Our Tasty Carb-venture at the Vermont Mac and Cheese Challenge

Harpoon Brewery was a perfect host

On Sunday we took a drive up to central Vermont to check out the Vermont Farmstead Cheese VT Mac and Cheese Challenges. In its 3rd year, this event is held at Artisans’ Park at the Harpoon Brewery in Windsor, VT.

The 2016 Vermont Farmstead Cheese VT Mac and Cheese Challenge will take place Sunday, September 11th, 11:00am - 3:00pm. Click for full details.

As we never seem to get enough of lovely Vermont, we also swung through nearby Norwich to experience the King Arthur Flour Bakery, Café, Store, and Campus. After loading up on a bagful of goodies for fall baking, we resisted the gorgeous delights in the café knowing we had a full day of food waiting for us in nearby Windsor.

The fire pit was up and running too!

By the time we arrived at Artisans’ Park, it was about 25 minutes after the start of the event. Our car was directed down a long driveway and across the property to park near a loading dock—the parking areas were full as far as the eye could see.  We’re not sure if we snagged one of the last parking spaces available but it certainly looked like it.

We happily enjoyed the walk towards the festivities on a truly stunning, blue-skied day. The beautifully landscaped property was buzzing with people of every age--many outside playing games or sitting by the fire pit, others lounging on the outdoor deck at the Harpoon café. There was a bandstand set up near the brewery with a window through which beer could be bought. We passed a small petting zoo propped near a badminton type area and small wooden playground. 

Picnic tables, tall tables, wide lawn

Tall tables were set up across the lawn for people to stand and enjoy their beer, food and meet up with company. The magnetic pull of the event, of course, was toward the two large white tents where the action clearly was taking place.

The two tents each had a ticket purchase area ($20 at the door) and check-in station (for folks who purchase in advance -- $15). The line moved swiftly as the event was very well staffed and the staff came out to the line to quickly process the advance tickets—exchanging the ticket for a wrist band. There were plentiful staff-- easy to spot in their bright blue shirts—milling around to answer questions or lend a hand.

The tent was elbow-to-elbow with
happy, hungry mac and cheese lovers

The tents each held station after station of tables manned by local VT and NH restaurateurs, small  inns, taverns, stores, and resorts. Twenty-one contestants in all competed for the title of the day—the winning dish to be voted on by the ticket-holders.

We were handed a voting sheet listing the name of each participant and a small area next to each name set aside for note taking. Armed with a mini pencil and a wooden fork, we embarked on our gooey carb-venture.    

The first thing we noticed is that there was no organized queue for the tastings. The contestants were arranged along the perimeter of each the tent and the tent center had a few tall tables for propping your beverage and leaning your elbows. Thoughtfully, there were also tables in the center with a fruit plate of watermelon and grapes and two platters of cheese cubes—the fruit was an extremely welcome option for cleansing the palate between tastings and we noticed that the fruit platter was remarkably popular.

Even though there was no particular order to going through the tastings, it was just short of a free for all. The hundreds of tasters were very polite and patient as we worked our way through each quasi line. 

We could see a few strategies starting to emerge. There were some that to the approach to divide and conquer—a trio of friends would each wait in line at a station, stock up on 3 samples and then convene in the center of the tent to taste and compare notes. Others would conga-line our way to each station trying a sample and writing notes along the way, stepping out of the line towards the tent center for a digestive break or to grab a handful of grapes.

There were signs reminding people to only take one sample to make sure there was enough for everyone and although you’d see people take a few samples, there was the honor system whereby it was understood the extra samples were for friends waiting outside the line. No one seemed to have an issue with this and as there really was plenty to eat—again, 20 different samples—we highly doubt people were taking seconds for themselves. 

Samples of Vermont Farmstead Cheese

Vermont Farmstead Cheese was the host of this incredible event and not only were there cheeses available to sample “neatly” but their cheese also figured prominently in every competitor’s recipe.

