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It's festie time!
Saturday 18 October – Programme
10.00-11.20 Angela Wooi – “First Steps Foraging… Mushrooms”
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Take your very first steps into the magical world of mushroom foraging with Angela Wooi. This session is designed especially for beginners, offering a gentle, engaging introduction to spotting fungi in the wild.
Mushroom foraging is about more than gathering food—it’s about slowing down, paying attention, and reconnecting with nature. Angela will guide you through the basics: how to notice mushrooms, where they thrive, and the ecological relationships that sustain them.
Expect a visually rich guide to some of the UK’s most delicious edible mushrooms, plus tips on how to safely avoid their inedible lookalikes.
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Angela is an arts educator, artist, and passionate forager. She runs coastal plant and seaweed foraging workshops that blend creativity, sustainability, and joy. Dividing her time between Margate and Maidstone, she also teaches art and dance, and regularly pops up along the Thanet coastline with one-off workshops on wild food, sustainable eating, and painting the plant life she so deeply connects with.
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​​11.40-13.00 Martin Powell – “The Use of Mushrooms in Longevity and Healthy Ageing”
Join us for an illuminating dive with Martin Powell, a biochemist turned Chinese medicine practitioner, herbalist, lecturer, and author.
With over two decades of experience working with medicinal mushrooms, Martin blends rigorous scientific insight with traditional wisdom to reveal how fungi can support healthy ageing and vitality.
His acclaimed works, including Medicinal Mushrooms – A Clinical Guide and Medicinal Mushrooms – The Essential Guide, have made him a leading voice in the field.
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14.00-15.00 Panel Talk: The Future of Mushrooms in Our Society
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A forward-looking discussion on the many ways fungi are shaping our future. From food security to medicine, sustainable materials, and cultural innovation, mushrooms are emerging as nature’s versatile allies. The panel will share insights and visions, followed by an interactive conversation with the audience.​​
Our Panel - Keith Abrahams from Heroic Hearts, Darren le Baron, Martin Powell, Oli Genn-Bash and Yuli Gates - hosted by Tara Austin from Psilocybin Access Rights
15.20-16.30 Saturday Workshop Grow Your Own Mushrooms
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Practical workshops give participants the chance to explore fungi hands-on. Margate Mushrooms will lead you in a hands on workshop to learnm to grow your own muchrooms, step by step. You'll go home with a little grow bag that you've made yourself. We will be growing beautiful Pink Oyster Mushrooms for this workshop.
Mushroom Market - All Day, Saturday & Sunday
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The festival will also feature a Mushroom Market, where visitors can browse and shop for a range of mushroom-related products. Stallholders include Margate Mushrooms, Luma Chocolates, and more to be announced.
Celebrating Mushrooms on Your Plate - around town
As part of the festival, we’re inviting Margate’s restaurants to get creative with fungi. Selected venues will be offering special mushroom-inspired menu items throughout the weekend, celebrating the flavours, textures, and versatility of mushrooms. So far, participating restaurants include Angela’s, The Perfect Place To Grow, Thao Thao, Sarns, Mori Mori, and the Grain Grocer.
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19.30 till late - Evening Event – Music with Margate Mushroom Club at Hoff’s
Celebrate the day with Margate Mushroom Club at Hoff’s. Enjoy an eclectic mix of music courtesy DJ Phil Jaimes, a warm atmosphere, and the chance to connect with fellow mushroom enthusiasts in a playful, relaxed setting.
Free entry with a festival ticket, otherwise £5
Sunday 19 October – Programme
10.00-11.35 Cooking Demo with Kebbells
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A practical and delicious cooking demonstration showcasing creative ways to use mushrooms in the kitchen.
Expect inspiration, tips, and techniques for making the most of fresh and dried fungi in everyday cooking - led by none other than Chef Craig Mather of the luscious Kebbells in Broadstairs.
11.55-13.00 Oli Genn-Bash (The Fungi Consultant) – Beyond the Label
Oli Genn-Bash, also known as The Fungi Consultant, shares his expertise on the bioavailability of mushrooms. This talk will unpack the hidden truths behind functional mushroom products—exploring bioavailability, labelling practices, and how to spot misleading claims—so consumers and practitioners can make informed choices.
14.00-15.30 Darren Le Baron – “Mushrooms in Africa: The Untold Story”
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Fresh from his travels across Africa, Darren Le Baron presents his latest research on the rich history and cultural significance of mushrooms across the continent. This presentation delves into the ancient use of fungi by Africa’s earliest indigenous peoples for spiritual and community growth—a practice still alive in many communities today.
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From rites of passage and initiation ceremonies to ancestral communication, healing, and daily rituals, Darren explores the enduring role of mushrooms in both African and Diasporic cultures. Drawing on historical, mythological, and scientific sources, this talk highlights fascinating correlations in symbolism, language, and cultural practice that reveal thought-provoking insights about fungi’s influence on human society.
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Darren Le Baron is a mycologist, ethnobotanist, and researcher with extensive experience studying the cultural and ecological roles of fungi around the world.
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15.50-17.00 Sunday Workshop - Mushroom Ink and Print with Yuli Gates
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Join artist and printmaker Yuli Gates for a hands-on introduction to the art of lino printmaking, with a mushroom twist. In this workshop, you’ll learn traditional carving and printing techniques while exploring the fascinating process of creating natural printmaing inks from mushrooms, as detailed in the book and website which Yuli illustrated: The Mushroom Color Atlas.
https://www.mushroomcoloratlas.com/
Yuli will walk you through the process of designing, transferring, and carving the block , and you'll be able to print one of her designs. You will learn how to print on paper or fabric.
If you wish to bring your own fabric to print on, it is encouraged: go home with a new t-shirt, tea towel, tote bag, or pillow case (This will not be provided, so if you'd like to bring your own, please do so. The reccomendation is a light colour, and a smooth fabric with minimal texture)
Along the way, you’ll also discover how to forage or source fungi for pigment, prepare them for ink-making, and use their earthy, organic tones to create truly unique prints.
Whether you’re an absolute beginner or looking to expand your creative toolkit, you’ll leave with your own hand-printed artwork, an understanding of mushroom inks, and the confidence to continue printing at home.
