NEWS RELEASE
Oakland Museum of California
www.museumca.org

10TH & OAK STREETS
OAKLAND, CA  94607

CONTACT
Elizabeth Whipple
510/238-4740
ewhipple@museumca.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2008

Fungus & Fire
39th Annual Fungus Fair • December 6-7, 2008

Omphalotus olivascens. Photo by Michael Wood.

After a forest fire, what is the first sign of life?

Fungi. Their tiny root-like fibers appear on the charred forest floor and begin to break down debris and release nutrients into the soil. This age-old process is crucial to soil restoration and the forest’s revival.

Learn about the noble lives of mushrooms at the museum’s annual Fungus Fair—Fungus & Fire, Saturday, Dec 6 (10 a.m.–6 p.m.) and Sunday, Dec 7 (12-5 p.m.). The fair explores the role of fungi and mushrooms in the aftermath of California’s devastating forest fires.

Fungus & Fire offers hundreds of fresh specimens on display, cooking demonstrations with local chefs, craft and food vendors, mushroom ID, and a new wrinkle: old sci-fi films featuring mushrooms gone amok. All activities are included with museum admission.

Young visitors can take part in hands-on activities Saturday (11–4) and Sunday (12–4), part of the museum’s monthly Family Explorations! program. Kids can make mushroom ice cream, dye, jewelry, and clay models; build mushroom-growing kits; and use a microscope to explore fungi.

Mycologist Kabir Peay talks about a specimen at the 2007 Fungus Fair. Photo Rue Flaherty.

The Fair also features talks and slide shows by mycologists, authors, and scientists. Confirmed speakers include Bob Mackler (“Mushrooms 101: Reproduction, Spore Dispersal, Edibility, and Toxicity”), Dr. Else C. Vellinga of the UC Berkeley Department of Plant and Microbial Biology (“Mushrooms, Toadstools, and Beyond”), and Philip Ross, a mushroom-inspired artist, educator, and mycologist.

The Fungus Fair is produced by the Oakland Museum of California and the Mycology Society of San Francisco (MSSF). Visit www.museumca.org or www.mssf.org for details.

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The Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak @ 10th Street, in Oakland, is one block from the Lake Merritt BART. Admission is $8 for adults; $5 seniors and students with ID; free for members, City of Oakland employees, and kids 5 and under. Call 510/238-2200 or visit www.museumca.org for more details. The 39th annual Fungus Fair is generously supported by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board.