Welcome to
The Quinault Rainforest Mushroom Festival
QRMF SPEAKER SCHEDULE and EVENTS
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8:45 AM– Registration opens/ Foray Check-In
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9:00 AM – Opening: Artisan Fair and Mushroom Market, Mushroom Display and identification, educational booths, Kidszone, Food and Drinks
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9:15–10:00 AM – Speaker: Rose Tursi: The Majesty, History, and Mystery of Matsutake Mushrooms
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10:00–10:15 AM – QRMF Opening Remarks + Raffle Drawings
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10:15–11:15 AM – Speaker- Daniel Winkler: Fungal Fruits of the Forest - Choice Edible Mushrooms of the PNW
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11:30 AM–1:30 PM –
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Welcome and raffle drawings presented by CSSMS & WWV
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Keynote Speaker- Noah Siegel: Cascadia - A Fungal Paradise
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2:15–2:30 PM – Raffle Drawings
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2:30–3:30 PM – Speaker: Aaron Hilliard: The Mushrooms We Love, and the People Who Named Them
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3:30–4:30 PM – Noah Siegel at Mushroom ID table for discussion and ID assistance
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4:30–5:00 PM – Final Fungi Festivities
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Student Art Contest winner
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Best Fungi Finds
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Final Raffle Drawings
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Workshop and Foray Schedule
registration required
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9:00 AM-11:30 AM – Guided Mushroom Foray
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9:30 AM-12:00 PM - Forest Bathing Walk
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9:30 AM -11:30 AM– Culinary Workshop
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9:30 AM- 11:30 AM- Extraction Workshop
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9:30 AM -11:30 AM– Cultivation Workshop
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1:30 PM- 4:00 PM – Guided Mushroom Foray
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2:00 PM- 4:00 PM – Culinary Workshop
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2:00 PM- 4:00 PM – Cultivation Workshop
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2:00 PM- 4:00 PM – Mushroom Dye Workshop
About the Festival
Welcome to the 2nd Annual Quinault Rainforest Mushroom Festival! This unique event began as a passion project supported by a local group of mushroom lovers, naturalists, and foraging enthusiasts dedicated to exploring and celebrating the incredible fungal diversity of the Quinault Rainforest. What started as a small gathering has quickly grown into a community festival, bringing together educators, artisans, and adventurers from all around. Join us on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at Lake Quinault School for a day of discovery, learning, and fun in one of the most beautiful temperate rainforests in the world.
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2024 QRMF Art Contest Winner
Daisy Wilson- 4th Grade
Lake Quinault School
We’re excited to announce our Student Art Contest, open to all students at Lake Quinault School! This is a chance for young artists to showcase their creativity by designing artwork that captures the spirit of the Quinault Rainforest Mushroom Festival. The winning design will be featured at next year’s festival and used in promotional materials. The selected student will also receive a monetary prize and be given a booth space at the festival to sign autographs and represent the Lake Quinault School. Last year’s winner for the 2025 festival was Daisy Wilson a 4th grader at Lake Quinault School—congratulations, Daisy! We can’t wait to see this year’s amazing entries!
Our Free admission lets you explore:
🍄An array of artisans, crafters and mushroom merchants
🍄Our one of a kind mushroom display and ID table
🍄Educational talks from our acclaimed guest speakers.
🍄Kidzone with FUN fungi activities,
🍄Assortment of food, drinks and treats from our food vendors
🍄Chance to win fantasic door prizes when you pre-register for our free guest speakers (Registration opens soon!)
Forays and Workshops:
Looking for more than just a stroll through the festival? Level up your experience with hands-on adventures in the Quinault Rainforest! These ticketed experiences include guided forays, mushroom cultivation tips, natural dyeing demos, and forest-inspired tastings—all led by local fungi enthusiasts and experts.
🌿 Not included with free festival admission. 🍄🌲✨
Pre-Register for Speakers
Guests at QRMF can now preregister for speaker sessions! By signing up early, you’ll enjoy perks like faster check-in for speaker prizes, priority seating, and early entry to talks—
Plus, we’ll be giving away prizes before speaker sessions at 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, and 2:15 PM—preregistration makes it quick and easy to get entered and get the most out of your festival experience!
2025 QRMF Speakers
Keynote Speaker:
Noah Siegel:
Cascadia — A Fungal Paradise- 11:30am
The wet mossy forests of the Pacific Northwest host a spectacular diversity of mushrooms, a true fungal paradise! This talk will highlight this diversity, the unique habitats, and it's plethora of mushrooms.
