2024 Mushroom Festival & Visitors Guide by Ad Pro Inc.

Mushroom Festival returns for 39th annual event on September 7

By Chris Barber Contributing Writer

Kennett Square’s signature event, the Mushroom Festival, will return for the 39th time on Sept. 7 and 8. This celebration of Pennsylvania’s number one agricultural crop routinely attracts upwards of 100,000 people over its two days – many of them from beyond the Pennsylvania state line and some even reported from international locations. At the helm of the event this year are longtime leaders

Gina Puoci and Gale Ferranto.

Puoci is a Kennett Square native who is the administrator of the Kennett Fire Company.

Ferranto grew up in a mushroom-growing family and is the president of Buona Foods, which processes and packages canned mushrooms in Oxford.

The co-chairpersons said they can both look back at more mushroom festivals and they remember special features that came and went through the years.

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The streets fill with music for the two days of the festival.

Antique vehicles are on display on South Broad Street for Saturday only.

The eating contest brings applause and raucous cheering.

The painted mushroom sale and auction demonstrates the talent of local artists.

Gina Puoci, left, and Gale Ferranto oversee the Mushroom Festival, which arrives again on Sept. 7 in Kennett Square.

Many out-of-towners line up for a taste of real fried mushrooms in the Mushroom Capital of the World, Kennett Square.

Photos by Chris Barber Activities for children can be found at the west end of town on Lafayette Street.

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Almost 40 years ago, the Mushroom Festival began as a simple celebration that consisted of a brief parade for nonprofit organizations along State Street and a coronation of the “Mushroom Queen” the night before.

For many years, Kathi Lafferty and others oversaw the festival and initiated attractions like a Ferris Wheel, the Friday night parade, a wine festival, a mushroom-picking contest and an art show.

Remaining popular and continuing to please the visitors are the mushroom-cooking contests, the vendors, a “Cute as a Button” contest, a mushroom-eating contest, growing demonstrations, painted ceramic mushrooms, mushroom soup, the annual designed T-shirt contest, the Saturday car show, numerous vendors, music and the children’s entertainment stations.

The festival has also been visited through the years by numerous celebrities, including stars from cooking shows, competitive eaters, a former state Secretary of Agriculture, and Ed Rendell, the very popular former Pennsylvania governor who also served as the Mayor of Philadelphia.

Ferranto and Puoci are especially excited this year about the cooking contest called “Chopped.”

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Fun Gus, the Mushroom Festival mascot, roams the street to the delight of young children.

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This contest involves presenting the contestants with a bag of various foods (including and especially mushrooms), and they are challenged to produce the best dish within a limited time.

Up to now, the contest was a one-time event, usually on Saturday. This year the popularity has been so high, Ferranto said, that they are having two semi-final events producing four finalists on Saturday, and those finalists will compete for the championship on Sunday.

Food celebrity guest and judge will be Carla Hall, the popular TV cook and food program hostess. She will be one of three judges for the Amateur Cook-Off Competitions and will also give a cooking demonstration during the festival.

Perhaps the event that attracts the most excitement and raucous reaction is the fried mushroom eating contest. This attraction brings enthusiastic cheering and applause from the spectators.

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Participants in the cook-off line up behind all the food contributed by the Giant food store.

2024 Mushroom Festival

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Few people visiting from out of town miss the growing demonstration tent. Growers from mushroom companies throughout the region set up actual compost beds of developing mushrooms that show how the fungi are planted, grown and then picked.

Scores of vendors line State Street and some of the side streets, offering attendees a wide variety of crafts, gifts, toys, specialty foods and promotions – especially mushroom items to eat on the spot.

Puoci said applications for a spot along the way are so popular that they fill up by mid-summer.

“We have more applications than spaces,” she said.

Organizing and running the annual Mushroom Festival is no easy task, nor is it something that the leaders and other volunteers can throw together in a short time, Puoci said. In fact, they apply with the borough the preceding January or February to hold the event.

The Mushroom Festival is overseen by a 13-member board and operated by scores of volunteers.

The board meets twice a month for the entire year ahead of the festival to organize all the festivities.

Puoci said they are responsible not only for being present in September for the event, but they also must ensure that the festival conforms to all codes. They have to manage the finances, assure safety for everyone and develop a plan for providing parking.

Just a few days before the opening, Puoci will arrive on State Street with spray paint and lay out the locations of all the vendors.

She also assures that the fire company reviews each vendor and location for safety codes ahead of time.

Mushroom growers come to the festival every year to explain to visitors how the crops are grown.

The theme of the festival this year is “Spawning the Future.” Spawning is a mushroom term that is the equivalent of planting seeds for vegetables.

Ferranto said she likes the theme because the Mushroom Festival contributes thousands of dollars each year to worthy local non-profit organizations.

Over time, the Mushroom Festival has raised and distributed more than $1 million to local non-profits.

She said the average gift is about $3,000 to each organization, but that is enough to make a difference in a small company or agency to grow in some way.

The Mushroom Festival takes place on State Street in Kennett Square from Church Alley to Garfield Street. Branches run south on Broad Street to Cypress for the mushroom promotions and growing tent (and further down on Saturday for the car show), on Union Street to Cypress for culinary events, and the Liberty Place Market area for children’s activities.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. An information booth will be set up at the intersection of State at Union.

Parking is at the Chatham Financial lot on McFarlan Road (with a sign guiding drivers from Baltimore Pike).

There is also space at the Kennett High School parking lot. Shuttle buses will carry visitors to the festival. Entry to the Mushroom Festival is $5 per person, which is cash only. Festival-goers will receive a wristband for entry. For more information, follow the Mushroom Festival on social media or visit the website at mushroomfestival.org.

The streets of Kennett Square fill up with visitors as soon as the gates open on Saturday.

Student service projects support the Mushroom Festival

By Chris Barber Contributing Writer

The Kennett Square Mushroom Festival, like most enduring events nationwide, does not spring up spontaneously several days after a vague “good idea.”

The festival started and has continued through 39 years of hard work, enthusiasm, hours of meetings and scores of volunteers.

These volunteers sometimes go unrecognized, but without their presence and dedication, there would be no festival.

Festival leaders Gina Puoci and Gale Ferranto agreed that the Kennett Consolidated School District has been one of these vital supporters for years.

The school district offers the labor of its students, the space in its parking lots, scheduling courtesies, and the use of its contracted bus fleet to bring visitors from surrounding parking lots to the center of town.

From the moment visitors arrive at the gates, they are greeted by Kennett students who collect their admission fees and check them in.

Overwhelmingly, in addition to enjoying being part of the Mushroom Festival experience, the students are fulfilling part of their graduation requirement to submit as a service project.

Kennett Consolidated School District official Michael Barber said the Pennsylvania Department of Education has set a service project as a graduation requirement for all schools it serves.

The individual schools may select what sort of project works for them. At Kennett, Barber said, there are several aspects to the project including investigating a career path, giving a presentation and serving a specific amount of hours of service.

Checking folks in and helping with festival details like set-ups constitutes part of this, and it is coordinated and recorded at the district by volunteer Loretta Perna.

Barber said Athletic Director Sean Harvey also urges the school’s student-athletes to donate their time to the festival.

He added that providing service by the students is generally more beneficial than it is a burden.

“The majority of our kids get a great experience. They learn about it from experts and people in the community,’” he said.

Barber said giving service in the community provides the students a chance as well to show pride in their school. It gives them a boost to success in the long run, too, he said.

The students are free to choose how they will carry out their response to the project requirements. They are free to seek out and report agencies, organizations or individuals they helped out.

“We want it to be authentic, however,” Barber said.

In the early spring, many students pitch in to pick up trash and debris with the Red Clay Cleanup along the stream. Others assist with work at the Kennett Area Community Service food cupboard.

There are many paths to service.

check in festival visitors and earn service points as well.

In addition to student support, the school district opens its parking lots for visitors at the festival.

Barber said that part comes easily – that the school doesn’t even have to monitor the drivers arriving because they are generally so well-behaved.

When festival attendees park farther away from the center

of town than they would like to, they often go to the designated parking area at Chatham Financial on McFarlan Road in Kennett Township. Those visitors are then bused to the center of town by Krapf buses, the company that contracts with the school district for its transportation services.

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Photos by Chris Barber Kennett High School students

Student service projects

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Barber said the arrangement between the bus company and the festival are distinct and separate from the school. However, many of the riders are likely to recognize that the drivers are those who haul their children during the school year.

Finally, the school district extends the courtesy of altering its activity schedule to work in synch with the festival. The Mushroom Festival always takes place on the second weekend of September, and coincides with fall sports like football, cross country, soccer and hockey.

Barber said the school district arranges its schedule with the festival so that there are no conflicts.

“In the years past, if we have a football game that weekend, we try to schedule it away,” he said “We look to partner with the Mushroom Festival for all of our kids.”

Barber said working with the community is a way of life for Kennett Consolidated School District. He mentioned the band playing in the Memorial Day Parade and allowing the police to conduct their fitness exams in the gym.

“It works both ways. We help each other. We’re part of the community,” Barber said.

The Kennett High School parking lot is a convenient destination for those driving to the Mushroom Festival.

Mushroom Festiv make a big diﬀer

By Chris Barber Contributing Writer

The Kennett Area Senior Center runs on a shoestring budget, but for many in the Kennett area it is a lifeline.

The Center is one of 40 local non-profits that benefit from annual contributions by the Mushroom Festival.

Last year the center received $1,900 as its part of the total $77,000 the festival gave out. Over the years, more than $1 million has been given to local agencies from the festival.

Mushroom Festival Coordinator Gale Ferranto said that while the activities of the event excite her, she gets the greatest satisfaction from distributing the proceeds to local non-profits each year.

“This year’s festival’s theme is ‘Spawning Future Growth,’ which encapsulates our dedication to nurturing not just the delicious and healthy fungi that we grow but also supporting the future of our community,” the Mushroom Festival Website said.

