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2006
2009
Event: Mountain Mushroom Festival (20th annual)
Date: Sat., April 24 9:00 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Sun., April 25 10:00 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Irvine, Ky. The festival area is in the downtown area of Irvine (Court St. and Broadway. The Bluegrass Gem & Mineral Show will be held at the Estill County School’s Central Office gym, 253 Main St., Irvine. The Hillbilly Flyer Antique Gas Engine & Tractor Show will be held at the Estill County Fairgrounds, South Irvine Rd., Irvine.
Description: The Mountain Mushroom Festival is a celebration of Estill County’s Appalachian culture: the morel mushroom, Kentucky agate, arts and crafts, Kentucky River, Daniel Boone National Forest, and mountains. Held annually the last full weekend of April since 1991, the festival’s mission is to promote the local cultural heritage and economic development. A local volunteer committee partners with the community to present a variety of activities, provide educational opportunities, and support and promote area groups and artisans. The festival provides a weekend of free activities and entertainment for everyone.
Activities:
Mushroom theme activities include a mushroom market, cook-off, mushroom theme cake decorating contest, educational panels on local mushroom hunting, interviews with hunters on the narrative stage, natural habitat terrarium for displaying the native morel, morel/shiitake cooking demonstrations, hunting contest for most and largest mushroom, fungus 5K run/walk, parade, window decorating contest, and sale of festival souvenirs (t-shirts, hats).
Agate activities include agate hunts in the creeks of Estill County and a gem and mineral show, in partnership with the Bluegrass Gem & Mineral Club. The show features gem, mineral, and rock displays, black light display of fluorescent material, dinosaur related exhibit, and educational panels on agates. Local school children will attend the show as an educational activity.
Arts and crafts are promoted through vendor booths, Estill Arts Council craft demonstrations and display, hands on children activities, Estill County quilt trail display, Irvine-Ravenna Woman’s club middle school/high school arts show, and local quilt club quilting demonstrations.
The 2009 local heritage highlighted the Kentucky Division of Forestry Fire Wise trailer, Fitchburg Furnace display, Kentucky Riverkeepers display, Estill County Historical & Genealogical Society’s museum display, and flint knapper demonstration. Other activities will be the Masonic Lodge pancake breakfast, Hillbilly Flyer Antique Gas Engine & Tractor Show, American Legion motorcycle display, local antique car club’s cruise-in, and food court.
Saturday entertainment on the grandstand for 2009 were Senior Sounds, Southern Xposure, On the Rocks, Badly Bent, Estill Springs Bouncing Bulldogs jump rope team, Sunshine Cloggers, and Cheer Cats gymnastic team. Sunday grandstand entertainment will include River City Drum Corp, Appalachian Troubadours, and Richard McHargue cloggers. Other entertainment will include children’s games, animal display, and inflatables.
Contact Information:
E-mail: mushroomfestival@irvineonline.net
Website: www.mountainmushroomfestival.org
Telephone: 606 723-1233
Fax: 606 723-2558
Address: Mountain Mushroom Festival, Irvine City Hall, 101 Chestnut St., Irvine, Ky. 40336
Driving Directions:
From I-75: Take Exit 90-A (Richmond/Irvine). Follow Martin Bypass 4 miles to KY 52 east. Turn left and proceed 17 miles to the City of Irvine.
From Mountain Parkway: Take Exit 16 (Clay City/Winchester). Turn onto Hwy 82 and follow until it intersects with Hwy 89. Turn left. Remain on Hwy 89 approximately 7 miles to the City of Irvine.
General Information:
Admission to the festival is free. All events are handicapped accessible and open to the public. Tour buses are welcome.
Entry forms for the arts & crafts booths, fungus 5K run/walk, Gem & Mineral Show, agate hunts, parade, cake decorating contest, and cook-off are available in Irvine City Hall and on the website.