Fungus Fest

"Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom." Thomas Carlyle

Fungi are among the oldest and most diverse life forms on our planet. They provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, the forests, the living soil, and often the ways we think, feel, and behave. And they are also delicious!

Join us for an all-day event to learn everything you need to know about mushrooms, with nature hikes, foraging, cooking demos and tasting, a propagating workshop, a spore printing workshop and more.

Program coming soon!

Please bring: water, insect repellent, sunscreen.

This event is FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

About our experts:

Kyle Patton is an environmental educator and the Acadiana Park Nature Station Curator of Natural Sciences. Kyle serves on the Board of Directors for the Acadiana Master Naturalists, Bayou Vermilion Preservation Association (BVPA) and the Louisiana Master Naturalists. He is a graduate and former Professor of Biology at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Chef Robert Kennedy’s culinary journey began in childhood, inspired by his grandmothers’ farm-style cooking and his father’s award-winning jambalaya. At age eight, he was captivated by Julia Child and Jacques Pépin on PBS and set his sights on becoming a chef. After working his way up from fast food to line cook as a teenager, Robert gained experience in renowned Louisiana kitchens including Juban’s, Mansur’s, and Louie’s Café. A chance opportunity led him to a sous chef position in Seattle before he returned to Baton Rouge, earned a degree in Educational Psychology at LSU, and eventually reentered the food world as a cheese specialist and later as Pastry Chef at City Club at River Ranch. He helped open Social Southern Table & Bar and later served as Pastry Chef at both Social and Charley G’s, contributing to Lafayette’s dining scene for over seven years. After a long and varied career, health challenges led him to take early retirement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also check out other Food & Drink events in Arnaudville, Arts events in Arnaudville, Workshops in Arnaudville.