Lake Tahoe Mushroom Festival debuts October 3

Visitors can explore Tahoe’s fungi at a new festival on Saturday, October 3. Sierra Nevada Alliance is bringing the event to The Hangar in South Lake Tahoe. The main program opens at 12 p.m. and wraps up at 6 p.m. Admission begins at $35 for adults. Youth tickets cost $20 for ages 13 and under, while children five and under enter free.

A separately priced morning outing will take participants across two to three miles of local terrain with naturalists. It begins at 9 a.m. and finishes at 11 a.m. The roughly two-hour excursion will cover mushroom identification and responsible gathering practices. Back at the venue, guests will find educational displays plus booths representing 16-plus area artists and groups. Expert talks and a cooking presentation by forager and chef Chad Hyatt are also planned.

The afternoon includes DJ sets by Tril.Lion, SirRynity and Luigi, followed by bluegrass from Bison. Families will have access to face painting, crafts and other children’s activities. A mushroom-themed costume competition requires no advance registration, and winners receive Sierra Nevada Alliance clothing. Food trucks will serve meals, while the taproom and bottle shop carries more than 25 draft beers. Festival proceeds support the alliance and regional mushroom conservation. Event information and ticket details are available at https://sierranevadaalliance.org/lake-tahoe-mushroom-festival/.