Twenty-five years of Mushroom Mardi Gras show that grit and
determination can outlast economic ups and downs and give
festival-goers a roaring good time to boot.
Twenty-five years of Mushroom Mardi Gras show that grit and determination can outlast economic ups and downs and give festival-goers a roaring good time to boot.
Originally designed to help a dwindling firefighting budget, the festival changed to a scholarship fund for high school seniors and a major fund-raiser for local nonprofits. It still is and, in 2004, the nonprofit cause will get an even bigger boost with the 25th edition of the festival.
Organizers will use fewer volunteers and more paid help from local school-related groups, giving them a chance to earn money lost from budget cuts elsewhere. To date the festival has helped college-bound seniors to the tune of $500,000.
But in 1979, (now retired) Morgan Hill Fire Chief Brad Spencer found his department in need of money. Prop. 13 had passed in 1973, reducing the city’s ability to keep up with expenses and the budget was tight.
Spencer knew he needed to do something more than hold bake sales and dinner-dances and decided a festival might work. He organized some friends and a Harvest Festival was born. That morphed into the Mushroom Mardi Gras, spurred on by Spencer, who has been on the board of directors for the entire 25 years.
“We work to produce a high quality show, to meet our expenses and make it affordable for visitors and vendors,” Spencer said.
He said he especially enjoys the scholarship aspect.
“I’ve been glad to see the positive growth of youth over the years,” the now-retired Spencer said recently. “I really do enjoy interviewing the applicants.”
Spencer – joined later by Steve Silveira and Tilly Mayeda – has guided the helm since the beginning. Mayeda has been directly involved since 1990 – or so, she says. It’s been so long she can’t remember exactly.
Since every community in the 1980s seemed to have its own harvest festival, a change of name – and theme – became necessary. Morgan Hill bills itself the mushroom capital of the world so organizers cast about for an “M” word for party and the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras emerged. The change from a fall festival to the Memorial Day weekend proved to be a big success, boosted by usually terrific weather and a desperate need to get out of doors after the winter rainy season.
After a few trials, the Mardi Gras ended up at Community Park, on West Edmundson Avenue near Monterey Road. Grass and shade make for a beautiful setting with room to spread out and enjoy the day, plus space for the Main Stage, Munchkinland (for little ones), the Morgan Hill Freedom Day display and hundreds of booths for food, arts and crafts, business ideas and just sheer fun for the whole family.
The 2004 Mardi Gras will encourage the mushroom theme with a booth by sponsor Monterey Mushrooms displaying trays of mushroom growth stages, compost composition and a chance to buy – compost-free – fresh mushrooms plus those in jars, cans and packages. Chef Troy Brown will set up shop next door and demonstrate how to cook mushrooms.
Mayeda said that one thing she is really proud of is the increasing level of sophistication in food.
“… though we still have the standard festival food that everybody likes – hamburgers, fries and hot dogs,” Mayeda said.
Coming up in the near future is a complete renovation of Community Park and, in 2006, if the city’s senior/youth/recreation center is built right next door, Mardi Gras visitors will finally have paved parking. Of course, there will be less of it since the rec center will sit on this year’s parking lot.
Mayeda has hopes for the future even though the Mardi Gras has been affected by the recent economic doldrums.
“We wouldn’t want to give it up,” Mayeda said.
The Mardi Gras is a non-profit organization run in the past entirely by volunteers.
“There have been no paid employees,” Mayeda said.
In 2004, however, the board decided to take their support of education beyond scholarships by paying school-associated groups by the hour to work at the festival.
The community comes together and produces one of the best festivals in Northern California. Family fun is still the basis of their efforts and that is reflected throughout the event.
To park, drive west on Tennant Avenue toward Monterey Road and follow the signs to the free shuttle and parking. Do not park in shopping center lots.
Details: www.mhmushroommardigras.com or 778-1786.