If we had to guess, the Vermont Farmstead “Windsor Dale” was the cheese most frequently employed in the recipes that day but their alehouse cheddar was certainly another popular ingredient. With so many samples to taste we worried we could never properly judge a front runner but as the wheat separates from the chaff (though there was no “chaff” here, everything was yummy) there certainly were a few memorable standouts.

We took notes on the samples we really loved best—the ones that made our eyes roll up and flutter from the depth of flavor and creaminess working across our tongues. Remarkably, there were really no “misses” in the challenge—anything we didn’t care for was usually just a matter of preference, not cooking ability. We noticed that a few ingredients were featured prominently: ale and bacon (often maple-smoked because, well, its Vermont people!) were definitely common additions and welcome ones too yet after a bit it felt like everyone was working off the same delicious recipe…. Great for eating but harder to make yourself standout in a competition. 

A few folks took a different angle—one colorful recipe included sautéed kale which was delicious, another incorporated currants (!) for a sweeter taste and there was the requisite lobster-mac too which never disappoints.

In the end, we were impressed by the quality of everyone’s submissions to the challenge—each competitor brought their A game. Standouts for us were the Jackson House Inn samples (who took 3rd place with the Judges Award) and Big Fatty’s BBQ pulled pork recipe (who took 1st in the People’s Choice Award and tied for 2nd in the Judges Award).

This was a very memorable event and if you don’t live near Windsor VT, you should consider it a road trip worthy of your time. We were stuffed to the gills with mac-and-cheese by about sample number ten (with eleven samples left to go) so you should really plan to arrive with an empty stomach. 

Though the mac and cheese is clearly the star of this event, the atmosphere at the festival is certainly noteworthy. 

Not only was it a picture-perfect day in Vermont but the 2400 people who also attended were spread out across the lovely park.
The tall tables set outside on the lawn drew dozens of folks to stand around, sample the food and sip a beer. Vermont Farmstead did a terrific job anticipating how to use the lawn and property to their best advantage and created plentiful opportunities for people to enjoy themselves outside of the tent/food area. With such cooperative weather, it was easy for people to mingle and lounge outside or take a walk around the grounds and despite the crowds, there was a very relaxed feel—a perfect way to spend a Sunday.

It was a very social event and plenty of kids were in attendance. The kids had a playground area and other games set up to interest them. Kids were certainly welcome at this event but the large crowds (particularly in the tent) appeared to make the event challenging for parents—too many people to navigate. Please read our family tips below for some suggestions on how to get the most from the experience if you’re making this a family outing.

We were very happy to have been able to see the Vermont Mac and Cheese Challenge first-hand. Windsor Vermont is very easy to reach from MA, NH, and CT and Harpoon Brewery is just off the highway. With the growing popularity of this event (attendance more than doubled between year 1 and this year—year two) please read our tips for getting the most from your visit there. A little planning can go a long way!

Tips for Attending the Vermont Mac and Cheese Challenge

Arrive early: Plan to arrive right as the event opens or, even better, a little before. This will help you get a parking space easily which was nearly full by the time we’d arrived (1/2 hour after the start).

Arrive hungry: If you think 20 samples of mac and cheese sounds like heaven to you, you should plan to be VERY hungry for this event.  Seriously, don’t even think about breakfast. In fact, don’t even think about dinner. This event has your hunger covered for a solid 36 hours.

Share: If you intend to sample everything, pace yourself because you will start to feel full by about the tenth sample. Consider taking one sample and splitting it with the person you came with. Trust us, you’ll thank us for this tip.

Divide and Conquer: We saw some groups who would split up to gather samples from two or three different tables and then reconnect at the tent center to taste the collection together at once. This is a good strategy for navigating the crowds and to be able to really talk through each tasting with your friend/partner. The alternative is standing in line for one sample while eating the sample from the previous table while you wait. This was what we did and it was probably a more chaotic, less relaxed strategy. (It’s hard to write notes while you are standing and eating.)

