Mardi Gras revives long-gone tradition of its own ‘shroom celebrity

Gilroy has its Garlic Festival Queen, Castroville has its
Artichoke King and Queen, and this year’s Mushroom Mardi Gras will
bring back a long-gone tradition of having its own ‘shroom
celebrity to represent Morgan Hill. The Memorial Day weekend event
will crown a
”
Miss Mushroom
”
and a
”
Mr. Fungi.
”
Gilroy has its Garlic Festival Queen, Castroville has its Artichoke King and Queen, and this year’s Mushroom Mardi Gras will bring back a long-gone tradition of having its own ‘shroom celebrity to represent Morgan Hill. The Memorial Day weekend event will crown a “Miss Mushroom” and a “Mr. Fungi.”

The revitalized “hometown pageant” contest is sponsored by Morgan Hill Access TV (MHAT-19), the community’s public access TV station on cable channel 19. The winners of the pageant will receive  scholarships presented to them at this year’s Mushroom Mardi Gras on the weekend of May 28 and 29. They’ll also appear in the community’s Independence Day Parade.

Contestants for mushroom competition will compete in an media age twist. They will be video recorded in MHAT-19’s studio giving a presentation of why they should be either “Miss Mushroom” (for young women) or “Mr. Fungi” (for young men). The videos will then be broadcast on MHAT-19 as well as the station’s BLIP.TV video-on-demand site. The public will be allowed to vote online to choose who should represent Morgan Hill as mushroom ambassadors. KBAY on-air personality Jona Denz Hamilton will host the award ceremony at the amphitheater in the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center during the Mushroom Mardi Gras.

The purpose of the contest is to expose college-bound students to the opportunities of broadcast media, said MHAT-19 volunteer Jim Carrillo, who came up with the idea for the pageant.

“When I was growing up, the community was brought together through broadcast media in the form of television and radio,” he said. “With the advent of cable and satellite TV, personal music players and the Internet, the community has gotten lost in the picture. I re-generated the idea of Miss Mushroom and Mr. Fungi as a way to bring back the nostalgia of community. Using broadcast television, and complimenting it with online video, I hope to rally our Morgan Hill residents around the wonderful aspects we still have as an American small town.”

The Mushroom Mardi Gras had a “Mushroom Queen” contest when it first started 32 years ago, but the tradition faded away over time. MHAT-19 decided it was time to bring the contest back. This year the organizers of the Mardi Gras are emphasizing the importance of the local mushroom industry to the region more than in past years, so it’s perfect timing to bring attention to Morgan Hill’s crop with a mushroom celebrity pageant contest, Carrillo said.

“I hope to break the beauty pageant stigma with the Miss Mushroom and Mr. Fungi Hometown Pageant,” Carrillo said. “With a sense of fun and creativity, the winners of this pageant can be proud that they are a well rounded member of the community, and not just a pretty face.”

Pageant participation is limited to contestants between the ages of 16 and 20 who currently live or go to school in San Martin or Morgan Hill. If you’re interested in participating in the pageant, visit MHAT-19’s website at www.mhat.tv for an application. There is a $25 registration fee and the last day to submit an application is Wednesday, April 27.