Swarthmore College Hosts The Swarthmore Fungi Fest Sept. 29 to Oct. 2

Delaware County-based Swarthmore College will host the Swarthmore Fungi Fest September 29 to October 2 on campus and at the Crum Woods.

Fungi Fest brings the College into a growing movement to learn from fungi to remediate our relationships with ourselves, each other, and the more-than-human world in a time of climate crisis. 

The Fungi Fest, organized by Josie Low ’27, will explore the social and ecological importance of the fungal kingdom, conservation efforts in Pennsylvania

This weeklong series of events culminates with a conversation between internationally acclaimed scientist and author Merlin Sheldrake and Pennsylvania’s first official state mycologist, Hannah Huber. 

Together, they will reveal the interconnected role of fungi in the interdisciplinary contexts of science, law and government, and creative writing and art.

“Swarthmore is the perfect place for mushrooms,” says Low. “We have a humid climate, the Crum Woods, and most importantly, a passionate community. Although we don’t have a formal mycology class, I can feel the excitement when mushrooms begin emerging in the fall. I want Swarthmore Fungi Fest to be a symbiotic place for both academia and community science, bridging disciplines and mediums, and bringing together fungi and people.”

The events include a guided walk in the Crum Woods; a film screening; an exhibition; a cooking demonstration; an introductory lecture on mycology by accomplished mycologist, educator, and Swarthmore alum Alden Dirks ’16.

“As the environmental emergency has worsened, there’s been a growing awareness of the interconnectivity of the living world,” said Merlin Sheldrake. “Fungi are really powerful poster organisms for ecological thinking.” 

Swarthmore Fungi Fest is supported by the William J. Cooper Foundation, Swarthmore College Libraries, the Biology Department, the Campus and Community Store, the English Department, the Environmental Studies Program, the Film and Media Studies Department, Kitao Gallery, the Office of Sustainability, the Teaching and Learning Commons, and Scott Arboretum & Gardens, as well as local mycology clubs the Philadelphia Mycology Club and the New Jersey Mycological Association.

All events are free and open to the public, though some may require registration in advance.

Click Here for a schedule of events and registration information.

Visit the Swarthmore Fungi Fest webpage to learn more.

(Photos: Alden Dirks ’16, Hannah Huber, and Merlin Sheldrake.)

Related Articles This Week:

-- Western PA Conservancy, Partners To Improve Fish Habitat On South Branch French Creek In Erie County  [PaEN] 

-- Swarthmore College Hosts The Swarthmore Fungi Fest Sept. 29 to Oct. 2  [PaEN] 

[Posted: September 15, 2026]  PA Environment Digest