The Center, which sits at mid-block of South Walnut Street in the borough, operates on an annual budget of less than $400,000 according to executive director Stephanie D’Amico.

staff are constantly working on projects to bring in more support. Among other things they have an annual golf tournament, donations from the local municipalities and the United Way, “indoor” yard sales, fees for facility rental and grants from individuals.

D’Amico gave an example of how important the Mushroom Festival grants are. She said the center had been struggling with an aging and obsolete website. They needed $1,900 to replace it.

“I didn’t have $1,900,” she said.

She added she put in a request to the festival and received the funds needed.

Its major funding comes from the Chester County Department of Aging which supports all the senior centers in the county, including $84,000 annually toward the Kennett Area Senior Center. Occasionally in times of emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic, it sends a modest, and unexpected supplement, D’Amico said.

Continuing on such a limited income, D’Amico and her

In the year preceding, D’Amico received funding for 30 chairs from the Festival.

“You know, chairs are expensive,” she said. “We appreciate them beyond belief. When you are worried all the time about keeping services in place, to have support like the Mushroom Festival is great.”

She added that the Mushroom Festival funding application process for support is “user-friendly,” and she appreciates that.

The Kennett Area Senior Center was founded in 1971 by late Dr. Leonard Kanofsky with the support of his fellow Rotary Club members.

Kanofsky recognized that there was a segment of the local population whose needs were not being met as they were aging. Some older residents were experiencing, among other things, declining health, less income, less participation in local leadership, the loss of driving privileges, an increased probability of distance from or loss of family,

val contributions rence for seniors

Photos by Chris Barber

The original senior center location at the Presbyterian Church moved following the purchase of the building on South Walnut Street in 1986.

Seniors

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and limited affordability for programs and education, among others.

Carole Wendel was the Center’s first director, during the time when members met in the cellar of Kennett Square Presbyterian Church several times a week.

In 1986, the senior center purchased the building on South Walnut Street, which has two large activity rooms, several smaller gathering spaces, office space and an upstairs storage area. Its programs these days are free, which is important considering that more than one-quarter of the members reported being low income.

The Center is open five days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sometimes there are weekend or evening events. The programs include, but are not

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The senior center serves lunch every day at a very low cost or a free lunch for those who cannot afford the cost.

Seniors

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limited to, Silver Sneakers exercise, weight loss, mental fitness, afternoon card playing, photography class, ancestral history, dancing, free produce, Medicare applications and tax preparation, informational lectures, holiday celebrations and individual attention. Lunch is provided every day for a small fee, and is free for those who cannot afford it.

ChescoConnect affordable bus system is available for seniors who do not have access to their own cars or drivers’ licenses.

“We provide a unique community resource in which people can gather. We do that through programs, and the [atmosphere] is welcoming and personal,” D’Amico said.

Last year the Mushroom Festival provided funding for 30 new chairs for the Kennett Area Senior Center.

The Mushrooms by Flavor, Preparation and Nutrition

Photos by Carla Lucas

Sources: A Consumers Guide to Specialty Mushrooms and The Mushroom Council (www.mushroominfo.org)

Agaricus Mushrooms

Buttons

Flavor: mild; blends with anything.

Common preparations: raw, sauteed, fried, marinated

In a serving of 4-5 white buttons:

• 18 calories • 0 grams of fat

• 3 grams of carbohydrates

• Approx. 300 mg of potassium • 15 IU of vitamin D

• 2.8 mg of the antioxidant ergothioneine

• good source of the antioxidant selenium, the B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper

Shiitake

Flavor: rich and woodsy, meaty texture

Common preparations: best when cooked in stir-fry, pastas and soups. Can be marinated and grilled.

In a serving of 4-5 shiitake mushrooms:

• 41 calories • 0 grams of fat • 10 grams of carbohydrates

• good source of the antioxidant selenium, providing 26 percent of the Daily Value. • a great source of B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper

Criminis

Flavor: deeper, earthier flavor than whites, great addition to beef, game and vegetable dishes

Common preparations: saute, broil, grill, microwave

In a serving of 4-5 crimini mushrooms:

• 23 calories • 0 grams of fat • 4.9 mg of the antioxidant ergothioneine

• 4 grams of carbohydrates • excellent source of the antioxidant selenium, the B vitamin riboflavin and copper • a good source of potassium, phosphorus and B vitamins niacin and pantothenic acid

Other Popular Specialty Mushrooms

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Mushrooms are the only source of Vitamin D in the produce aisle

Flavor: very delicate.

Common preparations: sauteed or stir fried then used in pasta dishes, meat dishes, omelets and soups.

In a serving of 4-5 oyster mushrooms:

• 36 calories

• 0 grams of fat

• 5 grams of carbohydrates

• good source of B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper.

• more than 2 grams of fiber, nearly 10 percent of the Daily Value.

• nearly 3 grams of protein, 6 percent of the Daily Value.

Flavor: mild, sweet taste.

Common preparations: slice and saute in butter, oil, or broth; can be used as a substitute for lobster or veal.

Common preparations: grilled, broiled, sauteed and roasted; can also be used as a meat substitute.

In one medium Portabella cap:

• 22 calories

• 0 grams of fat

• 4 grams of carbohydrates

• excellent source of the B vitamin riboflavin

• good source of the antioxidant selenium, potassium, phosphorus, the B vitamins niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper

• 4.3 mg of the antioxidant ergothioneine

Flavor: crisp with a mild nutty flavor. Common preparations: sliced or served whole in sautes. Soups, pasta dishes.

Flavor:

Common preparation: grilled or used in stir frys. The stems can be substituted for baby scallops.

Flavor: distinctive aroma and a rich, woodsy taste

Common preparations: sauteed lightly in butter or oil. Use in egg dishes, pasta sauces, soups, stews, and any recipe calling for mushrooms for a richer taste.

In a serving of 4-5 maitake mushrooms:

• 31 calories

• 0 grams of fat

• 6 grams of carbohydrates

• good source of the antioxidant selenium; B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper

• more than 2 grams of fiber

• more than 900 IU Vitamin D

Maitake

Oyster

Royal Trumpet

delicate, chewy texture

Pom Pom

Beech

Portabellas

Flavor: deep, meat-like texture and flavor.

Mushroom Festival awards more than $100,000 to local organizations during grant presentation

The evening also included the announcement of the Randy

Lieberman Scholarship Grant

The Kennett Mushroom Festival continued its long tradition of giving back to the community when more than $100,000 in funding was announced during the annual grant presentation earlier this year.

Gale Ferranto, the volunteer Mushroom Festival Coordinator, reminded everyone that the guiding principle of the Mushroom Festival is to give back to the community. Ferranto is the owner of Buona Foods, and she said that the grant presentation is always a highlight for the event’s organizers and volunteers because the organizations that receive the grants help so many people in the community.

“As a mushroom farmer here in Kennett Square,” Ferranto said, “I know how important the community in and

around Kennett Square is, so it’s an honor to be able to support so many community programs and initiatives that help strengthen the neighborhoods in which we live and work.”

The Mushroom Festival has provided more than $1 million in grant awards during its nearly 40 years.

Ferranto recognized the members of the volunteer Mushroom Festival Board of Directors. The board members this year include board president Gina Puoci, vice president Jen Basciani, treasurer Laura Price, secretary Jim Hamilton, vendor chair Rhonda Sarver, Samantha Snyder, Eric Durynski, Lori Gebert, and Carl Lowe.

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Photo courtesy the Mushroom Festival

The Mushroom Festival’s Board of Directors with the grant recipients for this year.

Grant presentation

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Mushroom Festival organizers also remembered Randy Lieberman, a longtime Mushroom Festival Board member and publisher of the Chester County Press, who passed away last December after a brief illness.

“We were incredibly saddened when we lost our friend and Mushroom Festival board member Randy Lieberman,” Ferranto said. “Randy was a board volunteer for more than 10 years. He was well-known in Kennett Square as publisher of the Chester County Press, and he was a participant in many civic organizations, and a cheerleader of and for the mushroom industry.”

Ferranto then announced the establishment of the Randy Lieberman Scholarship Grant that will be available to women, ages 12 to 20 years old, to assist with public speaking, interview, and essay-writing skills. Four recipients will be presented with the scholarship each year, in 2024 and 2025, during the Unionville Community Fair.

Lieberman’s two children, Avery Lieberman Eaton and Stone Lieberman were on hand with Lindsay Yates, president of the Unionville Community Fair, for the official announcement of the Randy Lieberman Scholarship Grant.

Ferranto announced that the theme for the 2024 Mushroom Festival is “Spawning Future Growth,” which is a nod not just to the mushroom farming community, but to the organizations and partners that the Mushroom Festival works with.

Photo courtesy the Mushroom Festival

Lindsay Yates (left), the president of the Unionville Community Fair, with Stone Lieberman and Avery Lieberman Eaton during the announcement of the Randy Lieberman Scholarship Grant.

Mother Earth Org

Pennsylvania ﬁrst lady Lori Shapiro toured to highlight Pennsylvania’s role as a

Courtesy photos

Pennsylvania’s First Lady Lori Shapiro’s recent tour of Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms highlighted the fact that Pennsylvania leads the nation in production of organic mushrooms and produces nearly half of all agaricus mushrooms grown in the U.S. The industry pumps nearly $1.2 billion into the state economy annually, and supports more than 9,300 jobs paying over $313 million.

ganic Mushrooms

d the Chester County mushroom company

a national agriculture industry leader

Pennsylvania First Lady Lori Shapiro recently toured Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms with Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding to highlight Pennsylvania’s role as a national leader in agriculture.

“It was a pleasure to join Secretary Redding along with the representatives from the American Mushroom Institute and Mother Earth Mushrooms,” said Shapiro. “Josh and I are proud that the Commonwealth is a national leader in the mushroom industry – and we will continue working to deliver the resources and support Pennsylvania’s agriculture community needs in order to keep innovating and thriving.”