Take it outside: Consider gathering 3 or 4 samples from different tables and then exiting the crowded tent to enjoy your sample in the sunshine. This is a more relaxed approach to the event and a good way to sip your beer and eat. You can bring your beer into the food tent but you’ll find yourself needing an extra hand to coordinate and hold everything.

Cleanse your palate: If you see the grape/fruit platter in the center of the tent, don’t pass it by. Those grapes will be your best friend and the key to helping you endure all the cheese gooey goodness.

Buy tickets in advance. Judging from the popularity of the event and the fact that attendance double from year one to year two, I could see this selling out. Plus you’ll save a few bucks for buying ahead.

Can’t emphasize this enough—come hungry.

Meetup Point. It’s a little easy to get caught up in the crowds once you’re in the tent—it’s handy if everyone you come with has their own cell on them to track each other down. Our cell coverage is notoriously spotty in Vermont so come up with a meet-up spot.

Grab two forks when you check in at the ticket booth. It’s easy to lose your fork juggling the voting paper, pencil, samples, etc. You will certainly drop your fork at some point and it’s a crowded trek to get back through the crowd to the entrance which is the only place to score an extra fork.

Be patient and don’t sweat the lack of organized lines. Nobody’s cutting in front of you—it’s just a carb-loving free-for-all. Nobody really knows the front/back/side of the line so just roll with it.

Be a friend--when you get to the front of a line, hand a few samples to the people behind you—it actually makes the crowd disperse faster and makes the job of the servers easier.

Be kind. The servers are moving at breakneck speed so a few words of encouragement and compliment go a long way. Remember to inquire about what they are serving—they’re in a competition and they’re excited to share what makes their mac and cheese recipe special.

Take notes. Remember to jot down a few words about your favorite. It’s impossible to take notes on all of the samples (but we dare you to try). Definitely make a note of it when there is one that really stands out—it’ll be hard to remember the name or why 10 samples later but it will help guide your vote at the end.

Tips for Attending the Vermont Mac and Cheese Challenge with Kids

We’re going to be frank here--one of the best parts of the event is the total free-for-all mac-and-cheese loving aspect. The words free-for-all are not always going to inspire confidence when you’re looking at bringing your kids to an event. It CAN be done and with some planning, you can make it a really fun time but  don’t even think about showing up with the kids without a good strategy.

The mac and cheese is gourmet—this is a food competition and the chefs are going all out for your attention.  Kids do generally love mac and cheese but their palate may very likely not be attuned to the things that make a gourmet mac and cheese great and memorable. Suffice it to say that if your child loves Annies or Kraft, the samples at this challenge may be too robust in flavor for them. You should have a back-up plan for lunch for your kids in the very possible scenario that they don’t care for the tasty, high-flavor samples.

We can’t emphasize enough that you should really come up with a strategy that involves two adults—one adult outside the tent with the kids, one inside in the tent gathering samples to bring outside. Yes, it will extend your day with the back and forth from the tent but the food tents are really too crowded with taller bodies to make most parents with kids feel comfortable keeping track of where your little guys are at all times. Most parents I saw had a barely masked face of panic trying to navigate the tent crowds, keep track of the kids, wait in line, gather samples, etc.

Picture this—Inside the tent: crowds, joyous festive noise, lines, aromas, no organization, everybody standing elbow to elbow. Outside the tent: spacious lawns, sunshine, elbow room, play area, easy to see where everyone is.  As a parent, what brings you peace of mind? Let this guide how you plan your time.

There are other goodies like ice cream, cheese, and maples syrup are sold inside the farm store as a treat but there are lines in there too so this will require a little patience. Again, the divide and conquer strategy could work well here too. 

No strollers are permitted in the food tent (baby-wearing is permitted). There just isn’t enough elbow room to fit strollers and you will find it tricky to maneuver the crowds. We really recommend our two-adult divide and conquer strategy (above). 

