Fungi Fair is back! “Witam” one and all! This open event is hosted this year with the Polish Center of Wisconsin in Franklin, Wisconsin. Exhibitors, mycologists, speakers, chef demos, mushroomy food to enjoy, bar, and possibly a walk in the woods with Wisconsin Mycological Society if conditions are right and interest is present. There will be free and open admission, free parking, and a lot of fun. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with many different demos and talks, and vendors continually available.

Just some of what’s planned:

Tom Northey is doing inoculation demos, which will teach you how to inoculate a growing medium and grow your own edible or medicinal fungi right at home!

‘Mushroom Mike’ Jozwik, a very popular local vendor of high quality foraged and cultivated fungi will be at Fungi Fair

A J Dixon of the Lazy Susan restaurant in Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee will present a chef demo, as will Joe Muench of Maxie’s and Tom Peschong formerly of the much-missed The Riversite in Mequon and was named a semifinalist for a James Beard Award. Cooking demonstrations will focus on how to prepare dishes with mushrooms. There is much more variety there than you might think! You can even productively candy certain fungi, like black trumpets. Many other dishes provide a wonderful substitute for meat for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone looking for a meatless main dish that still has plenty of protein and flavor.

Wisconsin Mycological Society members, including its Vice President, Gary Schlapinski, will be on hand to discuss fungi, answer questions, and possibly lead that walk in the woods nearby. WMS Community Science board member, Mariah Rogers will be around after noon until closing to discuss the science of fungi you can learn and participate in, including WMS iNaturalist projects.

Poland and the Polish diaspora have a long cultural history of mushroom foraging, folklore, and cooking! You can read more about this at – https://www.tastingpoland.com/food/mushrooms_in_polish_cuisine.html and https://culture.pl/en/article/why-are-poles-so-obsessed-with-mushroom-picking

Please also see:

https://fb.me/e/1bH5RoGSI – A Facebook event for the Fair

https://www.polishcenterofwisconsin.org/assets/Flyers/2021/Fungi%20Fair%20Flyer%209-9-21%20PDF.pdf – A flyer for it by Wisconsin Mycological Society & Polish Center of Wisconsin