Mother Earth is a USDA Organic-certified farm that has been in business more than 100 years. The family business encompasses every phase of mushroom production from compost, to growing, packing, and delivery.

“Our mushroom industry’s long history of innovation and resourcefulness demonstrates why the world looks to Pennsylvania for leadership,” Redding said. “Mushrooms grow in the dark, but Shapiro Administration investments are made in the light by listening to voices of producers like Mother Earth owners Jerry Yeatman and Tim Hihn, and American

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Pennsylvania First Lady Lori Shapiro joined Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding for a tour of the Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms farm in West Grove.

Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms

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Mushroom Institute President Rachel Roberts to hear what their challenges are, and learn where we can feed their growth opportunities and help them meet their challenges.”

Shapiro joined Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding for a tour of Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms’ farm in West Grove, among the businesses making Pennsylvania number one nationally in organic mushroom production. Shapiro Administration investments are feeding continued growth in the nation-leading industry through targeted investments to meet challenges unique to mushroom, and specifically organic mushroom production.

“Our mushroom industry’s long history of innovation and resourcefulness demonstrates why the world looks to Pennsylvania for leadership.”

~ Pa. Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding

mushrooms and produces nearly half of all agaricus mushrooms grown in the U.S. The industry pumps nearly $1.2 billion into the state economy annually and supports more than 9,300 jobs paying over $313 million.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in production of organic

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Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms

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“The past few years, while challenging, have been an opportunity for the mushroom industry to show that resiliency is not just an attitude, but an ever-changing business strategy,” said Roberts. “Produce continues to fight for a bigger share of consumers’ plates as well as a fair share of support from USDA and other regulatory agencies. Among produce, mushrooms are the original ecosystem servicer to the environment, whose taste and nutritional value are unique and exciting.

“The commitment of our Commonwealth to our industry, and vice versa, is not just a wonderful history, but an important partnership. We are grateful for the opportunity to join the First Lady today and discuss that.”

Mother Earth is a USDA Organic-certified farm that has been in business more than 100 years.

Among critical agriculture investments in the bipartisan Shapiro Administration budget for 2023- 24 was $1 million to create the first-of-its-kind Organic Center of Excellence to empower and support organic producers like Mother Earth. The center will support food safety testing to uphold product integrity and increase consumer confidence.

The new PA Preferred Organic Brand, created when Governor Shapiro signed House Bill 157 into law, will offer an additional tool for organic producers to promote consumer confidence and build product sales.

Governor Shapiro’s 2023-24 budget continues to invest strategically where Pennsylvania’s agriculture and food industry needs it most through the PA Farm Bill, building on a foundation of more than $150 million to date in strategic investments in challenges and strengths unique to the state’s food system.

A diverse range of funding supported in the 2023-24 budget is available to feed the mushroom industry’s future. Among these opportunities are PA Farm Bill Farm Vitality grants for business planning and expansion, Specialty Crop Block Grants to increase market opportunities and promote products, Agriculture and Youth Grants to build the workforce the industry needs to stay competitive; as well as conservation funding to bolster farm sustainability and decrease climate change impacts; and more than $2 million in Agriculture Research grants to develop innovative solutions for pest control and disease challenges, and to strengthen organic and regenerative agriculture.

Find more information about Pennsylvania’s investments in a stronger more resilient agriculture and food industry at agriculture.pa.gov.

A brief history

Without a serendipitous occurrence, Kennett Square—or more accurately the area within a ten-mile radius of Kennett Square—would have never become the “Mushroom Capital of the World.”

It all started around 1885 when mushrooms were popular in some parts of Europe where they had been grown since the 1700s, but not in the United States where they were still not grown. A gentleman by the name of William Swayne was making a nice living growing carnations in a large greenhouse. Carnations were, in fact, a very plentiful commodity in the Kennett Square area, and the Borough was known as “Carnation town.”

Carnations would soon be replaced by mushrooms the same way that New York Yankee Wally Pipp was replaced by Lou Gehrig in the lineup—permanently.

Swayne decided that he needed to do something with

all the wasted space underneath the elevated beds where the carnations were grown. He imported some spawn from Europe and attempted to grow mushrooms in what had previously been just wasted space. By doing so, he introduced mushroom growing to the United States.

The experiment worked well enough so that soon other carnation growers in the area were doing the same thing.

Swayne or another Kennett Square man, Harry Hicks, is widely considered to be the first to construct special buildings for mushroom growing, but no matter who was first, soon many were doing it. By 1900, the popularity of mushrooms had, well, mushroomed Chester County thanks to the birth of mushroom houses.

In these new specially designed mushroom houses, growers could control the temperature, humidity, and ventilation. Unlike other crops that depend so heavily on climate and

of mushrooms in Kennett Square

soil, mushrooms needed to have the human touch. From the very start, mushroom growing was labor intensive.

Mushroom production in the Kennett Square area grew quite steadily during the first few decades. By the end of the 1920s, Pennsylvania was producing a vast majority of the mushrooms in the United States—thanks in large part to the contributions of Kennett Square growers.

Again, there was a little bit of good fortune involved for Kennett Square has it built a reputation as the Mushroom Capital of the World. The good fortune was that its location to major cities. The mushrooms could be grown fresh here and shipped to Baltimore or Philadelphia. Move further out and there was New York City to the north and Washington D.C. to the south. Boston, Pittsburgh, and Detroit also –weren’t too far away for shipping.

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The next big development in the history of mushrooms was the development of the canned mushroom sector of the industry. Canning mushrooms made it an international game.

Mushrooms grown right here in Chester County could be shipped almost anywhere. Of course, the opposite was also true, and for the first time Chester County mushroom growers found themselves facing international competition. This competition would naturally have a dramatic impact on how the industry evolved.

By the 1930s and 1940s, mushroom companies were being run by second-generation family members. This became an industry trend, and to this day many of the larger producers are family-owned. One obvious reason for that is because mushroom growing is so labor intensive—it takes an entire family to help take care of everything that needs to be done.

Mushroom production continued to grow through the 1950s and 1960s, thanks in part to the formation of the American Mushroom Institute, which was initially based in Chester County.

The American Mushroom Institute helped the industry market its product, an important step for the

growth that would follow.

It was also during the 1950s that migrant workers—first from Puerto Rico and later (and in greater numbers) from Mexico—started to come to this area to find work in the mushroom industry. To this day, the workforce is still predominately comprised of migrant workers.

As the one-hundred-year anniversary of the birth of the mushroom industry approached, there were no signs that the importance of the crop were decreasing in Kennett Square. What started out as a sideline business for carnation growers was permanently transformed

into a multi-million dollar agricultural business.

Like any other agricultural business, there have been good times and bad times. Facing increasing competition, the industry has needed to be innovative to find new and better ways of delivering a quality product. Through it all, Chester County’s mushroom industry has proven to be remarkably persistent and resilient.

Consider that the United States still ranks among the world’s leading producers of mushrooms. Pennsylvania is tops in mushroom production in the U.S. And if you zero in closer, Kennett Square is still the Mushroom Capital of the World.

2024 Mushroom Festival

Schedule of Events & Map

*All events are tentative. check the website: Mushroomfestival.org for up-to-date information

KENNETT SQUARE PENNSYLVANIA

Saturday, Sept. 9 and Sunday, Sept. 10

Note: Buses will run on Saturday until 6:30PM and Sunday till 4:30PM for offsite parking. If you re at a stop after this time the buses will no longer be running.

Information Booth

Questions? Visit the Festival Information Booth for Festival-day info!

10:00 am, State and Union Streets

Kids Events

Bounces, Bungees & Balloons

Make sure to stop by the Kids Area where the little ones can ditch the shoes and jump all the wiggles out in inﬂatable bounce houses, or try and jump to

the moon on a bungee jump.

10:00 am, Kids Area (State Street between Meredith and Lafayette)

State Street Festival

Walk six blocks of State Street to visit our 200+ vendors offering food and crafts, including our wonderful Merchants, and restaurants!

Saturday, 10:00 am, State Street

Sunday, 9:00 am, State Street

Saturday, Sept 7

Mushroom ‘Chopped’ Contest

Do you like mystery? Excitement? Anticipation? FIVE contestants will square off in front of a LIVE audience to compete in the popular Food Network-themed ‘Chopped’ competition where

each contestant will have 30 minutes to create a delicious mushroom-centric dish for THREE judges, to be judged on taste, presentation, creativity, and use of mushrooms. TWO WINNERS from each Saturday competition will advance to the FINALE on SUNDAY!

Contestants will have a shared pantry of ingredients like salt, pepper, oils, etc., as well as a few standard ingredients at the contestant’s workstation. And of course, a Mystery Basket of ingredients that MUST BE USED!

Come watch as these contestants create creative, unique, and delicious mushroom-themed dishes-’Chopped’-style!

10:00 am, Culinary Stage @ S. Union St.

Jump

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2024 Mushroom Festival

Schedule of Events & Map

*All events are tentative. check the website: Mushroomfestival.org for up-to-date information

Continued from Page 43

Mushroom Growers Tent

Did you know mushrooms double in size every 24 hours? That they don’t need sunlight to grow? And a handful of mushrooms have more Potassium than one banana?

Learn about how mushrooms grow—from tiny spores to the yummy mushrooms that end up in your dishes. Hear from Kennett Square mushroom growers about the intricacies of mushroom harvesting, the many sustainable properties of mushroom production (there are a lot!), the nutritional value, and much more!