Although this is held at a brewery, kids are invited to the park and there are designated play areas and activities—petting zoo, playground. Maybe bring a picnic blanket for a family “home base”.

Depending on when you arrive, you may have to walk 5-10 minutes from where you park your car to the festivities. Arrive 20 minutes before the event opens for a closer spot and find an area to lay down your picnic blanket.

Frozen Corn Maze, Twilight Hike, Mac-Cheese Cookoff, Apple Sunday, and Vermont Farm Tours: Fall Events for Sept 11-16

"Season in Bloom" is a dance rooted
in symbolic storytelling and tradition.

Everyone can agree that fall is really in full swing. With last week’s few toasty, stormy days behind us, we can now turn our full attention towards the many fun fall activities going on this week.

Last weekend was a memorable one as New England Fall Events had the distinct pleasure of attending Pawtucket, RI’s annual Dragon Boat Races and Taiwan Day Festival. 
The performances from the Chinese Folk Art Workshop of Boston were truly memorable--we could hardly tear ourselves away from the performance tent. We uploaded some video from the Peacock Dance, the Spears and Sleeves Dance, Season in Bloom, a snippet from the Joyful Celebrations Dance, and The Beating of the Drums presentation.

Vermont Farm Tours Fills Bellies and Forges Relationships in the Community through Local Food.

This Sunday September 14th is a very special food event-- The "TOUR de GOAT" is a bike (or car ride) tour in Vermont with all bike loops returning to the Vermont Goat Collaborative for farm tours, music, a Nepali dinner, and a goat roast (vegetarian options will be plentiful)! 
Registration includes route support and dinner. Adult and Youth tickets are available.

Local food is the centerpiece of
Vermont Farm Tours' many adventures

The Vermont Goat Collaborative is a working farm in Colchester, VT supporting New Americans (recent refugees to Vermont) in raising goat meat to supply the ethnic market of Burlington and Winooski. Their goal is to provide a local, affordable product raised in an environmentally sustainable way and respects the cultural needs of New American consumers. This season, a Nepali and Rwandan family are raising about 200 goats.
TOUR de GOAT is an opportunity to learn about the farm and work up an appetite for a multicultural meal after the ride.

Vermont Farm Tours offers guided full-day and half-day tours, workshops, and farm-based events. From cheese-making workshops and bike tours, to wine, cheese, and farm tours—owner and guide Chris Howell introduces you to the people and farms that give Vermont its reputation for delicious artisan food. Small and large groups and families welcome!

Disney's Frozen-themed Corn Maze Opens this Weekend at Gaines Farm

Gaines Farm hosts a Frozen Corn Maze 

Our friend Jackie Gaines was excited to share that this year they will be hosting a Frozen-themed maze to the delight of many! Although the maze makes its debut this Saturday, September 13th, it will remain open every Saturday and Sunday through Oct 26th.  Click here for a coupon for your visit to the Frozen Corn Maze!

Gaines Farm is conveniently located in southern Vermont--just 1.5 miles over the Massachusetts border and only 80 minutes from Hartford, CT!

Where is New England Fall Events Headed this Weekend?

We're hopeful to make it to a variety of events this weekend--We're hoping to take the Twilight Hike on Friday, swing through the Spice Festival in Salem (and the Slater Park Fall Festival in RI if we can squeeze it in) on Saturday, and Sunday has us headed to the Vermont Mac and Cheese Challenge. We're excited to pop by the King Arthur Flour Baker's Store on our way to the challenge to stock up on baking goodies for some apple pie making this fall!

Early colors over a Vermont stream

New England Foliage Report from our favorite foliage tracker Jeff-Foliage:
This week Jeff Foliage asks...How far do you have to go to find late September fall colors?
In past years, Jeff has traveled all the way north to the Canadian border during the last week of Sept (27th and 28th) and found nice colors.

