The fifth edition of the Guadalajara Mushroom Fair will bring together businesses, producers, academics, artists and enthusiasts this weekend for a unique celebration of the fungi.

Organizer Iván Fernández said the fair is an opportunity to educate the public about the diversity of mushroom species and help them to identify some of the species. It also gives the public access to mushroom experts and businesses at a one-of-a kind social event.

Fernández remembered that the first Guadalajara Mushroom Fair in 2015 was a mostly academic affair attended by professors and researchers from the University of Guadalajara, large producers and a few amateurs who were just starting out with small mushroom crops.

He said that since then, other towns have begun hosting their own mushroom fairs and interest has grown.

There will be several musical presentations, a fashion show, an art contest and an exhibition of mushroom art.

For the more academically inclined, the fair will include a special conference on the biodiversity of mushroom species in Mexico by Michoacán mushroom expert Horalia Barriga Díaz, as well as workshops, talks and a wide gastronomic offering of mushroom-based dishes.

For the especially dedicated who hope to get their hands dirty, the fair was to host two guided tours to collect mushrooms, one on Friday near Tapalpa and another on Saturday in the area surrounding the Tequila volcano.

The fair itself runs Saturday from noon until 9:00pm and Sunday from 10:00am till 8:00pm at the Jardín Americana.

Source: Milenio (sp)