The 33rd annual HUMONGOUS Fungus Festival will be held Friday and Saturday in Crystal Falls. The winner of the 2024 logo contest was Lisa Landi of Crystal Falls. Landi (right) is pictured with Becky Blazier, owner of Black Dog Printing in Crystal Falls, with the finished product. (Photo by Terri Castelaz/Daily News)
CRYSTAL FALLS — The “Morality in Crystal Falls” is building for the Humongous Fungus Festival this weekend.
This is the 33rd year the city has celebrated the giant honey fungus that spreads across more than 37 underground acres near Crystal Falls.
The large mushroom was discovered in the late 1980s by Johann Bruhn, a professor emeritus of plant sciences. Bruhn came across the “Honey mushroom” during an independent experiment. It weighs an estimated 400,000 kilograms and is at least 2,500 years old. It was found to be the size of 140 football fields.
Lisa Landi of Crystal Falls was the winner of this year’s Fungus Fest logo contest. “Their design is great – their representation really describes what a festival is,” Said Barbara Luck, president of the Crystal Falls Business Association.
T-shirts and sweatshirts can be ordered online at blackdogprinting.shop or by submitting order forms to Charlie’s Emporium on Superior Avenue.
Activities begin on Friday with the citywide flea market, which continues on Saturday.
The CFBA, which hosts the annual event, will make maps available online or at area stores until 6 p.m. today. The maps will also indicate the locations of individual events throughout the community.
“We have several new features and are bringing back the mushroom pizza,” luck noticed. “We wanted to make it easy for everyone to find out where and what activities are taking place in the city center.”
The 2024 Humongous Fungus Fest parade will start at 10 a.m. Saturday on Superior Avenue. Parade participants can line up in the Forest Park School parking lot from 9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Registration is not required and everyone is welcome to participate.
The CFBA will award three trophies this year: “Best Mushroom Float”, “Best Mushroom Group” And “Best single mushroom.”
Sean Ackles of Grouse Acres returns as a guide for the mushroom hunt. Two groups will be driven out and depart from the Forest Park School District parking lot. The first group will check in at 8:30 a.m. and the tour will begin at 9:00 a.m. The second group will check in at 12:30 p.m. and depart at 1:00 p.m.
“This is the only time he gives lectures,” Said Luck. “All interested parties are cordially invited to take the opportunity to hike.”
The cost is $60 per person. Forms are available online or you can register before boarding the bus.
All participants are asked to wear appropriate clothing (including sturdy shoes) and bring water, snacks and bug spray.
The CFBA’s Vendor Village Craft and Gift Show is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. behind the Crystal Theater and Charlie’s Emporium.
Luck said participants will again offer a wide variety of items for sale this year.
Forest Park Physical Education is hosting a Spore-Tacular Adventure, a mushroom-themed scavenger hunt. Participants can pick up club sheets in the Vendor Village. The cost is $3 per sheet.
The first 40 people to submit a correct clue sheet will receive a gift bag. All correct sheets will also be entered into a drawing for a grand prize.
“This is also new at the event,” she said. “It’s something that everyone can enjoy.”
The Harbour House Museum will be serving lunch on the museum grounds from 10am to 5pm, featuring mushroom burgers and hot dogs.
A new highlight of the festival is a soapbox car race, sponsored by Superior Sports & Feed. Racing begins at noon on Marquette Avenue, with lineup and inspection beginning at 11 a.m.
“All soapboxes must be approved before the race,” luck noticed.
Three courses are offered: two children’s groups for the age group 8 to 12 and 13 to 16 years and an adult course for people aged 17 and over.
Participants are asked to register by 6pm Friday. All rules, regulations and a waiver are available at Superior Sport & Feed.
The CFBA is thrilled that volunteers are finally coming forward to bring back mushroom pizza.
Cooking time will depend on the outside temperature, but you can expect the dish to be ready between 12 and 1pm at Crystal Steel House.
“They will have different surfaces,” she said.
Funds raised from pizza sales benefit the Locker Lunch program for Iron County.
At 1 p.m. there will be a mushroom cooking competition in the museum. All dishes must contain mushrooms.
After the evaluation, there will be a public tasting. Donations are requested, with proceeds going to the Harbour House Museum.
For anyone wanting to get artistic downtown, stores will have buckets of chalk available outdoors.
“That ’70s Music” by members of the Nashville Hitmen under the direction of Mark Oliverius concludes the evening at 7 p.m. in the Crystal Theater.
In addition to Oliverius, a graduate of FPHS, the Hitmen will include singer Mia Brown and local musicians Larry Ketola and Paul Sundquist.
Tickets are $23 for adults in advance and $27 at the door. Admission is $5 for students.
“It’s supposed to be nice on Saturday,” luck noticed. “We hope that members of the local community will come and have a great day with us.”
