Not mushroom for improvement

The Yachats Village Mushroom Festival is close to perfection

Daniel Winkler

Each fall, Yachats becomes the stage for the mysterious world of fungus as the forest bursts with color, texture and flavor, making it an ideal location for one of Oregon’s most anticipated mushroom festivals, taking place this Friday, Oct. 17 through Sunday, Oct. 19.

Though most of the workshops and all of the walks have already sold out, there will still be plenty to do inside and outside of the Yachats Commons and throughout the town, including engaging talks, the massive mushroom ID tent and a bustling vendor fair filled with fungi-inspired delights.

“This year’s Yachats Mushroom Festival celebrates the theme ‘The World of Mushrooms,’ a reminder of just how vast and fascinating fungi truly are,” said Nichole Lippincott, executive director of the Yachats Chamber of Commerce. “Whether you’re a seasoned forager or just curious, it’s the perfect time to discover the wonder, science and magic of mushrooms and get expert help identifying your mycological finds.”

The festival kicks off on Friday evening with a keynote presentation, “Fruits of the Forest,” from mushroom expert Daniel Winkler. Tickets for the keynote talk are $10.

All day on Saturday and Sunday, a vendor fair will offer the chance to shop fresh fungi and gourmet products and mushroom-themed crafts and supplies from a diverse range of mushroom-only artists, cultivators, creators and gatherers.

Guests can also view a display of glass mushrooms that will be placed on the local trails for the Yachats Treasure Hunt. The hunt launches Saturday morning and continues until spring on trails surrounding Yachats, with a few new surprises hidden among the mushrooms this year.

Outside, under the big top on the lawn, tables will be covered with examples of the different mushrooms to be found on the coast, while members of the Lincoln County Mycological Society, Cascade Mycological Society and North American Truffling Society answer questions. Bring your finds for expert identification.

There will be free talks on both Saturday and Sunday at the Yachats Lions Club and the Presbyterian Church including “How to Identify Mushrooms: The Basics” with Jon Sommer, "Legal Psilocybin in Oregon: What the Journey Looks Like” with Heather Shelton and “Mushrooms as Medicine” with Sherrie Hansen.

Restaurants around town will also feature mushroom-inspired dishes throughout the weekend, making the entire village part of the celebration.

“Mushrooms are far more than something we sauté in a pan — though they certainly shine in the culinary world,” Lippincott said. “They have long been valued for their medicinal properties and are now at the forefront of exciting research in health and wellness. Beyond that, fungi play a powerful role in environmental remediation, helping to break down toxins and restore balance to damaged ecosystems. And perhaps most importantly, they are critical partners in the health of our forests, quietly sustaining life through intricate mycelial networks beneath our feet.”

The Yachats Commons is located at 441 Hwy. 101. For more information and the full schedule of talks, go to YachatsMushroomFestival.org.

To help cap off the Yachats Mushroom Festival, Tony Kaltenberg and The Acoustic Groove Experience will perform a special concert at the Yachats Community Presbyterian Church this Saturday Oct. 18.

Hailing from the wild and misty Oregon coast, Kaltenberg is a powerhouse of the mystical guitar tradition. With roots and influences from John Fahey, Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges, Kaltenberg creates a distinctive sound as a guitarist and composer. His mesmerizing percussive style has been highlighted on radio and television programs as well as during his worldwide performances. The sounds he coaxes from the guitar range from sweet, warm finger-styles to deep, percussive string slaps. From long mystically musical threads to rhythmic explosions, he also throws in some velvety tenor vocals, for a variety packed concert.

"I love watching him play,” said Sherylin Rawlins of the Breitenbush Retreat Center. “He gets his whole body into it. He can come back anytime and share his wonderful gift." 

Joining Kaltenberg for the concert are Michael Manring on bass and Jarrod Kaplan on percussion.

What do Kaltenberg, Manring and Kaplan have in common? They all stand out as exceptional innovators of their craft. They have been collaborating on stage and in the studio for the past decade and continue to create stunning instrumental music that moves the body, mind and soul in equal measure. The band can best be described as an acoustically influenced effervescent power trio for the 21st Century. Their new recording, “The Thread of Joy,” is out now and is receiving great reviews.

Manring has been pushing back the boundaries of what’s possible on the bass guitar for more than four decades. He has honed his skills on hundreds of recordings as a session musician and thousands of concerts throughout the world. He has garnered two Gold Records, Grammy and Bammie nominations, a Berklee School of Music Distinguished Alumni Award and numerous Bass Player Magazine Reader's Poll awards including 1994 Bassist of the Year.

Kaplan has earned a great deal of notoriety as the percussionist for Seattle-based acoustic groups Trillian Green, Devachan, Hanuman and Taarka. He is known for his very lively and multi-genred approach so much that whenever he shows up at a music festival, he inevitably ends up as the session percussionist for many bands of all types. He has performed and recorded with many renowned acts including The String Cheese Incident, The Fareed Haque Group, The Tony Furtado Band, Artis the Spoonman and David Jacobs-Strain.

Saturday’s concert begins at 4:30 pm at the Yachats Community Presbyterian Church, located at 360 W 7th Street. Beverages and snacks will be available. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 day of show. Tickets are available online, at the Yachats Mercantile and at the door. For more information, go to pollyplumb.org 541-968-6089.