This past weekend Cordovans enjoyed another rainy and informative Fungus Festival. From Sept. 12-15 locals and visitors alike had the opportunity to learn about and celebrate fungi through classes, guided forays, and presentations.
The festival kicked off early on Sept. 16 with a guided foray for children at Crater Lake Trailhead. Kids were able to learn about mushrooms in the area through an interactive scavenger hunt. Later that evening the Copper River Gallery hosted an opening of the art show titled Boreal Forest Stories, a traveling exhibit that explores environmental change through the lens of art. The Copper River Gallery is located in the Cordova Center Museum where the festival headquarters was based from this year, as opposed to its previous location at the Prince William Sound Science Center in 2023.
Beginning on Sept. 13, the Chamber of Commerce hosted an informational table in the Cordova Center atrium where visitors registered for various activities and were given a welcome bag that included schedules, guides to foraging, and a copy of Edible Alaska magazine. The welcome bag also included a local shopping passport similar to those distributed during the holidays for Moonlight Madness and the Shorebird Festival. Visitors get a stamp for every $20 spent at local merchants through the weekend and then enter these pages into a raffle for prizes. The Cordova Chamber of Commerce hopes to use this as a tool to track money spent during the festival and measure its potential impact on the local economy.
Fungus Festival
After a full day of forays, art classes and educational workshops on Sept. 13 people gathered at the Cordova Center for the weekend’s keynote session. Visiting scientist and author Steve Trudell gave the keynote presentation of the festival at the North Star Theater. Trudell is an associate curator with the University of Washington’s Burke Museum Herbarium. Trudell has authored several books on the topics of mycorrhizal ecology, the role of fungi in forest nutrient cycling, and how foragers can enjoy local mushrooms. Trudell received the North American Mycological Association’s Award for Contributions to Amateur Mycology in 2014. The heart of the festival remains based in education and art for the community.
Art was plentiful throughout the weekend at the Net Loft where hands on crafting classes explored fungus through fiber arts and watercolor. Local artisans also displayed their goods all weekend at the lower atrium of the Cordova Center, goods that included foraged teas, handmade sewn goods, fiber arts, and upcycled crafts. The musical arts were enjoyed as well by visitors at several venues around town, including a DJ dance party at the Reluctant Fishermen and live music at the Alaskan Hotel and Bar.
A weekend highlight for many was the Fungus Feast and silent auction, held on Sept. 14 night at the Pioneer Igloo building. In years past, the Fungus Festival has hosted a tasting event for visitors to try edible foraged mushrooms prepared by volunteers in a potluck-style venue. This year brought a change to that schedule as the planning committee decided to host a sit-down style dinner with pre-sold tickets and larger courses. Kate Trudeau, Aviva Kinoko and Daryn Carter volunteered to make more than 1,000 wild mushroom ravioli by hand for the event. After a charcuterie board featuring wild salmon and a fall squash salad, they served a main course and dessert. The main course of ravioli was topped with an herb butter sauce and accompanied by a serving of marinated and broiled local black cod. The 80 available tickets for the dinner were fully sold out.