10:00 am, Growers Tent

Carla Hall Cooking Demonstation

Carla will be hosting cooking demonstrations at Noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday September 7th. Additionally, Carla will be one of three judges for our Amateur Cook Off Competitions being held at 10 am and 2 pm on Saturday, September 7th. 12:00 pm, S. Union and Cypress Streets Kennett Square, PA

Live Music / Entertainment

Paul Wilkinson

12:00 pm, Liberty Market Place Parking Lot

Todd Chappelle

1:15 pm, Liberty Market Place Parking Lot

Mushroom ‘Chopped’ Contest

Do you like mystery? Excitement? Anticipation? FIVE contestants will square off in front of a LIVE audience to compete in the popular Food Network-themed ‘Chopped’ competition where each contestant will have 30 minutes to create a delicious mushroom-centric dish for THREE judges, to be judged on taste, presentation, creativity, and use of mushrooms. TWO WINNERS from each Saturday competition will advance to the FINALE on SUNDAY!

Come watch as these contestants create creative, unique, and delicious mushroom-themed dishes-’Chopped’-style!

2:00 pm, Culinary Stage @ S. Union St.

Live Music / Entertainment

Butch Zito

2:30 pm, Liberty Market Place Parking Lot

Demitri Grivas

3:45 pm, Liberty Market Place Parking Lot

Carla Hall Cooking Demonstration

4:00 pm, S. Union and Cypress Streets Kennett Square, PA

Live Music / Entertainment

Dylan Zangwell

5:00 pm, Liberty Market Place Parking Lot

Antje Duvekot

6:15 pm, Liberty Market Place Parking Lot

Sunday, Sept 8

Mushroom Growers Tent

Did you know mushrooms double in size every 24 hours? That they don’t need sunlight to grow? And a handful of mushrooms have more Potassium than one banana?

9:00 am, Growers Tent

Mushroom Soup

Mushroom Soup: A Classic!

Locally made savory, rich and creamy mushroom soup. Loaded with fresh hearty local portabella and white mushrooms. This soup offers earthy ﬂavors enhanced by onions, carrots, herbs and black pepper. This local favorite is made with fresh locally grown mushrooms and milk from our local dairy farms.

Made by Sunny Dell Foods, collaborating with the Mason Lodge in Kennett Square.

The soup will be sold in 2 sizes, 8 oz and 16 oz containers for eating at the Festival or taking home!

9:00 am

Mushroom ‘Chopped’ Contest

FINAL COOK OFF

Do you like mystery? Excitement? Anticipation? THE FINALE! FOUR winning Saturday contestants will square off in front of a LIVE audience to compete in the popular Food Network-themed ‘Chopped’ competition where each contestant will have 30 minutes to create a delicious mushroom-centric dish for THREE judges, to be judged on taste, presentation, creativity, and use of mushrooms.

Come watch as these contestants create creative, unique, and delicious mushroom-themed dishes-’Chopped’-style and wins the Grand Prize!!!!!!!!!!!

10:00 am, Culinary Stage @ S. Union St.

Live Music / Entertainment SICCO

12:00 pm, Liberty Market Place Parking Lot

Amatuer Fried Mushroom Eating Contest

Hosted by WXTU’s Jeff Kurkjian and Frank Pastella

This event, puts the FUN in FUNGI when a group of brave contestants see how many fried mushrooms they can eat in eight minutes!

Buona Food’s The Original Breaded Fried Mushrooms are a Festival favorite every year! But only a few have the opportunity to eat copious amounts of the crunchy, mouth-watering snacks during this years’ amateur Fried Mushroom Eating Contest. The local amatuer record was set in 2021 at 4 pounds.

Join us to watch the spectacle and cheer on the contestants as they callenge these records!

1:00 pm, S. Union and Cypress Streets

NEW!!! 2024 Amatuer En Fuego

Fried Mushroom Eating Contest

This year, as a warmup (pun intended) to the annual fried mushroom eating contest, we will be hosting our first spicy mushroom eating contest that we have dubbed “Mushroom En Fuego”. While we prepare for the fried mushroom eating contest, 10 Contestants will be tasked to eat 4 mushrooms, one at a time, with ever-growing heat. Each contestant will eat a fried mushroom coated in hot sauce, wait a specific amount of time, then move on to the next. If you can eat the last, hottest mushroom and wait out the final time without reaching for the delicious vanilla milkshake that will be in front of you, you will win a prize. Can you take the heat? Do you dare to try?

1:00 pm, Liberty Market Place Parking Lot

Live Music / Entertainment

Ellis Paul

2:30 pm, Liberty Market Place Parking Lot

Cooking Demonstration

3:00 pm, S. Union and Cypress Streets Kennett Square, PA

STREET FESTIVAL VENDORS

With over 200 vendors you will surely ﬁnd everything you are looking for. Reference the map in the center spread for the exact locations.

Business name

Power Home Remodeling

Sheridan Lawyers

Painted Sky Alpaca Farm LLC

The Woodlands at Phillips

Mushroom Farms

Square Pear Fine Art Gallery

Silver City Mugs

Top Dog Concession

Good Time Health

Mrs Robinson’s Tea Shop

Gosia’s Pierogies

Trattoria la tavola

MarchÃ©

The Meat House Market

Hope’s Caramels

Buona Foods Inc

Dough Sweet

Sherri’s Crab Cakes

La Verona Restaurant

Fuscoâ€™s Water Ice

Spiderbite Boutique

Woodside Farm Creamery

Portabellos of Kennett Square

Sweet Amelia’s

GreenRoots Landscaping

Green Eyed Lady

Maura Grace Boutique

Big E’s LLC

Maddy Made Pottery

Clean Slate Goods

Talula’s Table

Mushrooms Way

Lily Sushi and Grill

Me & My Dog Pet Bakery,LLC

Nottingham Bonsai

LeafFilter Gutter Protection

Element on State

Kennett Collaborative

Philter

Grain Craft Bar & Kitchen

Green Star Exteriors

The Mushroom Cap

Cafe Emis

Chantilly Blue LLC

Cigar Life

Trail Creek Outﬁtters

LuCass Boutique

D51

Chadds Ford Climate Control

Nectar of the Vine

Terraintextures

Kent County Candles

Pet Bandanas USA

LC Farms

The Comfort Station

Makinit Desins By Vicki

The Southern Beekeeper

Hands-on Glass Studio

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar

SporeScreen

Nomadic Pies

Pet Portraits by Joe Brewer

Tri-State Senior Insurance

TorchBearer Sauces

Jersey Mikes

Charmed by Myrna

The Bacon Jams

ChristianaCare

RAVEbandz

Swarmbustin’ Honey LLC

Propulsion Designs

Plum Creations

MTnest Woodworks

Hip Klips Mini Purse

F+V Design Studio

Tupperware

Honorable Oak

LD Ceramics

RagTrader Vintage

Terrarium Therapy

Soco Swings

Losco Glass

Glue & Stitch

Nutty Novelties

Butter and Love Bake Shop

Shroomy Stitches

Gourmet Gifts Inc

Top Shelf Jerky, by Otis Farms,

Crystal Climbers

Caitelle

Skyseed Energy

Astro Vinyl Art

Pixie + Thistle

Landis Handmade

Worx Essentials CBD

Hen and Chic Vintage

E57, F13

E61, F14

E63

E65

E67

E69

E73

E75

E77

E81

E85

E99

F01

F03

F05

F06, F08, F10

Wow Fudge and Belgian Chocolates

Nica-Art

T.Oâ€™s Hot Spice

TieBro handmade Bow Ties

Burning branch studio

Earth Products Essentials

LLC

Three Tuxedos Pottery Studio

Iris Gardens

Precious Sudz

Forager’s Kingdom

Global Home Improvement

Ryan Messner Glass Art

Cassava & Rye

Tastefully Simple

Al Moretti Art

Art By Heather Leanne

I See Spain

True Honey Teas

Serving Silver

Bob Deane Pottery

SUNDYES.good.vibes

Mixtape Paper Co.

Ellaful

Shelby’s Squad

Chef Tim Foods

Center Court Productions, Inc.

Bacon on a stick and That’s It

Sew Much Cooler

May With Love Knits

The Artisan Marshmallow Company, LLC

Oxford’s Sew and Sew

Dixie’s Down Home Cooking

Bath Bombs Baby

Kimberlys krafts

THE DAVEY TREE EXPERT COMPANY

Crochet Vision

Paiya

Create By Marycate

CrazyFaces FacePainting & Body Art

La Bamba Ice Cream and Snacks

Sweetman Designs

Chasing Rays Concepts

F26, F28, F30, F32, F34

F27

F38

LaBellaâ€™s Paper Petals E33

Greg’s Art & Garden Iron

Guatemalan goodies

Revolution Bees

BabyFace Mugs

Totally Tied and Dyed

F48

Claranda Tay Candles Co

The Bay Gypsy

Lucky Bat Paper Co.

LoveLeigh Craft Co

A Peace of Color, LLC

Aromacology Co.

Full Moon Blends

Christmas All Year ‘Round

Earth To Ocean

AirRings byAnn

Mason Jar Designs

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Bang Cookies and Chocolate Moonshine

Red Barn LaserCrafts

Designs By Ri

So Many Flowers

Made by Kasumi

Morning Glory by Lori

The Deep Forest

Hangry Bear Creamery

Moyer Pest & Lawn

Renewal by Andersen

ACRE Windows & Doors

Krapf Bus Co.

American Sentry Solar / American Design and Build

All American Rooﬁng and Remodeling leaf guard

Passanante’s Home Food Services

Vytal Options/PA Options for Wellness

Mathnasium of Glen Mills

Penn Vet’s Wildlife Futures Program

KeyBank

Delaware County Community College

Chadds Ford Baptist Church

Kennett Consolidated School District

Aether Artiﬁcers

NRG

Sylvia Dale Collection Beach MemoriesÂ® Glassworks

Snippets of Life by Nick

G. Fedale Rooﬁng and Siding

One Sweet World

mushrooms meet the

Por·ta·bel·la (pawr-tuh-bel-uh):

a mature, very large crimini mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. Portabellas are mature agaricus mushrooms where the veil has opened and the gills are exposed.

