Telluride Mushroom Festival: Celebrating and Appreciating the Colourful Lives of Fungi
The Telluride Mushroom Festival (TMF) began in 1981 and has occurred annually in Telluride, Colorado. Held in the third week of August, the festival celebrates all things mushroom, especially the local community’s connection. Telluride is part of the great San Juan Wilderness, a protected national forest area known for mushroom forays that glean great results. Hence, one of the festival’s main attractions is a mushroom parade where townsfolk dress up as different mushrooms and catwalk down the main street, creating a festive atmosphere like no other.
Today, the festival’s events include workshops and talks with mycology experts. They discuss everything from fungi’s culinary, medicinal and even psychedelic properties. Local mushroom vendors also set up booths around town to further help gather the public’s appreciation for fungi, selling and exhibiting different types of fungi from local and international sources. All in all, the Telluride Mushroom Festival helps to garner people’s appreciation of fungi, an essential life-form that often goes unnoticed. This is why TMF is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Life on Land.
Around the world, over 100,000 species of fungi have been identified; however, scientists estimate that there could be up to 3.8 million. These fungi are irreplaceable in maintaining the world’s soil biodiversity, as they promote vegetation and carbon nutrient cycles. Fungi decompose plant and animal debris, turning them into nutrients other organisms can digest. Together with plants, fungi also perform soil carbon sequestration, which stores the carbon extracted by plants in soils. A study published on PeerJ has also found that this process allows up to 10 tons of CO2 to be stored in a single hectare of soil, making mushroom life an essential part of humanity’s battle against climate change.
The Telluride Mushroom Festival (TMF) is a vibrant celebration of fungi that connects the Telluride community to the world by highlighting their appreciation for the often-overlooked world of mushrooms. From whimsical parades to informative workshops, TMF educates the public on fungi's culinary, medicinal and ecological significance. By fostering an appreciation for fungi, TMF reminds its audiences that preserving the diverse world of fungi is crucial to sustaining life on Earth.
Find out more about the Telluride Mushroom Festival on their website www.tellurideinstitute.org or Instagram @telluridemushroomfest.