Thursday, 10/9
6:30pm

At First Presbyterian Church in Bend

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Keynote Speaker:

Noah Siegel

Cascadia — A Fungal Paradise

Hear from one of North America’s foremost field mycologists.

The wet mossy forests, transitioning over the crest of the Cascade Range into high desert allow the Pacific Northwest to host a spectacular diversity of mushrooms, a true fungal paradise! This talk will highlight this diversity, the unique habitats of our region, and its plethora of mushrooms.

Noah Siegel has spent over three decades seeking, photographing, identifying, and furthering his knowledge about all aspects of macrofungi. He travels and lectures extensively across America, following mushrooms from coast to coast, and he has authored numerous books on the subject as well. Come on out and soak up some of this FUNgi knowledge!

Wine and light snacks will be provided.

Friday, 10/10
9am – 2pm

Meet at Sunriver Nature Center

Fungi Foray Field Trip

Join expert guides on a mushroom foray through your local forest!

Explore in small, guided groups led by local, regional, and national fungi experts. Learn where to find mushrooms, how to identify them in the field, and discover the rich fungal diversity around you. Your finds will help contribute to the species collection on display at the Mushroom Show during Saturday’s Fungi Fest!

*Participants provide their own lunch. Please note you will not be foraging for edible mushrooms.

Friday, 10/10
5pm – 7pm

Wild Woodsman Dinner

Join us for an evening dedicated to the magic of fungi!
View the menu here.

Owner & Chef Jackson “Rooster” Higdon of Luckey’s Woodsman will be curating a five-course small plate experience that highlights the incredible bounty of locally foraged mushrooms – from familiar favorites to the wonderfully unexpected. Guests will also pick up simple, helpful tips for foraging mushrooms in our local forests, along with techniques for cooking and enjoying these wild treasures. Every bite is a celebration of the forest brought to the table.

While the Central Oregon Mushroom Club prepares for the next day’s Mushroom Show in the adjacent room, dinner guests will enjoy a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the fascinating world of mushroom identification. Our team of mycologists will be sorting and identifying hundreds of specimens collected over the course of a week scouring our local landscape. You’ll overhear lively discussions filled with Latin names, detailed taxonomy, and the careful examination of subtle features—all part of the fast-paced effort to create a spectacular Saturday display!