Cri·mi·ni (kruh-mee-nee):

an edible, dark-brown mushroom with a rounded cap, Agaricus bisporus.

The crimini is an immature portabella, picked before the gills are exposed. It is known by many names including baby portabella, baby bella, Roman mushroom, Italian mushroom and brown mushroom.

Royal Trumpet (roi-uhl truhm-pit):

has a trumpet-shaped tan cap and thick, white stem. Also called King Oyster, Pleurotus eryngii.

The Royal Trumpet mushroom is the largest species of the oyster mushroom.

crisp, firm fleshed fungi with short stems, Hypsizygus tessulatus.

In nature, the beech mushroom is found high up in the yokes of trees. It is cultivated on jars filled with corn cobs.

Beech (beech):

Button (buht-n):

a usually small white mushroom in which the pileus has not yet expanded, Agaricus bisporus

The yellow oyster is described as delicate like a daffodil and could be used as a centerpiece. WEDNESDAY,

Oyster (oi-ster):

an edible fungus having an oystershaped cap, Pleurotus ostreatus.

Maitake (my-tah-key):

rippling, tan shaped mushroom without caps, also called Hen of the Woods, Grifola frondosa.

In Japanese, “maitake” translates to dancing mushroom. In other parts of the world this mushroom that grows at the base of trees in the wild is called Hen-of-the-Woods, Ram’s Head and Sheep’s Head.

Pom Pom (pom-pom):

white sphere fungi with soft spines and no stem, Hericium erinaceus

Shiitake (shee-ee-tah-key):

a large, meaty, black or dark brown mushroom, Other common names are Golden Oak, Black Forest and Oakwood, Lentinus edodes.

As both food and medicine, the shiitake has been revered in Asia for thousands of years. It grows in the Far East on fallen broadleaf trees, include the “shii” tree in Japan.

Mushroom Fest two long-time co

In memory of Randy and Tommy

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

In early September, when the annual Mushroom Festival makes its return to Kennett Square, the event becomes what it has always been: the celebration of a community.

For the longtime organizers of the festival, those who tirelessly spend many of their evenings throughout the year planning this southern Chester County tradition, they belong to a unified group that can best be described as a family.

Over the last eight months, the Mushroom Festival Committee said goodbye to two of their most dedicated family members -- Randall Stone “Randy” Lieberman and Thomas “Tommy” Harold Lafferty.

To Randy, who died on Dec. 26, 2023 at the age of 62 surrounded by his wife, Amy and their children, Avery

and Stone, his entire adult life was spent in the company and service of his own family, his friends and the community he lived in. Born in Bryn Mawr, Pa., he was the son of the late Irvin Lieberman and Judy (Hartle) Lieberman, and was a proud graduate of Unionville High School, as well as Susquehanna University and Franklin College in Switzerland. For the past four decades, Randy was the architect of the Chester County Press, where under his vision and leadership, the newspaper has increased circulation, expanded its editorial content and broadened its online readership, and continues to provide thousands of area residents with often exclusive reporting on local politics, schools and school districts, arts and entertainment, business and commerce and profiles of local leaders and stakeholders.

Through his leadership, the company produces twicea-year editions of several magazines that are circulated throughout Chester County, Delaware and Maryland; as

tival remembers ommunity leaders

well as partners with several business chamber groups in creating their publications.

If the principal anchors of Randy’s life were his family, and the impact he made at the helm of the Press, the Mushroom Festival became a repository for his ideas, his sense of collaboration and his selfless desire to make the festival not only a local favorite but one that now draws national attention.

“Randy’s community contributions to New Garden and surrounding communities are impressive indeed,” said Chris Robinson, who served with Lieberman on the New Garden Township Open Space Review Board. “His cheerful social manner and engaging personality encouraged civic participation, festivities and personal introductions as evidenced by him serving as past President of the now nationally known Kennett Mushroom Festival.

“He made people feel good about life, about neighbors, about our history and about being civically informed.”

Randy’s good works in the community did not end with the Mushroom Festival. He was a past president of the New Garden Township Open Space Review Board and also served the Landenberg United Methodist Church in several capacities.

At every stop along his life’s journey, Randy was accompanied by an infectious laugh that lit up every Mushroom Festival meeting he ever attended, but as those in the Mushroom Festival Committee will easily admit, he had a fierce rival in the area of good humor and a passion for life.

Tommy Lafferty, who died on May 24 at the age of 73, was born into the mushroom industry and carried his love of life throughout it, whether he was on a

tractor, at an industry meeting, helping to organize and promote the Mushroom Festival or when he arrived as Santa Claus in a helicopter at New Garden Township Park for every holiday event at the township.

Born in Wilmington, Lafferty grew up in Kaolin, attended St. Patrick’s School and graduated from Kennett High School in 1969, and three years later, he married Kathi, his wife of 52 years, and together, they raised their children Kelleanne Smith (Sean), Erin Storm (Brian) and Christopher Lafferty (Jennifer).

Tommy’s introduction to the mushroom industry began at an early age – ten years old, to be exact – when he started driving mushroom tractors at the family business, P.A. Lafferty and Sons, Inc, where he became a successful mushroom grower and the Vice President of Mushroom Conveyors, Inc. and also the Vice President of the American Mushroom Institute.

In the same spirit as his friend Randy Lieberman, Tommy Lafferty was a man of the people, and he was blessed to know generations of local families, either when he was driving his signature 1940 Ford with the top down through the area, playing his beloved guitar or at the family shore house on the Chesapeake Bay, where he enjoyed sunrises and sunsets.

“I tried to be kind to everyone and I received it back tenfold,” Tommy frequently said – a sentiment that could easily be applied to Randy – and while their wives and children continue their long legacies at the Mushroom Festival, their lasting mark on this annual rite of passage in southern Chester County will be truly complete when their grandchildren – Tommy has seven and Randy has two – will carry on their grandfathers’ dedication to the Mushroom Festival for generations to come.

39 interesting facts about

mushrooms

By Steven Hoffman and Maggie Horgan

The Mushroom Festival is celebrating its 39th year in Kennett Square in 2024 so to commemorate the special occasion, here is a list of 39 interesting facts about mushrooms.

1 Mushrooms have been eaten for thousands of years and can grow almost anywhere.

2 Early Romans referred to mushrooms as the “food of the gods.”

3 J.B. Swayne is credited with starting mushroom growing in the United States. Swayne started to cultivate mushrooms in Kennett Square which is, of course, the Mushroom Capital of the World.

4 A mycophile is someone whose hobby is to hunt edible wild mushrooms.

5 Mushroom production has becoming increasingly high-tech, with more and more computers being used to monitor production at each step.

6 Mushrooms love the dark. They thrive on it.

7 One portabella mushroom has more potassium than a banana.

8 Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of certain fungi—the equivalent of the apple, not the tree. Fungi, including those which produce mushrooms, are not plants. They are related to molds, mildews, rusts, and yeasts, and are classiﬁed in the Fungi Kingdom.

9 There are over 38,000 varieties of mushrooms available, over 3,000 in North America alone, with varying colors, textures, and ﬂavors. There are so many varieties of mushrooms, both edible and toxic, that mass consumption is pretty much limited to those commercially grown varieties which can be trusted to be edible.

10 In ancient Egypt, only Pharaohs were allowed to eat mushrooms because it was believed that the mushrooms appeared magically overnight. It was speculated at that time that lightning may have created the mushrooms.

11 According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average American eats about four pounds of mushrooms every year.

The ﬁrst recorded effort to cultivate mushrooms occurred around 1700 in France.

13 Mushrooms are useful not only as food and medicine—there are new uses being discovered all the time. Some mushroom varieties are being used in bioremediation to absorb and digest substances like oil, pesticides and industrial waste in places where these substances threaten the environment.

14 In 1990, the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act was passed by the U.S. Congress to strengthen the mushroom industry’s position in the marketplace, maintain and expand existing markets and uses for mushrooms, and develop new markets and uses for mushrooms. In 1993, the Mushroom Council was established to achieve the goals of this act.

15 Almost any mushroom except for the regular white mushroom is considered to be an exotic mushroom.

16 Mushrooms can grow very fast. As a consequence, the term “mushrooming” has become a popular word that can be attached to almost anything that grows quickly.

17 Mushrooms are a fungus and, unlike plants, they do not require sunlight to make energy for themselves.

18 Penicillin and streptomycin are examples of potent antibiotics derived from fungi.

19 Mushrooms are a superfood. They are the only food in the produce section of the local grocery store that produce Vitamin D.

20 Mushrooms contain disease-ﬁghting properties, antioxidants, and a wide variety of important nutrients.

21 Portabella mushrooms, which are known for their meat-like texture and ﬂavor, can reach a size of six inches in diameter.

22 Mushrooms contain more protein than most vegetables.

23 The American Mushroom Institute was founded right here in Chester County in the 1950s.

24 Mushrooms are comprised of 85 percent to 95 percent water.

25 Traditional Chinese medicine has utilized the medicinal properties of mushrooms for centuries.

26 Mushrooms are one of the most difﬁcult commodities

to grow. It is very labor-intensive to produce a consistent, high-quality crop.

27 Fresh mushrooms don’t freeze well. If it is necessary to freeze them, ﬁrst saute them with butter or oil in a non-stick pan. Then cool slightly before freezing them in an airtight container.

28 Mushrooms rank the highest among vegetables for protein content.

29 Some of the oldest living mushroom colonies are fairy rings growing around the Stonehenge ruins in England.

30 Mushrooms are low in calories and contain no fat or sodium. Consequently, they are a very popular ingredient in salads.

