There’s something inherently magical about a place where kindred spirits can gather to celebrate the wonder beneath our feet. The Telluride Mushroom Festival (TMF) is just that. A meeting-place for mushroom fans where passion, curiosity, and mycological enchantment spark in the high-altitude Colorado air.
For five days each August, (the 13th to the 17th, AKA — right now!) Telluride transforms into a vibrant kingdom of mushrooms, where amateurs and experts alike share stories, stroll forest trails, and nerd-out over the mycelial marvels that connect us all.
Roots of a Legend: The 45-Year Journey of TMF
Now celebrating its 45th year, Telluride Mushroom Festival began in 1981, founded by Gary Lincoff, Emanuel Salzman, Andrew Weil, Paul Stamets, and others from mycological and scientific circles. Since 2006, the festival has been produced by the Telluride Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering sustainability and community through cultural events.
Over the decades, this “wild mushroom happening” has grown from roots in academic curiosity to a fully immersive festival where mycologists, foragers, artists, and enthusiasts meet under the big Colorado sky to explore ecology, medicine, culture, and the downright mystery of fungi.
Evolution of the Festival: From Humble Beginnings to Wild Celebration
TMF has evolved from a scientific gathering into a full-blown sensory and educational extravaganza. Early emphasis on lectures and mushroom identification has blossomed into a festival rich with:
- Foraging and identification sessions led by legendary figures (open to newcomers and experts alike!)
- Hands-on demos, cooking workshops, mushroom harvesting, and research deep dives
- Artistic and poetic expression, including the beloved Mushroom Parade (featuring costumed mushroom lovers, drumming, and dancing)
- Thought-provoking panels on psychedelic policy and conservation, culinary creativity, foraging, activism, and the expanding role of fungi in our world.
Each passing year layers new voices and perspectives onto its much-loved framework, turning TMF into a dynamic, multidimensional experience.
What’s Blooming in 2025: Highlights from This Year’s Edition
This year’s festival is shaping up as one of its most exciting editions yet. Here’s a look at what’s on offer for attendees:
Speakers & Experts to Watch
- Eugenia Bone, science and food writer (and festival favorite), is featured in multiple events:
- MycoGourds: A Psychedelic Elders Sharing (with Art Goodtimes and Kat Harrison)
- A Round Peg in a Square Hole, demystifying psychedelics regulation
- A book-signing for “Have a Good Trip“
- A deep dive at the library on navigating the unregulated psychedelic market
- A power panel on psychedelics alongside Dennis McKenna, Paul Stamets, Tradd Cotter, Art Goodtimes, and others
- Dr. Britt Bunyard, Executive Director since 2014, helps curate the festival and leads with mycological scholarship and advocacy
- Other notable voices include Paul Stamets, Gregory Mueller, Dennis McKenna, Giuliana Furci, Tradd Cotter, Katrina Blair, Chad Hyatt, Gabrielle Ceberville, William Padilla-Brown, Louie Schwartzberg, and more.
Events & Experiences
- A full schedule of forays, workshops, ID tents, vendor villages, poetry shows, film screenings, dinners, sound baths, and a movie night
- The unmissable Mushroom Parade on Saturday, August 16 at 4 p.m: a vivid, music-filled procession through town (open to the public)
- Special workshops like Alchemical Sound Baths, Tea & Tarot, culinary forays, and more that cater to diverse interests
This year promises the full spectrum: scholarly discussions, psychedelic perspectives, culinary flair, creative expression, and community connection.
Cultivating the Festival Magic at Home
While it’s likely you can’t be there in person (if you are, why are you reading this? Go to the parade! 😜), there’s still a way to bring a dose of Telluride Mushroom Festival enchantment into your summer:
- Watch lectures online — Many speakers (like Eugenia Bone, Britt Bunyard, or Paul Stamets) provide podcasts, talks, and media you can stream. Perfect for learning from home.
- Embrace the outdoors — Plan a nature walk or foray in your local area. Even casual mushroom spotting can spark wonder.
- Cook with mushrooms — Elevate a meal with wild or cultivated fungi. Think risotto with porcini mushrooms, oyster mushroom tacos, or a creamy mushroom soup.
- Forage safely — If you’re well-informed and cautious, foraging for mushrooms can be a rewarding, sensory adventure. Always use credible guides and local knowledge!
- Host your own mini-festival — Invite friends for a mushroom-themed evening: share stories, watch shroom-focused documentaries (like Fantastic Fungi) or brain-expanding cartoons (like Common Side Effects or The Midnight Gospel), or set up a tasting table with mushroom appetizers or infused blends (self-made or store-bought!).
- Trip on magic mushrooms or truffles — A carefully planned psilocybin trip, with dosage, set and setting, and integration taken into account is one of the most meaningful ways to connect with mushrooms — and with yourself.
- Mindful mushroom time — Sit outside with a cool drink and a mushroom guidebook or journal. Reflect on the delicate magic of mycelium weaving below the soil.
Spores, Stories & Shared Wonder
Telluride Mushroom Festival is more than just a gathering. It’s a celebration of fungi’s power to unite, educate, and inspire. From its early academic roots to the spirited, kaleidoscopic festival of today, TMF has become a place where kindred spirits come together to honor the unseen networks that sustain life.
And while being there in person may be magical, a little fungal magic can find you at home. Whether through food, conversation, exploration, or quiet contemplation, you can tap into the essence of TMF wherever you are— and maybe spread a little mushroom joy in the world along the way.
