15th Annual King Boletus Mushroom Festival
Hunt for the King Bolete at a two-day mushroom seminar
August 18-19, 2012
Registration is not yet open. On-line, telephone and mail options will be available in the summer.
Back in 1996, Jim and Carol Sanford conceived of the King Boletus Mushroom Festival as a fundraiser for Buena Vista Heritage, combining two of their passions. Although mushroom forays and historic preservation seemed an unlikely pairing, the event has been a success in every year except 2002, when it was cancelled due to drought conditions.
More than its success as a fundraiser, however, the King Boletus Mushroom Festival has educated hundreds of participants on the fine art of hunting for and identifying mushrooms in the Upper Arkansas Valley and throughout Colorado. It has also brought together mushroom hunters of all ages and levels of experience to share their passion, tips and success stories.
Oh, and did we mention that it’s fun?
This year's Mushroom Fest will be held on Aug. 18 & 19, 2012. Check back in early summer for the 2012 registration fee. (It was $80 in 2011.) The cost includes lunch on Saturday, as well as the wine and cheese reception on Saturday evening. There is no one-day rate.
Schedule
The seminar starts on Saturday, Aug. 18, at 8:30 a.m. at the American Legion Hall, 338 N. Railroad Street, Buena Vista. Mycologist Ellen Jacobson and other members of the Colorado Mycological Society will present slides, display tables, handouts and expert information on locating and identifying mushrooms. In the afternoon, attendees will carpool to the local mountains to go on mushroom forays.
After the foray, everyone will gather to compare and identify the mushrooms they have collected, followed by a wine-cheese reception at the historic Turner Farm, 829 W. Main.
The festival will continue on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. There will again be forays into the mountains to find mushrooms. Then, participants return to the Legion Hall for more identification, question-and-answers session, and a small sample of quick mushroom-based snacks.
What to Bring:
Hiking boots
pocket knife or mushroom knife
water
bug spray
hat, sun protection
a collection basket, if you have one.
No refunds after August 13, 2012.
For more information, call 719-395-8458.
Thank you to our 2010 Sponsors:
American Legion Post 55
Eddyline Restaurant and Brewpub
LaValle's Gas and Liquors
Little Daisy
Jumpin' Good Goat Dairy
Chaffee County Waste