This weekend, the surprisingly gigantic 27^th Annual Kennett Square Mushroom Festival will take place. It all starts tomorrow with the community parade but September 8^th and 9^th is where the real fun(gi) is. With celebri-chefs, cook-offs, and vendors galore (like Talula’s Table) selling mushrooms in every form known to man, the mile-long Mushroom Festival will have something for everyone – including the National Fried Mushroom Eating Contest. Because that’s a thing.

The festival starts with the Community Parade and an old fashioned carnival on Friday that will run all weekend. The Growers Exhibit of local mushrooms and their growers will be open as well as a mile of food and craft vendors.

Food vendors include the likes of Kennett Inn, La Verona, Cupcakes Gourmet, Enzo’s and Talula’s Table. Talula’s will be serving up hot and cold dishes like mushroom mac ‘n cheese, mushroom soup, cabbage and mushroom spring rolls, mushroom risotto, and mushroom scones.

Kennett Square Mushroom Festival – Saturday September 8^th

• All day from 10am-4pm check out antique and classic cars at the festival’s car show, or take a tour of the local mushroom farms from 12:30-4:30pm.
• Starting at 10:30am, the Amateur Mushroom Soup Cook-Off will take place in the Special Events Tent. Six finalists will compete to win the hearts of judges Top Chef All Stars Finalist Antonia Lofaso and food writer Iris McCarthy.
• The first ever National Fried Mushroom Eating Contest will kick off at 1:30pm and the top prize is $600 and a trophy.
• Winner of Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker Dana Herbert will do demonstrations in the Culinary Tent at 3pm, followed by a signing of his book Sweet and Savory Union.

Kennett Square Mushroom Festival – Sunday September 9^th

• The Mushroom Run/Walk will take place bright and early at 8:30 am before the festival. Top prizes for adults go for $50 and registration includes admission (usually $2) to the festival.
• Wineries and local restaurants will vie for bragging rights over the best mushroom soup and best red and white wines at the Soup and Wine event from 11am-4pm. Festival goers can sample the soups and wines — $15 for soup and five wine tickets, or $10 for just soup – before choosing their favorite.
• Local growers will compete for bragging rights at the Mushroom Judging at noon. The freshest and best of these mushrooms are sold to the public once judging is complete and ribbons are received.

For more information and full schedules go to www.MushroomFestival.org.