But do you have to???  Find out Jeff's answer.

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for this Weekend's Fall Fun

Fall activities and events are really kicking into high gear this weekend with many distinctive events competing for our attention. We’ll post our top event picks below but we also encourage you to visit your state’s Fall and Activities guide or Food and Harvest Festival Guide for many more wonderful, worthwhile events and food festivals.

Here are our recommended activities for Sept 11-16:

Twilight Hike at Sholan Farms  – FREE

Leominster, MA   Click for event details. 

Friday, September 12th, 2014

FROZEN Corn Maze Opening Weekend at Gaines Farm
Guilford, VT  Click for details.
Opens Saturday, September 14th

Antrim NH Home and Harvest Festival – FREE
Antrim, NH   Click for event details.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Sept. 12^th-14^th, 2014
Read about our visit to the Antrim Home and Harvest Festival for details, family tips, and more!

TOUR de GOAT with Vermont Farm Tours
Winooski, VT   Click for event details.
Sunday, Sept 14^th, 2014 – ENTER TO WIN a pair of tickets to this event!
http://newenglandfallevents.com/contest-tour-de-goat-vermont-farm-tours/

Spice Festival at Salem Pioneer Village – FREE/donations accepted
Salem, MA   Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, Sept 13 & 14^th, 2014 

Vermont Mac & Cheese Challenge
Windsor, VT   Click for event details.
Sunday, Sept 14^th, 2014

DeMeritt Hill Farm Family Weekend – FREE

Lee, NH   Click for event details.
Saturday and Sunday, September 13^th & 14^th, 2014
Read why we can’t get enough of this postcard pretty farm.

Berkshire Food Festival – FREE
North Adams, MA   Click for event details.
Sunday, September 14th, 2014

Slater Park Fall Festival – FREE
Pawtucket, RI  Click for event details.
Saturday and Sunday, September 13^th and 14^th, 2014
 

Maine Apple Sunday at Pietree Orchard
Sweden, ME   Click for event details.
Sunday, September 14^th, 2014

Walk for the Greyhounds and Chili Cook-off at Alyson's Orchard
Walpole, NH Click for event details
Sunday, September 14^th,  2014

Boston Local Food Festival
Boston, MA   Click for event details.
Sunday, September 14^th, 2014

Apple picking is underway across New
England--what are you waiting for?

Heading out apple picking this weekend? New England Fall Events has done all the research for and compiled guide, features, maps, and contact info for your local or vacation-area New England PYO apple orchards. Here are your quick links to the apple picking guides:

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

For the more visually-driven folks, New England Fall Events allows you to scroll and spot farm locations on the interactive state maps too. Orchard and fall attraction maps for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Remember, always call ahead before heading out to PYO as some farms will adjust their hours for weather or they close to allow more time for fruit to ripen.

Ignite -Somerville's Fiery Food Festival

Last weekend New England Fall Events popped by Union Square in Somerville, MA to experience "Ignite" a special community gathering billed as a "fire and street food festival after dark".
The evening was slated to take place between 6:00pm-10:00pm on a Saturday night and, like most of this summer, the weather was just perfect. (Really, it seems that if ever there were a summer to plan an outdoor event or festival, this was the year that everyone hit the weather jackpot).

Festive crowds on a perfect night
in Union Square, Somerville, MA

We arrived at Union Square just after six but, as legend goes, Somerville's street parking always gets the last laugh, so we just drove around...and around...and around (look kids, Big Ben! Parliament!) looking for a place to park that wasn't designated permit-only.
After parking about a mile away, we enjoyed the nice weather as we walked back toward the festivities and everything was in full swing when we arrived.

