CancelledFollowing guidance from the CDC and public health officials, and to comply with county-wide public health legal orders, the Fungus Fair has been cancelled for the winter of 2020-2021. The Fifteenth Annual Ever wonder about all those mushrooms you’ve seen in the grasslands and forests at Point Reyes National Seashore? The Fungus Fair is a perfect opportunity to see them up close and learn more about them. Since 2005, fungi have been gathered by volunteers who collect, identify, and catalog mushrooms for an ongoing study at the Point Reyes National Seashore. Fungus FairDuring the Fifteenth Annual Fungus Fair on Sunday, February 2, 2019, wild mushrooms collected at the park will be on display at the Bear Valley Visitor Center. Visitors are invited to attend free lectures presented by area mycologists and to view hands-on informational displays about mushroom ecology, Death Cap Amanitas, edible and toxic species, and view fungi under a microscope. Local mycologists will be on hand to talk about fungi and their role in the environment. PresentationsFor 2020, the following talks are scheduled:
Fungi Collecting ForayPark visitors and the mushroom curious are invited to gather at 10 am on Saturday, February 1, 2020, (rain or shine) at the Bear Valley Visitor Center for instructions on how to collect fungi for Sunday's Fungus Fair. If possible, bring a container to carry mushrooms, small knife, water, whistle, and small paper bags or wax paper. All ages and skill levels welcome. This is a collecting event for the fair, not a guided foray. Be prepared to learn, and be prepared to participate! Bring collected mushrooms to the Red Barn Classroom at 1 pm for sorting and identification. DirectionsFor directions and a map to help you get to the Bear Valley Visitor Center, visit our Directions page. ParkingTo help reduce traffic congestion in the paved parking lot adjacent to the Bear Valley Visitor Center, please park your vehicle(s) in the gravel, trailhead/picnic area parking lot on the left (east) side of the access road close to the Bear Valley Trailhead. Parking is free. Download the Bear Valley Area Map (504 KB PDF), which shows the location of the trailhead parking lot relative to the Bear Valley Visitor Center. More information...Go to the Bay Area Mycological Society's (BAMS) web site or contact the Bay Area Mycological Society, David Rust, or Ben Becker for more details about the Point Reyes Fungus Fair. For more information about mushrooms at the Point Reyes National Seashore, visit our Mushrooms and other Fungi page. Guidelines for Mushroom CollectingThere are specific legal guidelines for mushroom collecting. Please visit the Collecting section on the Park Regulations page. Please note: employee housing as well as park administrative, maintenance, operations, and storage facilities, including, but not limited, to access roads, outbuildings, grounds, and docks, are closed to public use. Mushroom PoisoningsNo mushroom should be eaten unless it can first be positively identified as edible. Learning to identify mushrooms in their many guises takes time, and reliable resources. The best way to learn about mushrooms is through local field guides and mushroom societies. Visit the Bay Area Mycological Society's Mushroom Poisonings page for more information on identifying the three most deadly mushrooms in California. |
Last updated: May 20, 2021