Morel Mushroom Fans Hit Jackpot in Missouri Town

Morel season has been going for weeks now, but in the Missouri town of Richmond Morel season has been building to their annual Mushroom Festival.

Harvested Morels

Richmond Missouri welcomes thousands of mushroom devotees this weekend May 2nd through the 4th for their 44^th consecutive mushroom festival where mushrooms take center stage for a few days, although Richmond tends to be a place where the surrounding land and conditions produce lots of morels each year.

Richmond is just a few miles north of the Missouri river.

Fresh picked morels at stands sell fast. Fried ones get dipped on ranch (because of course they do). Many food trucks, highlighted by the Omnivorium food truck from Kansas City features mushroom eats like mushroom burgers and fried mushrooms.

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Collectors have many vendors to visit to see original mushroom creations. Little crocheted mushrooms, hand painted ceramic morel sculptures, anything and everything with morels incorporated can be found.

Little Mr. and Miss Mushroom will be crowned and of course there will be carnival rides and a car show. But the showstopper each year is the round up of entries for biggest mushroom of the season. Some people flex to win a blue ribbon for pie or cake. Some want the biggest rack from a buck. In Richmond Missouri, biggest Morel at the mushroom festival is the big daddy award.