We wandered through the crowds--oh yes, there were definitely crowds--with queue lines snaking through the plaza We took in the sights and delicious aromas from a variety of vendors but the Union Square Donuts line was in a category unto itself. Their queue was so long that one never truly knew where it started or ended. Still, festival-goers were rewarded for their patience when they came away cradling a comically large, fanciful donut, more of a pillow really--some were coconut encrusted, others adorned with fat chips of bacon. You could see trios of friends ripping away thick yeasty hunks of donut and grinning from ear to ear.

The food vendors were represented by local restaurants-- pizza, Indian, Brazilian BBQ, vegetarian, tapas, Mexican, and more. We were drawn to Casa B. whose menu looked to be right up our alley and the line seemed manageable to boot. We loaded up with a pastelillo de carne (meat turnover), a pair of spicy and sweet choripan (best described as a chorizo and guava-filled "pig in a blanket"), a crunchy pork belly slider, and an icy cold Colombian limeade. Although there were tables and chairs set up, we were content to follow the lead of others and have a seat on the curb to eat and people watch.

Boston Circus Guild delivering a fire
arts performance in the square.

There was entertainment during the entire time we were there. An area was set up near one end of the square where performers would sing, dance, or play in front of a Bengal tiger facade. There was an Bollywood-inspired, techno-beat performance earlier in the evening and I'd happily credit her here but I can't seem to track down who she was.

The other end of the plaza had a large section barricaded for the fire-portion of the evening. Around 7:30, the Boston Circus Guild began their show featuring entrancing fire-spinners, whirling staffs, fiery hula-hooping, and more. It was well choreographed

Fire spinning and fiery hula-hooping

and the performance drew an enormous crowd.
And by "enormous", I mean large in number and large in stature. Quite frankly, I don't ever recall seeing such a congregation of people over 6 foot 4 all in one place. I am, as we say around these parts, "very shawt" by comparison and really didn't stand much of a chance to see the performance. Picture me, along with my fellow shawties, standing six rows from the barricade watching all the action on the phones of people in front of us videotaping the performance. That was the only drag of the evening but I should have known to take my cue from the experienced festival goers who had been lining up at the barricades well in advance.

Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band was
a fantastic addition to the Ignite festivities this year.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the evening was Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band. It is no secret that I am a total sucker for a brass or marching band so seeing the ENSMB in their full performance glory was a real revelation. (It also scratched my proverbial marching band itch until Columbus Day Weekend when the HONK! Festival is where you'll find me dancing and second-lining.) The ENSMB really kicked everything up a notch with their sheer energy, enthusiasm, originality and tight musical sound. The crowds were drawn in right from the start and within no time they had us all nodding along, clapping our hands, and dancing. The music and the band members have a distinct personality and it was a true delight to come across them during our visit to Ignite. You can check ENSMB out yourself as they are often playing in and around New England but if HONK! is circled on your calendar too, you can find them in the lineup there as well. Take a moment to follow these uber-talented musicians on the Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band's Facebook Page.

Lastly, I can't resist giving a huge shout out to the Somerville Cultural Arts Council who is setting the bar high with regards to free, clever, original community programming and events. These are the folks who brought us the endearing PorchFest earlier this summer and they are doing really great work keeping the arts in their community strong and thriving.
In case you don't already know, Union Square is host to a number of neat festivals--on September 27th, we are eagerly awaiting our first visit the the What the Fluff Festival--we hope you'll join us!

Ignite Festival Tips:

The festival seemed to glow once
the sun set behind the buildings.

• This is a free event but if you plan to partake in the delicious food, be sure to bring cash as plastic isn't accepted because it slows the line down.
• Bring cash... and load up before you arrive. Make a point to hit up the ATM before you actually arrive at the festival because the line for the ATM at the bank located right there in the square looked to be a mile long. A 3-minute walk around the block will give you plentiful ATMs with no lines.
• Consider picking one food vendor and stocking up there (or divide and conquer). The lines were long enough that if you wanted to sample everyone's food you could conceivably spend the entire festival in line. With such great entertainment, we'd hate to have you miss out on the rest of the fun.

