Mushroom Fest Takes Over Central Oregon Coast's Yachats
Published 10/15/2015 at 5:22 AM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff
(Yachats, Oregon) – Three days of one very big mushroom fest is proof there is much more to the delectable dish than meets the eye. The central Oregon coast town of Yachats goes bonkers for the bitty brown bite on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the 16th Annual Yachats Village Mushroom Festival.
There's music, lots of food, lots of science and a whole lotta fuss about the fungi.
All three nights, all eateries in town will be hosting special mushroom-themed dishes.
The Friday Night FunGuys Bash begins the festival at 7 p.m. with gypsy-inspired violin and guitar by Kim Angelis and Josef, a wide selection of delectable desserts prepared by talented local chefs, and an opportunity to have fun with other mushroom enthusiasts. Various refreshments and light mushroom dishes will be available. Funguys Bash tickets are $12 - includes music and desserts. Yachats Commons Auditorium.
Saturday and Sunday boast bundles of lectures and talks about the delicacy, with a special slant towards what to find on the Oregon coast.
On Saturday at 10 a.m., it's What is a Mushroom? with Dr. Steven Carpenter: a general presentation on what fungi are, what they do, and what mushrooms themselves are all about.
11:15 a.m. brings Fantastic Fungi Fuel Forest Growth, which talks about the central role that fungi play in the dynamic life of a forest.
At 1:30 p.m. you can take in Doggone Eccentric Morels! The Opportunistic Mycelia of an Edible Mushroom Weed, given by David Pilz. This one is a wild ride through new discoveries about local mushrooms, and some surprising facts on how they can drive humans mad. 2:45 p.m. is all about “Lichens: Fungi in Disguise.”
On Sunday at 11 a.m., there is the “Slideshow Presentation: Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, habitat, selected special plants & fungi,” given by Anna Moore of Cascade Mycological Society.
Happening Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., there is a Cooking with Mushrooms workshop. Here, the focus is on cooking with main choice edibles and guiding you through delicious pairings. It will include information on individual wild mushrooms and the culinary companions to bring out the best in each species. Preservation will also be addressed.
Another happens from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., this time on growing your own mushrooms. Dr. Steven Carpenter and Kim Kittredge show you how, which includes a workshop where you make your own bag of pasteurized straw and inoculate it with the mushroom spawn provided. In a few short weeks it will sprout delicious oyster mushrooms. Each bag should produce enough for several meals.
Both these have attendance costs of $5 and under. See the website for full details on costs.
Fungi Exhibits take place both days at the Yachats Lions Hall (W 4th St. and Pontiac). These include scores of labeled examples and educational displays, and opportunities for questions. These are free.
Two different locations will feature fungi slideshows by Dr. Matt Trappe. At the Yachats Commons, these start at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and as well at the Cape Perpetua Visitors Center down the road a few miles. This is a 20-minute slideshow on a loop with over 300 fabulous fungi images. Both are free.
On on the outdoorsy side, the guided mushroom walks take place every half hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. These are offered on easy trails in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area and in a Yachats forest during the weekend. Maximum of 12 people on each walk.
There are wristbands that can be purchased. See the website for complete cost info. 800-929-0477. More about Yachats below and at the Yachats Virtual Tour, Map.
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