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Mushrooms carved from tree trunks, delightful Gaelic music being played in the background, the laughter of children echoing nearby.... A magical fairytale? No, it's the National Morel Mushroom Festival and it's held in Boyne City every year.
The Mushroom Festival is held every May and it draws a lot of people to this small town. People from as far away as the West Coast come and take part in the fun. Because of such a turn out, the nearby hotels, motels, and even the campgrounds are almost always booked during the festival. If you’re planning on checking out the festivities then you will want to reserve your room as early in the Spring as possible.
Perhaps the most noteworthy event is the Annual Mushroom Hunt. I got a chance to take part in the hunt, this year. I must say, it's worth the $12 that I paid for it. The hunt is beyond doubt the most popular event. We had 5 school busses jammed full of people this year. You board the busses at a set time and you're taken to a "secret" place that's been scouted out ahead of time. When the siren sounds, you go off into the woods with your bag and you... well... pick mushrooms! The time in the woods is about 2.5 hours, and then you come out and turn them in. Prizes are awarded for each category: Resident Men, Resident Women, Non-Resident Men, Non-Resident Women, and Seniors. The prizes are actually pretty hefty amounts of cash, so it's definitely worthwhile.
Other then the hunt, there are other activities to enjoy as well. Each year there is a fruit race held at One Water Street, where you make your own car out of fruits and vegetables and you race them. There is an arts and crafts gala where you can find many beautiful hand crafted items, ranging from beautiful wooden shelves to leather belts. For the children, there is Woody's birthday party at the park. Woody Pick-me, the mascot of the Mushroom Festival, has a party every year. Children hunt for candy and prizes, and then enjoy cake and ice cream with Woody. Don’t forget to pick up your Mushroom Festival souvenir to take home, either! You can find these both in the local shops and at the Arts and Crafts tents.
Another event that is held every year is the Taste Of Boyne. Here you pay an admission fee of $2 and with tickets that you purchase, you can get samples of food from the area restaurants. From gourmet food to delicious pizza, you certainly get a vast array of choices, meaning there is something for every one. A lot of the places that take part in the Taste Of Boyne serve dishes made with morel mushrooms special for the Festival. If you've never tried a morel and have been wanting to, this event is for you. If the children don't want to attend, they can walk across the Boyne river to the carnival that accompanies the festival each year. It's small, indeed, but still has enough rides, games, and concessions to keep the kids happy!
The festival is held in the perfect part of May when the weathers starting to warm up and you can tell that summer is imminent. It’s incredibly enjoyable for the whole family, and there is always something to do. Whether you like to hunt for those infamous morel mushrooms or you just want to take part in the fun, come on up!
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