Family Tips:

Free kids' craft table--think
tinker toys with food

• It's a fairly crowded festival but in terms of entertainment it is very kid-friendly. Strollers will have a hard time navigating the crowds but they'll come in handy when your little guy tuckers out (or if your kiddo is liable to wander off).
• The kids we saw loved the music and, as kids often are, they were like the show within the show. Dozens of kids were dancing along or helping to carry the banner for the band while they played.
• The festival had a free craft table set up (see photo) which allowed kids to create using marshmallows, toothpicks, and other foodstuffs. 
• If you're smart, you'll pack your own snacks to keep your kids happy. Even the pizza was super long and that was probably the most kid-friendly food.  
• Kids have the added advantage of being able to sit on your shoulders to see the fire performers.

Fit for Foodies - Wild Mushroom Festival - Mystic, CT

Welcoming to Mushroom Festival Denison
Pequotsepos Nature Center - Mystic, CT

New England Fall Events took an easy road trip down to Mystic, CT to check out a festival devoted to one of our very favorite foods—mushrooms! We didn’t quite know what we were in for but we happily paid to see what was in store.
Remember to to circle Sunday, September 25th, 2016 so you can experience this festival for yourself! 

We arrived at the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) just before doors opened. With a Sunday farmers’ market wrapping up in the large field adjacent to the parking area, we killed a little time perusing the beautiful late harvest vegetables and stocking up on some local honey. At 2:00 on the nose, we crossed the street and followed the sign down a path to the head of a trail. We paid our admission (less for DPNC members) and in return we were handed tickets to redeem for small plates at the various food booths.

Mushroom-themed Fiber Art

Out of the direct sun and situated under tall pine trees were about two dozen tables, displays, and food booths. This was an educational festival hosted by the DPNC and situated at the front of the festival area were large tables with an elaborate and detailed display of wild mushroom samples, each with a corresponding label for its scientific and common name. 

Volunteers from the Connecticut Valley Mycological Society (a.k.a. “fungi lovers and scientists” to you and me) who were present at the table to answer questions or share interesting facts. Adjacent to the tables was a display of mushroom-themed art created by local schoolchildren and a selection of mushroom-topic children’s books.

Our fantastically entertaining mycologist

Scientists from the CVMS provided visitors with ongoing guided tours of the wooded walking trail where the guide would spot and point out the various fungi growing along the path—on a tree, an old log, or growing in the dirt. The guide would talk about the name, why it grows there, whether it is edible, what other fungi it may be easily mistaken for, etc. 

Our guide herself was also rather entertaining; not only did we learn a ton in a short amount of time about the mushrooms sitting right along our feet, but the sheer passion and admiration that she had for the found fungi was surprising. Yes, you read that correctly—she had a “passion and admiration” for the mushrooms in the way she would handle, cradle, pet, and talk about the found specimens as though they were treasured children. She would hold them up for our group to see and she would peer expertly at them through the mini magnifying glass that hung on a lanyard around her neck. The closer she looked at the fungi, the more she would ooh and coo over the sample all the while describing the personality and style of the mushroom. It was rather delightful and entertaining to see how smitten she was by the various fungi, occasionally referring to some a “these little cuties.” It was impossible not to get drawn in by her appreciation for the mushrooms and we too found ourselves charmed not only by the mushrooms but by our quirky, amusing, and knowledgeable guide as well.

Serving up the wild mushroom menu
to dozens of us happy to partake.

After our tour, with tickets in hand, we followed our noses to the fragrant food booths doling out hearty dishes featuring the celebrated mushroom. Most, if not all, of the mushroom-themed small plates were cooked by the chefs at local restaurants. Each booth really outdid themselves in their preparation of their meal and everything was outstandingly delicious!
We tried  the johnnycakes with sautéed mushrooms, wild mushroom bruschetta, mushroom pizza, mixed mushroom stew and more. Each vendor shared which types of mushrooms they used for the dish which was nice because we could appreciate the variety, texture, and flavor of the glorious fungi. In particular, the wild mushroom stew was truly splendid--the earthy flavor of the delicate broth coupled with the vegetables and firm, fat chunks of chewy mushrooms.