31 In the Blue Mountains of Oregon is a colony of Armillaria solidipes that is believed to be the world’s largest known organism. The fungus is over 2,400 years old and covers an estimated 2,200 acres

32 Some mushroom spores can sit dormant for decades—or longer—and still grow if the conditions are right.

33 Mushrooms are available in fresh, dried, and in powder form.

34 Even the Bard, William Shakespeare, once waxed poetic about our favorite fungi, referring to “midnight mushrooms.”

35 Mushroom growing in the United States began after the Civil War and the growing seasons were very short at ﬁrst. That has changed now, thanks to improved technology.

36 The stem of a mushroom is a good source of ﬂavor and nutrients so there is no need to remove it. When you do need to remove the stem, chop it and add to stufﬁngs, casseroles, soups and sauces.

37 New species of mushrooms are still being discovered each year.

38 Two-thirds of the white button mushrooms consumed the U.S. come from Pennsylvania mushroom farms. Pennsylvania farms produced 446.58 million pounds of white button mushrooms.

39 The 39th annual Mushroom Festival will take place this year on Saturday, Sept. 7 and Sunday, Sept. 8. Proceeds from the annual event are used to provide grants to nonproﬁt organizations that serve local residents.

MUSHROOM RECIPES

Everyone knows the best thing about mushrooms— they are a delicious and extremely versatile food. Here are some recipes to try if you’re looking for a great, new way to enjoy mushrooms.

Appetizers

Stuffed Mushrooms

Cut the stems off five large mushroom caps and par-boil. (reserve ½ cup mushroom stock)

Stuffing:

One ounce minced garlic, one green pepper, three ribs celery, one red pepper, one carrot, six ripe olives, one medium onion, pinch of sage, rosemary and thyme

Preparation:

Finely dice all ingredients, then saute in two ounces of

olive oil until onions are transparent. Toss into mixture ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs. Stuff mushroom caps and place in a one inch deep baking dish. Cover with cheese sauce and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Cheese Sauce:

½ cup mushroom stock from par-boiling two ounces roux (one ounce butter and one once flour), ½ cup milk. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat milk. Whip in roux until thick. Add cheese and blend until smooth.

Appetizers

Kennett Square Mushroom Dip

Ingredients:

2 quarts ketchup

1 9-ounce jar Kraft Horseradish sauce

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

½ teaspoon oregano

Preparation:

½ teaspoon sweet basil

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Thoroughly mix all ingredients, chill and serve with raw mushrooms.

Soups and Salads

Mushroom Gumbo

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped onions

1 ½ cups chopped red bell peppers

1 ½ cups chopped green bell peppers

1 ½ cups chopped yellow bell peppers

1 cup chopped celery

1 pound tomato sauce

5 pounds mixed mushrooms

1 pound can of diced tomatoes

¾ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup all-purpose flour

Seasoning Mix:

3 whole bay leaves

3 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon red pepper (preferably Cayenne)

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except mushrooms in a 5 quart saucepan and add water. Bring to a hard boil, then let simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and seasoning and simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.

Continued on Page 56

MUSHROOM

RECIPES

Everyone knows the best thing about mushrooms— they are a delicious and extremely versatile food. Here are some recipes to try if you’re looking for a great, new way to enjoy mushrooms.

Soups and Salads

Five Mushroom Exotic Soup

Ingredients:

¼ pound each white, Enoki, Shiitake, Oyster, Trumpet and Woodier mushrooms

½ gallon of milk

½ quart cream

¼ cup flour

¼ pound butter

2 ounces of butter for sauteing

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream, nutmeg and Enoki mushrooms for garnish

Preparation:

Wash and slice mushrooms. Saute in 2 ounces of butter until tender. Set aside. Make a roux with ¼ cup flour and ¼ pound of butter. Scald milk and cream and add to roux. Cook over moderate heat until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then add the mushrooms and heat (do no overcook). Serve garnished with sour cream, nutmeg and raw Enoki mushrooms.

Ingredients:

Main Courses and Side Dishes

Mixed Baked Mushrooms

4 dozen mushrooms

2 packages spinach souffle

Pam Nutmeg Salt

Parmesan cheese (grated)

Boursin or Alouette cheese

Preparation:

Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Carve down a bit where stems were removed to make a bowl for the filling. Thaw spinach souffle. Spray half the mushrooms with Pam. Sprinkle the mushroom “bowls” with nutmeg and salt.

Scoop souffle into the mushrooms and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Spray Pam on other half of mushrooms. Fill each with light cheese such as Boursin or Alouette. Cover loosely with

foil. Place in oven 15 minutes after spinach filled mushrooms. Remove foil after 5 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes. Both are done when contents are puffed. Remove both at the same time.

Continued on Page 58

Continued on Page 57

MUSHROOM RECIPES

Everyone knows the best thing about mushrooms— they are a delicious and extremely versatile food. Here are some recipes to try if you’re looking for a great, new way to enjoy mushrooms.

Main Courses and Side Dishes

Shiitake Shells

Ingredients:

12 jumbo shells

½ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms

2 eggs

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon oregano

1 ½ teaspoon basil

½ teaspoon thyme

1 ½ teaspoons marjoram

Pinch of white pepper

1 quart marinara sauce

Preparation:

Boil shells until al dente in 1 gallon water with 1 cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon salt. Drain ricotta cheese. Dice mushrooms and saute in butter. Combine all ingredients, blending thoroughly. Fill shells and arrange in shallow baking dish. Top with marinara sauce. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Shells are done when sauce is bubbling around edges. Regular white mushrooms may also be substituted.

Ingredients:

Main Courses and Side Dishes

Shredded Mushroom Soup

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons butter

½ cup finely chopped onion

¾ teaspoon salt

1/16 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons flour

1 can (10-1/2 oz.)

chicken broth

2 tablespoons dry sherry

2 cups half and half

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation:

Rinse, pat dry and slice mushrooms. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and onions and saute for 4-5 minutes. Stir constantly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside….In a medium saucepan melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour and cook until bubbly and lightly browned. Remove from heat and gradually pour in constantly. Then gradually add half and half and the sauteed mushrooms. Heat until hot but DO NOT BOIL. Stir in the nutmeg and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Continued on Page 60

Jump

Continued from Page 60

Everyone knows the best thing about mushrooms— they are a delicious and extremely versatile food. Here are some recipes to try if you’re looking for a great, new way to enjoy mushrooms.

Main Courses and Side Dishes

Quick and Easy Supper Dish

1 package (4 oz.) Taki Tree Oyster Mushrooms

3 T. of butter

1 package (8 oz.) macaroni

2 large tomatoes, peeled if desired

3 green onions, minced

3 T. fresh parsley, minced

½ teaspoon garlic salt

Grated Romano cheese

Separate mushrooms but do not wash. If necessary, trim the very ends of the stems. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet. Add mushrooms and saute 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain well. Add to mushrooms in skillet, along with cubed tomatoes, onions, parsley, basil and garlic salt. Return to heat and toss carefully. Put on lid and simmer about three minutes until heated through. Serve on a platter sprinkled with Romano cheese. Serves 4.

Continued on Page 60

2024 SPONSORSHIPS

WHITE BUTTON

Giorgio Fresh CO.

Mushroom Farmers of Pennsylvania

SRILX Products,IronLinx,Qnectus

South Mill Champs

PORTABELLA

Basciani Foods Ihc

Phillips Mushroom Farms

PA Dept of AgriculturePA Preferred

Dankso

CRIMINI

Baccellieri Family Dentistry

Bentley Truck Service

Laurel Valley Farms Inc

S&T Bank

Modern Mushroom Farm

SHITAKE

Truist Bank

R.M. Crossan INC.

Duvall Bus Service LLC

Italian American Citizens League of Kennett Square

Gordon Fournaris & Mammarella

Bunzl Mid Atlantic

Manfredi Cold Storage

Amycel Spawn Mate

Longwood Gardens

Kennett Township

Needham’s Mushroom Farm

Greenwood Mushrooms

AARP

Kerlin’s Mid-Atlantic Dist. Inc

OYSTER

Becker Locksmith

AP Murray

Chester County Press

Murray

Blittersdorf Towing

Fulton Bank

The Giant Company

Poores Propane

Sylvan

Leafy Kitchen

Hadley

Heritage Concrete

MAITAKE

TRUMPET

We Love Junk

Grifco Inc Griffonetti”s

Longwood Veterinary Center

Openaker Trash & Recycling Service

IN-KIND

Next Home LLC

LGB Properties

Kennett High School

McGovern Sanitation

Kennett Fire Company No.1

YO Sign Guy

Chatham Financial

Matt Fetick Real Estate team

Mattioni Plumbing, Heating & Cooling

R. L. Irwin Mushroom Co

Farm Credit

Wolfe Supply & Services

Penn Township

East West Label Company INC

Tri-M Group

Belfor Property Restoration

John R Stinson & Sons

Umbriet Wileczek & Associates

Taylor Oil and Propane

Technivate INC

Olympus Myco

Unicorn Bags

The Perfect Impression

Atlantic Tractor

Davis & Company PC

Bob’s Crane Service

Delaware Valley Concrete

TO-JO Mushrooms

Buona Foods

Bryan Blittersdorf

Kuzo Funeral Home, Inc.

Kennett Glass

SECCRA

Giorgi Kitchens

Modern Mushroom

Krapf School Bus

State Farm Insurance -

Brian Hartle

Mushrooms are and good for the e

By Monica Fragale

Contributing

Writer

Did you know that when you eat mushrooms, you’re not only eating a superfood … you’re helping the environment?

According to the Mushroom Council, “researchers have noted mushrooms can be considered one of the most sustainably produced foods in the United States.”

That is because these nutritious fungi are grown in small spaces using agricultural byproducts, and use less water and energy.

“Mushrooms are incredibly efficient to produce,” according to IncredibleMushrooms.com, a website dedicated to the many kinds of fungi. “Their water footprint is minimal, and they have significantly lower energy demands compared to traditional protein sources like meat.”