Noah Siegel brings over three decades of expertise in mycology, with extensive fieldwork across North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Cameroon. Widely recognized as one of the nation’s premier mushroom photographers, his award-winning images have been featured on the covers of FUNGI Magazine and numerous publications. He is the co-author of Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast and A Field Guide to the Rare Fungi of California's National Forests. Noah travels extensively, sharing his knowledge with mushroom enthusiasts across the country.
Aaron Hilliard:
The Mushrooms We Love, and the People Who Named Them 2:30pm
Part mushroom talk, part history lesson, and all fun—Aaron Hilliard brings the early days of fungal taxonomy to life with humor and heart. Join him for a journey through the strange and fascinating world of mushroom naming, and meet the quirky mycologists who helped shape how we classify fungi today. It’s a myco-history adventure you won’t want to miss!
Aaron Hilliard is a Washington-based amateur mycologist, educator, and founder of the popular YouTube channel Mushroom Wonderland. Raised on the Kitsap Peninsula, his fascination with fungi began in childhood, nurtured by his grandmother's passion for wild mushroom foraging. Combining his background in video production from Olympic College with over 30 years of mushroom hunting experience, Aaron launched Mushroom Wonderland in 2020. The channel has since grown to over 90,000 subscribers, offering weekly content on mushroom identification, foraging, and interviews with leading mycologists. A former Vice President of the Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society, Aaron also teaches mycology at Olympic College and leads guided mushroom tours in the Pacific Northwest. His engaging presentations and deep knowledge have made him a sought-after speaker at regional fungi festivals and mycological events.
Daniel Winkler:
Fungal Fruits of the Forest - Choice Edible Mushrooms of the PNW 10:15am
The Pacific Northwest is rich with wild mushrooms—some poisonous, some bland, and others among the finest edible fungi in the world. In this richly illustrated talk, Daniel introduces choice edibles like chanterelles, morels, boletes, bear’s head, and more. You’ll learn how to safely identify, harvest, and enjoy these mushrooms, while avoiding dangerous look-alikes. He’ll also share insights from his book Fruits of the Forest and add a dash of fungal fun from his ethno-mycological adventures.
Daniel Winkler is a mycologist, author, and award-winning photographer based in Kirkland, Washington. Originally from the Bavarian Alps, he has spent a lifetime studying fungi, with a special focus on edible and medicinal species. He leads mushroom-focused eco-tours around the world through his company Mushroaming, and is known for his engaging presentations that blend science, storytelling, and stunning imagery. A former VP of the Puget Sound Mycological Society, Daniel has authored several field guides including Fruits of the Forest and Edible Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest, and is a frequent speaker at mycological events worldwide.
Rose Tursi
The Majesty, History, and Mystery of Matsutake Mushrooms—
From Forest Floor to State Lore 9:15 am
Join Rose Tursi for a lively look at the Western Matsutake mushroom and why it deserves to be Washington’s official state mushroom. From its unique role in Pacific Northwest forests to its cultural and ecological importance, Rose explores what makes this elusive fungus so special—and why it’s the perfect symbol for our state.
Rose Tursi is a professional illustrator and citizen mycologist based near Mount Rainier, Washington. She serves as the Visual Arts Chair for the North American Mycological Association and is an active member of the South Sound Mushroom Club. Rose combines her artistic talents with her passion for fungi, creating educational content and leading forays to promote community science. Her work includes experimenting with fungi-based pigments and advocating for the recognition of fungi in state symbols. Through her art and outreach, Rose inspires others to explore the fascinating world of mushrooms.
2025 Pre-Sale Raffle Tickets and Merchandise
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Ways to Support the Quinault Rainforest Mushroom Festivall
The Quinault Rainforest Mushroom Festival 2025 welcomes local businesses and community members to get involved as volunteers or sponsors. Volunteers play a key role helping with event setup, guiding guests, supporting workshops, and running family-friendly activities. In return, they receive great perks like free t-shirts and early event access. Sponsors can contribute monetary support or in-kind donations like lodging, food, or services—gaining valuable recognition while helping grow this unique celebration of nature and community.
Apply to our Vendor Market
Are you a maker, grower, or food vendor with a passion for mushrooms or the natural world? We’re now accepting vendor applications for the 2025 Quinault Rainforest Mushroom Festival, happening Saturday, October 4th from 9 AM to 5 PM in Amanda Park, WA. We're seeking artisans, crafters, and food vendors who celebrate the Pacific Northwest’s fungi, forests, and wild beauty. Spaces are limited, so don’t miss your chance to be part of this unique, community-powered event! Complete the application below, and we’ll be in touch to confirm your spot and share payment details to get started. Questions? Email us at qrmushfest@gmail.com. Our Market is currently full, but we are still accepting waitlist applications