A social and festive atmosphere
with gorgeous New England scenery

The pizza was popular, especially with the handful of kids who were in attendance (this festival seemed to mostly appeal to adults) and I noticed they ran out of pizza very early on, within the first hour. There was a single craft vendor featuring mushroom themed goodies, a small selection of wild mushrooms for sale to take home (nothing unusual), and an area for local wine and coffee. The festival attendees stood casually around the center of the food area chatting and eating their tasty mushroom treats. In our experience, people who love mushrooms tend to really love mushrooms so it’s no surprise that the atmosphere of this event was an enthusiastic, ebullient, and social one. The whole gathering buzzed like a merry cocktail party was underway! Many people seemed to already know each other and, being the 12^th year of this event, it’s a safe bet that this festival is a staple of the Mystic community.

Mushroom specimens at the CT
Mycological Society display

The food tickets that came with our admission garnered us about 2 small plates apiece (the # of tickets redeemed for each food item varied slightly) but, we, being wild about mushrooms, didn’t hesitate to restock our food tickets for an additional fee so we could continue eating our way into blissful fungi oblivion.

We rounded out our food adventures with a scoop of mushroom ice cream which, as best as I can describe, tasted more like vanilla bean flecked with mushrooms (which is probably what it was)—and it was rich and delicious.

We stayed for about 90 minutes in all and during that time the festival became quite convivial as more and more people arrived. Set under the tall trees with sunlight dappling the pine needled floor, it was a truly exquisite New England fall experience. Being late-September, the foliage was really starting to come alive in CT making for a fun, scenic and delicious road trip. We certainly recommend this fascinating festival for nature enthusiasts and foodies alike! It was a lovely afternoon festival that was equal parts educational, jolly, and delectable.

Wild Mushroom Festival Tips:

You couldn't ask for a lovelier
New England setting.

• This educational, social, and memorable experience can be had for under $20 (a reduced rate for DPNC Members) and includes 10 food tickets.  You’d be crazy to stop at 1 or 2 small plates though so bring a little extra cash to buy additional food tickets.
• The admission ticket booth accepted cash and credit cards.
• Wear suitable shoes—the festival is set at the trail head to the woods and if there had been recent rain, I imagine it could be a little mushy. You’ll be glad to have the right shoes for the guided mushroom tours in the woods.
• It would be a wise to wear tick repellent as the entire festival is abutting the scenic woods.
• There were several gluten-free mushroom-themed small plates if that is important to you. However, it's safe to assume the mini-meals the restaurants create for the festival would vary from year to year to keep the experience new, fresh, and interesting.
• This festival takes place rain or shine.
• Plenty of free parking across the street.

Family Tips:

Mushroom specimens at the CT
Mycological Society's display table

• There is plenty for kids to learn about mushrooms and with the main food booths and mushroom displays all organized in a wooden clearing, the festival is quite contained. It is easy to keep track of where the kids are and there’s room for them to move and play, especially up the hill toward the admission booth.
• Kids admission is available at a reduced price (even lower for DPNC members) and comes with 2 food tickets.
• At the risk of stating the obvious, mushrooms haven't exactly earned the reputation as a kid-popular food so parents should understand that mushrooms are the ONLY focus of the food here. There aren't non-fungi foods available so plan accordingly if your kids need a snack.
• The festival is stroller-friendly to a point… The guided trail tours would not be suitable for a stroller due to the narrow wooden walkway at the entrance. The food/main area was roomier when the festival began and did get more crowded as the festival went on.
• Plenty of free parking across the street.

Check out Wild Mushroom event listing here on New England Fall Events.