Continued on Page 66

2 A mushroom grower describes the growing process to visitors.

3 Mushrooms come in all colors, shapes and flavors.

4 A vendor at the 2023 Mushroom Festival prepares fried mushrooms for sale.

Photos by Chris Barber

Mushrooms are so colorful that their display is a wide spectrum.

a ‘superfood’— environment, too!

Superfood

Continued from Page 64

According to a 2017 study by the Mushroom Council, the fungi that we celebrate in Kennett Square every September have a small environmental footprint.

“Mushroom production has a very low environmental footprint,” the study reads. “We have found that it requires small amounts of water, land and energy to produce mushrooms.”

For instance, producing one pound of mushrooms uses a kilowatt of energy and 1.8 gallons of water, and generates 0.7 pounds of CO2 equivalent gases. That’s the same amount of energy your coffeemaker uses in one hour, and the equivalent of about 32 8-ounce glasses of water, according to the American Mushroom Institute (AMI). It’s also 3.5 percent of the amount of carbon dioxide released by one gallon of fuel.

“Today’s growers use smart management and production practices” to aid in sustainability, according to AMI.

The soil that mushrooms are grown in can include hay, straw, and other organic materials that provide the needed nutrients. Once mushrooms are harvested, the used soil becomes compost and can be reused to grow different crops or use for landscaping, according to an AMI fact sheet.

“Mushroom compost has been used successfully for runoff mediation and river bank buffer projects, green roofs, certain wood-decaying fungus suppression, evergreen farms, athletic fields, landfill caps for establishing vegetation, restoration of degraded coal mine lands for wildlife vegetation, to degrade contaminants in the environments and to neutralize acid mine drainage,” according to AMI.

So the next time you want to do something positive for the environment, and you’re looking for a tasty, nutritious treat, enjoy a mushroom or two!

2 Mushrooms are not limited to serving alone. They do well in salads, stews and sauces.

3 The variety of mushrooms is so varied they are often copied as art.

4 Meat sauce and appetizers with olives are just two variations of how to serve mushrooms.

Photos by Chris Barber

1 Mushroom soup is a popular choice at the mushroom festival.

did you know?

• Mushrooms have been around for so long that even the Bard himself, William Shakespeare, waxed poetic about our favorite fungi. In the lone mention that Shakespeare made of mushrooms (at least the only one that we could ﬁnd), he referred to them as “midnight mushrooms.” That’s appropriate since mushrooms are, of course, grown in the dark.

• “Mushroom” is deﬁned by the Random House Dictionary as “any of various ﬂeshy fungi including the toadstools, puffballs, coral fungi, morels, etc.”

• Mushrooms have been around for literally thousands of years, and there are thousands of different mushroom species.

• Mushrooms are grown in the dark, but it’s not because they are adversely affected by light. Sunlight is not needed because mushrooms do not produce chlorophyll like regular green plants. Since it is not needed, the cost and inconveniences of providing light are removed.

• Only a small percentage of the total number of mushroom species are actually edible. And only about 100 different varieties are cultivated by growers. About twenty or so species are grown for commercial purposes. Just six species account for most of the mushrooms sold in the U.S.

• White mushrooms owe their popularity to chefs from France who made them an essential part of French cuisine several hundred years ago.

The Mushroom Festival

Through The Years

Celebrating 39 Years

The Brandywine Valley offers a wide variety of attractions and activities

As one of the top food festivals in the country, the Mushroom Festival makes for a fun-filled weekend each September and is certainly a good reason to visit historic Kennett Square. But a proper visit to enjoy all that the Brandywine Valley has to offer will take much more than a weekend.

Tourism is very important to Chester County and the entire Brandywine Valley, and there are plenty of fun activities to enjoy throughout the year.

The area is rich in history-- Revolutionary War buffs can enjoy a tour of the Brandywine Battlefield and the surrounding areas where U.S. history played out on Chester County ground. Outdoor beauty can be enjoyed at a number of parks and exquisite gardens, or on one of several top-rated golf courses. For those more interested in indoor activities, museums abound -- natural history, art and even helicopters are featured. Wineries are abundant, and offer tours, tastings and live entertainment throughout the year. For live theater, there are several community and professional theaters in the Chester County vicinity.

Why not extend your stay after the Mushroom Festival, or plan another trip to enjoy more of what we have to offer?

Here’s a quick look at some of the more popular attractions in Chester County.

American Helicopter Museum and Education Center

1220 American Blvd., West Chester 610-436-9600, www.helicoptermuseum.org.

The American Helicopter Museum and Education Center is the nation’s premier aviation museum devoted exclusively to helicopters. They collect, restore and display historic aircraft and chronicle the origin and development of rotary wing aircraft. Fun for the whole family. Open to the public. Admission charged.

Brandywine River Museum

Route 1 in Chadds Ford 610-388-2700

www.brandywinerivermuseum.org.

Internationally known for works by three generations of the Wyeth family and its collection of American illustration, still life and landscape painting. Open daily. Admission charged.

Brandywine Battleﬁeld Park

Route 1 Chadds Ford 610-459-3342

www.ushistory.org/brandywine.

The Battle of Brandywine on Sept. 11, 1777 was the largest single-day land battle of the American Revolution. Tours include two historic houses: the Ring House, used by George Washington as his headquarters, and the Gilpin House.

The Brandywine Polo Club

232 Polo Road in Toughkenamon, 610-268-8692 brandywinepolo.com

The Brandywine Polo Club is the largest USPA club in the Eastern Circuit, and is committed to making polo accessible to everyone. The summer polo season is four full months with nine competitive tournaments. Follow on social media or visit the website for information about upcoming events.

Chaddsford Winery

632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221 www.chaddsford.com

Tour the winery and enjoy special events. Visit website for information about upcoming events, locations of tasting rooms, and more.

Chadds Ford Historical Society

Creek Road, one-quarter of a mile north of Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-7376 www.chaddsfordhistory.org

wo early 18th-century house museums -- the John Chads House and the Barns-Brinton House -- are open for tours by costumed guides. The historic barn nearby hosts exhibitions about local history throughout the year. Admission charged.

Chester County History Center

225 N. High St., West Chester, 610-692-4800 www.chestercohistorical.org

Learn the stories of regional heritage through permanent and changing exhibits. Admission charged.

Colonial Theatre

227 Bridge St. Phoenixville, 610-917-1228 www.thecolonialtheatre.com

The historic, single-screen movie house, known for its appearance in “The Blob” with Steve McQueen, shows art and independent films, as well as classic films and children’s films. There is also a schedule of live programs and concerts.

Delaware Art Museum

2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. 302-571-9590, www.delart.org

The museum’s collection focuses on American art and illustration, with permanent and changing exhibits. There’s an outdoor sculpture park, kids’ corner and café. Admission charged.

Delaware History Museum

505 Market St., Wilmington, Del. 302-656-0637, www.dehistory.org

Changing exhibits about Delaware history, as well as a permanent interactive exhibit that features 400 years of Delaware history. Admission charged. Call for hours of operation

Delaware Museum of Nature and Science

4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Del. 302-658-9111, www.delmns.org

Explore an African watering hole, marvel at a lifesized giant squid and dinosaurs, take the kids to a hands-on exploration area, and see a world-class collection of shells from around the world. Admission charged.

Delaware Park

777 Delaware Park Blvd., Wilmington, Del. 800-41-SLOTS, www.delpark.com

Racing, slots and golf are offered, with live thoroughbred racing from April through November. Open 24 hours a day, except for Sundays.

Hagley Museum and Library

Route 141,Wilmington, Del. 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org

Tour the historic buildings of the original du Pont powder mills, estate and gardens. The library collects, preserves and interprets the history of American enterprise. Admission charged.

Herr’s Snack Factory Tour

20 Herr Dr., Nottingham 800-63-SNACK, www.herrs.com

Take a free guided tour of this leading snack food manufacturer. Warm potato chip samples provided. Gift shop and café at the Visitor Center.

Kennett Symphony of Chester County

206 State St., Kennett Square 610-444-6363, www.kennettsymphony.org

The professional community symphony offers concerts throughout the year. Visit online for an upcoming schedule of events.

VISITORS GUIDE

Area Attractions

Continued from Page 75

Longwood Gardens

Route 1, Kennett Square 610-388-2227, www.longwoodgardens.org

Longwood offers 1,050 acres of woodlands, meadows, indoor and outdoor gardens, 11,000 types of plants, fountains, performing arts events, family activities, special exhibits and and classes. Admission charged.

The Mushroom Cap

114 W. State St., Kennett Square 610-444-8484, www.themushroomcap.com

Fresh mushrooms from the family farm are shipped daily. Gifts and collectibles for sale. Open seven days a week.

The Mushroom Festival

Kennett Square’s most popular event 610-925-3373, www.mushroomfestival.org returns for the 39th annual festival on Sept. 7 and 8. There will be plenty of attractions, food, fun, and activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

Nottingham County Park

150 Park Rd., Nottingham, 610-932-2589

The park covers more than one square mile and has one of the largest serpentine barrens on the East Coast. Located near the Pennsylvania/Maryland line, the park has pavilions and hiking trails.

Downtown Oxford

Oxford’s downtown is charming and rich with history. The commercial district includes dining, an art gallery, and numerous unique shops. More information about the downtown attractions can be found at www.oxfordmainstreet.org.

Paradocx Vineyard

In Landenberg 610-255-5684, www.paradocx.com tour the winery and enjoy special events throughout the year.

Pennsbury-Chadds Ford Antique Mall

Home to dealers who specialize in glass, silverware, furniture, rare books, vintage toys and more. Call 610-388-1620 for more information.

Penns Woods Winery

124 Beaver Valley Rd., Chadds Ford 610-459-0808

Tour the winery and enjoy special events.

