MORGAN
HILL, CA – The Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival, now in its 33rd
year of turning Memorial Day weekend into a celebration of the mushroom, has unveiled
its plans for the free May 26-27 festival in south Santa Clara County.
The two-day festival of family-fun includes live entertainment
on two stages, arts and crafts, gourmet offerings, mushroom educational exhibit,
chef demonstrations, strolling musicians, street performers, and several city
blocks of booths with “finds” that include everything from carved wooden
mushrooms to news that you can use. Munchkin Land is on track to captivate kids
with rides, games and continuous entertainment.
The mushroom is the festival star, which can be tasted in
soup, stuffed, sandwiched, deep-fried, marinated, over rice, and much more. Local
mushrooms growers are hosting educational exhibits on how mushrooms grow and the
latest nutrition research and the availability of just-picked, locally grown Portabella,
Crimini and white mushrooms – the ultimate take-home souvenir.
California
ranks second in the nation in mushroom production, and more than 60% of those
mushrooms are grown in Santa Clara and Monterey counties.
Wide ranging food choices, such as local BBQ and fruits hand-dipped
in chocolate, are available in food booths throughout the festival and in nearby
restaurants.
Entertainment
headliners will be Evolution, with their Journey tribute; and the popular Joe
Sharino Band. Music, on two stages for listening or dancing, will include
zydeco, classic rock and the blues of the local favorite Red Beans & Rice.
Back
by popular demand is the announcement of Ms. Mushroom and Mr. Fungi winners of
a broadcast competition sponsored by MHAT local cable access. Street performers
include the Mama’s Wranglers (formerly Kid Fiddlers), who will roam the town
with Jimbo the Clown, Monty the Mushroom, minstrels, jugglers, jesters and a
walker.
Shoppers
can entertain themselves for hours browsing fine arts, handmade crafts,
jewelry, clothing, home and garden wares and marketplace vendors. Specialty
shops and merchants in Morgan Hill’s charming downtown area are only a short
walk.
Saturday
morning will also feature the fruit and vegetable stands at the weekly Morgan
Hill Farmers Market from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Depot St., between Main &
Second Sts.
Munchkin
Land has planned entertainment for kids of all ages. Youngsters will have rides,
games, a petting zoo and pony rides, as well as children’s entertainment on the
Munchkin Land Stage. Older kids are more likely to gravitate to the rock
climbing wall or Eurobungy trampolines. The children’s area is located on Depot
St., between Second and Third Sts.
Merchants
in the Commercial Exhibit on Depot St. will offer special rates, deals and giveaways
on their services.
In
addition to no charge for admission, parking is free in surrounding parking
lots and throughout downtown Morgan Hill. Hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday
and 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sunday. For information call (408) 778-1786 or go to www.mhmmg.com.
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Located in downtown Morgan Hill,
California, the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival is held Memorial Day weekend
each year. Attendance estimates are about 70,000 visitors over the two-day
event. The mission of the Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival (a non-profit 501(c)3
corporation), is to provide a fun and entertaining family festival with an
emphasis on promoting the mushroom and educating consumers about the health
benefits of mushrooms, all while financially awarding scholarships to high
school seniors living within the boundaries of the Morgan Hill Unified School
District and monetary donations to local non-profit clubs and organizations. The
Festival has awarded over $700,000 in scholarships and over $350,000 to local non-profits
over the past 32 years.
A Media Center with news releases,
fact sheets and images for download is available to the news media from the
home page of www.mhmmg.com.
