The Central Oregon Mushroom Club was founded in 2011 and has since grown to over 150 active members. What all the members have in common is their love of mushrooms. Because it takes a lifetime to understand the amazing world of fungi, the club believes in lifelong learning and sharing their knowledge  with others.  

The club meets regularly throughout the year at the Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Bend. Although all members of the public are invited to club meetings, an annual membership in the club provides special access to many club activities including field trips, special events such as campouts, and the annual Mushroom Potluck and FungiFest activities.  

In 2017 the club partnered with Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory to host the first FungiFest & Central Oregon Mushroom Show. Since then, the event has grown and been presented annually thanks to the dozens of club volunteers that work tirelessly to collect and identify mushrooms and educate the public about the wonders of mushroom diversity.    

The Central Oregon Mushroom Club was co-founded by local amateur mycologist Linda Gilpin who has studied fungi since 1980 and teaches mushroom identification for Central Oregon Community College community education for over 25 years. A very active volunteer steering committee for the club develops programming for the club and its members. 

For more information on the Central Oregon Mushroom Club or to become a member, visit their website, Facebook page (@CentralOregonShroom), or the club’s table at this year’s Mushroom Show.