inspired artists and makers sharing their work. Come for the mushrooms, stay for the magic!
*Parking!
Parking for the event is offsite. Follow signage from Tenderfoot Learning Lab for parking in nearby field. Access from parking to festival grounds is a 0.25 mile walk along a well marked trail connecting the properties. Walking along the road is not permitted! Coordinates of the entrance to the parking area are 39.337791, -82.220574. There will be signage to direct you accordingly.
A FREE shuttle service will be running on October 11th and 12th from 9am-11am Saturday and Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon from 2:30-4pm.
Kids aged 12 and under are free!
2026 Schedule Coming Soon
2025 Schedule*
Saturday October 11th
10:15am- 11:00am Mushroom Tincture Making 101 with Sheena Hansce
Learn how to turn powerful mushrooms like Reishi, Chaga, and Turkey Tail into effective herbal remedies! In this beginner-friendly workshop, herbalist Sheena Hansce will guide you through the basics of making mushroom tinctures at home using the double-extraction method, a process that captures both alcohol- and water-soluble compounds for maximum potency.
11:00am- Noon Family Programming: Mushroom Stamping Workshop
Join us for a creative, artistic experience using mushrooms as natural stamps. We’ll use real mushrooms from every angle; caps, stems, and gills to make unique stamped artwork you can take home. No experience needed, and all materials are included
11:30am-12:30 Cooking Demonstration with Mike Young
Join us for two interactive lunchtime cooking classes led by local chef Mike Young (Little Fish Brewing Company). This hands-on demonstration will provide attendees with new culinary skills and provide them with a delicious fungi lunch.
Please note: Lunch programs require an additional ticket that can be purchased during online registration. A limited number of tickets will also be held for sale in-person at the event.
1:30pm-4pm Farm tour of Soulshine Earth 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
Explore the forest of Tenderfoot Learning Lab with environmental and plant biologist Martha Bishop. Martha's keen eye for detail and depth of knowledge will spark your curiosity and deepen your love for the fascinating world of mushrooms!
2:30pm-4pm Family Programming: Pond Study
We will be exploring the Tenderfoot Learning Lab pond in seach of macro-invertabrates and other cool creatures. Nets, containers, and identification guides will be available to use during this fun,hands-on activity.
4:30pm-5:30pm Keynote Presentation: Mushrooms and Community by Crystal Davidson
We’re thrilled to welcome Crystal Davidson, leader of the Ohio Mushroom Enthusiasts and board member of the Ohio Mushroom Society, as our keynote speaker! In her talk, Crystal will explore the unique ways fungi connect people, through science, foraging, education, and shared curiosity.
5:30pm-6:30pm Stone Soup Dinner
Join us for a special communal Stone Soup Dinner led by local chef from Little Fish Brewery, Mike Young. Mike and a team of four volunteers will prepare a hearty soup over the campfire using hyper-local ingredients from the Tenderfoot Learning Lab and neighboring spaces! We invite everyone to contribute, either with a small monetary donation, or by bringing an ingredient to add to the pot, or by sharing a small side. It’s a true community meal and everyone is welcome!
6:30pm-7:30 Live music by Colin Richards and Spare Change
Get ready for an evening steeped in soulful roots, Colin Richards & Spare Change bring a heartfelt blend of folk and blues that speaks to the soul.
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 11th at 9 PM. If you would like to participate, please reach out to Tourism Manager Madison Donohue at [email protected] to receive your promotional code
Sunday October 12th
8:30am-9:30am Morning Yoga by Michelle GreenfieldWake 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.
8:30am-9:30am Guided Mushroom Hike by Joe Brehm
Explore the hidden wonders of The Wayne National Forest through expert insights and curiosity. This hike will meet at the kiosk and leave the property for a hike on the Wayne National Forest, transportation not provided.
9:30am-11:00am Felted Mushroom ClassLimited to 10 participants | Ages 12+ | All materials provided! Create your very own felted Fly Agaric mushroom in this cozy, hands-on workshop! No felting experience? No problem,this class is perfect for beginners. All materials will be provided, and you'll leave with a magical, handmade mushroom of your own. This session is limited to 10 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!
10:15am-11:00am White Nose Syndrome Presentation by David Slone
Join David Slone for an eye-opening talk on parasitic fungi and the diseases they cause, including White Nose Syndrome, an illness affecting bat populations across North America. This session will also cover other harmful fungi like Chytridiomycosis, Rosellinia blight, and more. Perfect for anyone curious about the darker side of the fungal kingdom!
11:00am-12:00pm Family Programming: Sit Spot, Write, Erasure
Come do a short hike, find a nice spot to sit and do some writing about the natural enviornment around you, and then do an exercise in erasure where you take your (and other's) reflection/writing and remove words until you're left the barebones and a beautiful poem.
11:00am- 12:30pm Cooking Demonstration with Irene Kim Chin
oin us for an interactive lunchtime cooking classes led by local chef Irene Kim Chin (Hei Hei). This hands-on demonstration will provide attendees with new culinary skills and provide them with a delicious fungi lunch.Please note: Lunch programs require an additional ticket that can be purchased during online registration. A limited number of tickets will also be held for sale in-person at the event.
1:00pm-4:00pm Guided Mushroom Hike by Homer Elliot
Discover the diverse world of fungi, while exploring either Waterloo Wildlife Area or the adjacent Zaleski State Forest. A 14 passanger van will be avible and personal vehicles can to follow if needed.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 81.88