QVC Studio Tour

1200 Wilson Dr., West Chester 800-600-9900, www.qvctours.com

A guided walking tour offers an informative look inside the world’s leading electronic retailer. Watch live broadcasts in action.

Stroud Water Research Center

970 Spencer Rd., Avondale 610-268-2153, www.stroudcenter.org

A global leader in freshwater research and public education of watershed restoration. Located along the banks of the White Clay Creek.

Va La Vineyards

8822 Gap Newport Pike, Route 41, Avondale 610-268-2702, www.valavineyards.com

The winery specializes in small batches of very unusual blends made from rare Italian and French varieties, and delicious local artisan foods.

Winterthur Museum and Country Estate

5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52) Winterthur, Del. 302-888-4600, www.winterthur.org

Henry Francis du Pont’s 175-room mansion is furnished with elegant antiques, surrounded by 1,000 acres of grounds and gardens. Mansion and garden tram tours are offered, along with special exhibitions, and The Enchanted Woods for families. Admission charged.

Wyncote Golf Club

50 Wyncote Dr., Oxford 610-932-8900, www.wyncote.com

An award-winning golf course modeled after the great courses in Scotland.

Climb aboard the Chester County Cheers Trail

Chester County Tourism’s new program provides an incentive for those who visit the county’s many wineries, breweries, tasting rooms and distilleries

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

Over the last decade, the 750 square miles of Chester County has transformed from having a moderately good reputation as a destination for locally made libations to an emerging industry that now draws both raves and visitors on a regular basis.

for ry now n a regutory, gnt a ng a the urism ed t

A few years later, as the county began to enjoy a rising number of wineries and distilleries, it formed Chester County Cheers, a broad overview in the form of a printed brochure and website – that now encapsulates 50 breweries, wineries, tasting rooms and distilleries from Phoenixville to Oxford under one umbrella of tours, tastes and tourism.

In a county known for its history, for cultural meccas like Longwood Gardens and for its quaint hometowns, there is now a bright and bountiful new kid in town, with beer, wine and spirits to enjoy that are tucked along the country road crevices of a growing county.

Over the past several years, the Office of Chester County Tourism has championed – and promoted –each stage of the industry’s growth. In 2018, the agency launched BV Brew Scene that recognized the emerging craft brew scene, and its website served as a mapping tool and information source that connected legions of brewing aficionados to the dozens of breweries that were popping up throughout the county.

to O tours, tastes

“All of these places are part of the infrastructure of Chester County, but by putting them all together, they become more of an attraction and more of a story,” said Nina Kelly, director of marketing and communications for Chester County Tourism. “It has enabled guests – no matter where they are in the county -- to look at the map and see that a winery and a distillery or a brewery is not far from where they are.”

“All of frastru by p be an K c C a th at and far fr In p t

In a larger sense, the agency’s program is following the lead of what has become a growing phenomenon across the U.S., the economic impact of which is providing ancillary business for hotels, inns, restaurants and other social amenities that are near wineries, breweries, tasting rooms and distilleries.

“Beginning several years ago, we began to see an uptick in people who were embarking on what are called brewcations and a substantial number of others were putting them on their radar,” said Jack Lodge, Chester County Tourism’s communications technology manager, who also has experience in the local craft brewing industry. “They’re driving, they’re staying in nearby hotels, they’re engaging in the local flair and they are taking this unique experience home with them, and telling their friends, ‘Try this.’”

“We rarely promote a single entity in Chester County on its own,” Kelly said, “so the beer, wine and spirits industry is marketed as part of a larger experience in visiting Chester County, in terms of, ‘I am coming to Chester County for ‘X’ and I am staying for ‘Y’. It is intrinsically tied to agritourism because of the use of the land, and it is tied to open space that is used to grow the products made in the making of wine, beer and spirits.”

Chester County Cheers Trail

While the burgeoning growth of the industry is being supported through the agency’s Chester County Cheers initiative, there is a new incentive program -- launched at the Kennett Winterfest -- that is very likely to draw additional visitors. By registering for the Chester County Cheers Trail (www.CountyCheers.com.), visitors can receive points simply by stopping by any of the 25 breweries throughout the county. Those accumulating points will be able to turn them in to receive prizes like hoodies, t-shirts, baseball caps, winter caps and beer glasses – all with the new Chester County Cheers Trail logo emblazoned on them.

The Trail – free to all members who sign up -- is a cooperative venture created by Chester County Tourism with support from Bill Covaleski of Victory Brewing Company and Seth Mathlery of Iron Hill Brewing Company.

Continued on Page 80

VISITORS GUIDE

Courtesy photos/image

The Office of Chester County Tourism’s new Chester County Cheers Trail allows visitors to enjoy 25 participating breweries in the county and receive points for each visit in exchange for prizes like hoodies, t-shirts, baseball caps, winter caps and beer glasses.

Chester County Cheers Trail

Continued from Page 79

“We wanted to establish a simple incentive plan as a deliverable for our guests that will help them build their own itineraries throughout the county,” Lodge said. “Every time a guest visits a brewery, their phone tracks their location to that brewery and points are just a simple click away. Another great benefit about this new platform is that it informs members about upcoming bottle releases and special events and incentives for visiting.

“The more places you visit, the more points you build up.”

Chester County Tourism expanded the Chester County Cheers Trail Program to include wine and spirits at the Kennett Summerfest in Kennett Square, sponsored by Kennett Collaborative. First introduced in 2022, the event brings local wineries and distilleries together with food, art and live music in a sophisticated festival atmosphere.

“Coming from the craft brewing industry, I place the same importance on internal collaboration as I do with the people who enjoy our Chester County Cheers program and this new incentive,” Lodge said. “Our hope has always been to get all of our breweries to know each other and work with each other. There is cross-pollination between all three of our beverage sectors, and our role is to interconnect them as part of a whole. It’s all about helping each other.”

To learn more about the Chester County Cheers program, see a list of all participating wineries, distilleries, tasting rooms and distilleries and register for the Chester County Cheers Trail, visit www.CountyCheers.com.

To learn more about upcoming events and key attractions throughout the Brandywine Valley, visit www.BrandywineValley.com.

The newly formed incentive program is part of Chester County Cheers, a cooperative partnership that showcases 50 breweries, wineries, tasting rooms and distilleries throughout the county.

The art of the stay Artelo is Kennett Square’s new boutique hotel

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

Artelo, a new boutique hotel at 201 Birch Street in Kennett Square that officially opened to guests on Aug. 1, positively gleamed during its public unveiling on July 11.

Welcoming a steady stream of nearly 300 visitors, representatives from the hotel’s sponsoring agency

Square Roots Collective gave tours of each of its 14 rooms – individual imprints of expression by 14 local artists that served as a blank canvas for them to apply their talents.

Those artists who contributed to the Artelo Project were Phillip Adams, Jose Bustamante, Chenlin Cai, Betsy Z. Casanas, Kala Hagopian, Mz. Icar, Robert C.Jackson, Christian Kanienberg, Liz Maycox, Alloyius Mcilwaine, Serena Saunders, Freiman Stoltzfus,

Photos by Richard L. Gaw ‘Augmented Abstractions,’ developed by artist Alloyius Mcilwaine, is just one of the 14 rooms painted by area artists at the Artelo.

Artelo is the latest conceptual idea in the continuing evolution of Birch Street in Kennett Square.

Alison Williams and WingChow. In addition, all beds were hand built by Fourge Furniture, a fourth-generation of furniture makers, and bedding was supplied by Matouk.

The Artelo Project was coordinated by Square Roots Collective Finance Associate Stephanie Almanza, Director of Marketing and Programming Anthony Racaniello, Redevelopment Project Lead Sandra Mulry and Chief of Staff Luke Zubrod. Neil Solloway will serve as the hotel’s general manager.

In its official statement, Square Roots Collective said that its Artelo Project is the combined culmination of aesthetics, storytelling, cultural expression and celebrating diversity. In its selection of the artists for the project, “it [was] imperative for us to select artists who can authentically represent the diversity of our regional communities. We sought individuals whose creative voices echoed the myriad of cultures and perspectives found within our area.

“We wanted pieces that resonate, that would speak to something within you. That’s why we urged our artists to reference their own stories and experiences into their work.”

VISITORS GUIDE

‘Wild Medicine’ by artist Kala Hagopian.

‘Disjointed Bloom,’ by artist Alison Williams.

Continued on Page 84

Kennett Square artist Robert Jackson, seen with his wife, Suzanne in the room he created, ‘Personalized Museum.’

Artelo

Continued from Page 83

“This is a project that in some ways was a long shot,” said Square Roots Collective Founder Mike Bontrager. “The idea of creating an immersive art experience that could be a hotel the launched several questions. ‘Would people want to stay there? Could we find the artists, and could we make this something that people would want to be a part of?’

“From a community side, this was not exactly what had been a beautiful building in town, but the questions was, ‘How do we restore this old building – things that are broken down – and make them new and beautiful?’ By being able to do that, this brings joy to us – and even a greater sense of fulfillment than if we had built something brand new.”

Similar to the business management plan of The Creamery – which was developed by Square Roots Collective and first opened in 2016 – 100 percent of profits from Artelo will be reinvested in community

projects throughout the Kennett Square area’s nonprofit organizations that include Family Promise of Southern Chester County, the United Way of Southern Chester County and Kennett Trails Alliance.

“From the start, our question has always been, ‘How do we energize the street economically and creatively and with community activities and at the same time create an engine for community improvement?’” Zubrod said. “Our goal is to recycle those dollars into community activities, so when people book a room at Artelo, they will be helping to house a family through Family Promise, who has a few ‘promise houses’ on Birch Street that houses those coming out of homelessness and into a more stable position.”

To learn more about Artelo and make reservations, visit www.arteloksq.com or email info@arteloksq. com.

Artelo, a new boutique hotel on Birch Street in Kennett Square, welcomed nearly 300 guests to its grand unveiling celebration on July 11.