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Kennett Square Mushroom Festival
It’s mycelium magic in Kennett Square.
Each year, over 100,000 fungi fans come from around the country to celebrate the humble mushroom at the mile-long Kennett Square Mushroom Festival.
The ticketed festival runs along Kennett Square’s State Street amid a street fair of over 200 vendors from all over the country — each selling mushroom-themed eats, handmade crafts, custom apparel, home decor and other mush merch.
The all-ages two-day fest is also packed with mushroom-themed events and family fun, including cooking competitions, educational activities, music performances and eating contests.
Chester County’s historic Kennett Square is considered the “Mushroom Capital of the World” for a reason: Its farms produce over 500 million pounds of mushrooms annually (half the nation’s total production!).
This year’s Kennett Square Mushroom Festival is September 7 & 8, 2024, with admission running $5 per person.
2024’s Kennett Square Mushroom Festival brings back all of its classic fungi faves with a couple of new special events. This year’s theme: “Spawning Future Growth.”
With so many events over the two days, it can be hard to figure out what to do first.
So why not “spore” over this list of the top free mushroom fest activities and attractions?
Cooking Demonstrations by Chef Carla Hall (New for 2024)
September 7, 2024 at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Learn from one of the best as Food Network host, Top Chef all-star and acclaimed author Carla Hall hosts two cooking demos at this year’s festival.
Bonus: Chef Hall also serves as one of the Mushroom Chopped judges (more on that below).
Mushroom Chopped
September 7, 2024 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. & September 8, 2024 at 10 a.m.
Witness five amateur cooks square off in a live Chopped-style cooking competition.
Contestants have 30 minutes to prepare a shroomtastic culinary creation — with a twist. Each is given a bag of mystery ingredients that they must use, and then judges declare a winner based on taste, presentation, creativity and, of course, mushrooms use.
Winners from the September 7, 2024 contests go head-to-head in a finale on September 8, 2024.
Mushroom Growers Exhibit
September 7 & 8, 2024
See a variety of different mushrooms and get a crash course in Mycology 101 from local farmers, with educational topics like how to identify mushrooms, the nutritional value of mushrooms, techniques for mushroom harvesting and special tips on growing your own.
— Photo courtesy Kennett Square Mushroom Festival
Fried Mushroom Eating Contest
September 8, 2024 at 1 p.m.
Cheer on an eight-minute gastronomic wonder of shroomy supremacy where amateur contestants chow down on as many fried mushrooms as they can for a cash prize. The local record is four pounds!
Mushroom en Fuego (New for 2024)
Dare to take the hot shroom challenge? This spicy mushroom-eating contest — not for the faint of tongue — pits 10 contestants against each other as they down increasingly spicier mushrooms. To the winner: a cash prize (and a frosty vanilla milkshake).
More Things to Do
Looking for the best way to cap off your days on the festival grounds? Check out vintage hot rods at the festival’s Antique & Classic Car Show, donate to a good cause during the Cute as a Button Photo Contest, stop by the Kids Area with bounce houses and bungee jumps, or high five Fun Gus — the festival’s iconic mushroom mascot.
— Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
The Kennett Square Mushroom Festival has nearly every mushroom-themed food item you can imagine (and some you can’t).
Each day, you’ll find vendors and eateries offering a bevy of pay-as-you-go mushroom-inspired treats all over. Options range from savory snacks like breaded mushrooms to hearty meals like creamy mushroom soup, made with milk from local farms and packed to the gills with fresh portabellas and white buttons.
— Photo courtesy Chester County’s Brandywine Valley
The 200-plus vendors also include booths and local shops offering plenty of mushroom- and non-mushroom-themed products, like crafts, prints, apparel, home decor, accessories, cookbooks and other gifts.
Throughout the fest, you can unwind by the live music stage, with artists and bands cranking out tunes spanning original works, faithful covers, comedic parodies and more.
To check out the full schedule of events, click here.
Kennett Square is located about 30 miles west of Philadelphia. The Mushroom Festival is held on State Street, located just off Route 1 in southern Chester County.
The Kennett Square Mushroom Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on September 7, 2024, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 8, 2024. Tickets to the festival are $5 per person (cash only).
For an extra $5 donation, nearby parking is available at the following lots:
For more information on the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival, click the button below:
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