Mushroom Festival 2025: Dates, Venue, and Travel Tips

Every September, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, aka the Mushroom Capital of the World, throws a delicious, two-day street party devoted to all things fungi. Mushroom Festival 2025 marks the event’s 40th year, bringing chef demos, a growers’ exhibit with living mushrooms, a raucous fried-mushroom-eating contest, live music, a classic-car show, and a whole town’s worth of food and makers. If you’re a foodie, a family traveler, or just curious about what makes this region so special, this is your perfect early-September getaway.

What is the Mushroom Festival?

It is Kennett Square’s signature celebration of its world-leading mushroom industry, part street fair, part culinary showcase, part small-town homecoming. Expect culinary stages, competitions, kids’ activities, a Saturday/Sunday vendor village, and a Thursday night parade to kick things off. In 2025, the festival celebrates “Harvesting 40 Years Together.”

Event Details

Date: September 6–7, 2025 (parade Thursday, September 4 at 6:00 PM)

Venue: State Street, Kennett Square, PA (downtown festival footprint)

Tickets: Buy Tickets Online

Hours: Sat 10 am–6 pm; Sun 10 am–4 pm.

How to Get There:

• By Air: Nearest major airport is Philadelphia International (PHL); rent a car or rideshare to Kennett Square.
• By Car & Parking: Follow US-1 to Kennett Square. Use designated festival parking lots with shuttle service (e.g., Chatham Financial and Kennett High School); $5 parking donation is typical. Signage and shuttle stops are posted event week.
• By Train/Transit: Take Amtrak or regional rail to Wilmington, DE, then rideshare into Kennett Square (limited direct transit during festival hours).

What to Expect at Mushroom Festival 2025

• Growers’ Exhibit: See live mushrooms (still growing!) and learn directly from local growers.
• Culinary Stage & Demos: Chef-led cooking demos and tastings throughout the weekend.
• Fried Mushroom Eating Contest: The crowd-favorite timed contest, equal parts hilarious and impressive.
• ‘Chopped’-Style Cook-Offs: Amateur and junior chefs go head-to-head with a mystery basket, live judging on taste, creativity, and presentation.
• 40th Parade (Thu): A festive downtown parade sets the tone for the weekend.
• Vendors & Street Fair: Dozens of makers, artisan foods, and mushroom merch lining State Street; grab a jar of local mushroom soup to take home.
• Family Fun: Kids’ zone, bounce area, bungee jump, balloons, and roaming mascot Fun Gus.
• Car Show & More: Antique/classic car show (Sat), silent auctions, photo contests, and live music across the footprint.

Things to Do in and Near Kennett Square

• Longwood Gardens: World-class conservatories, fountains, and nearly 200 acres of gardens, 5 minutes from downtown.
  
• Brandywine River Museum of Art (Chadds Ford): Home base for the Wyeth family’s iconic American art.
• Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (DE): Expansive gardens, woodland trails, and decorative arts just over the state line.
• Stroll Downtown Kennett Square: Cafés, bakeries, and farm-to-table restaurants keep the mushroom theme going year-round (many run festival specials).
  

Travel Tips for the Mushroom Festival

• Bring Cash: Wristbands are cash-only at the gate; parking donations at shuttle lots are typically cash, too.
• Use Park-&-Ride Shuttles: They’re by far the easiest way in/out on busy afternoons. Arrive early for the closest shuttle stops.
• Plan Saturday vs. Sunday: Saturdays feel livelier and longer; Sundays are a bit calmer and end earlier.
• Footwear First: It is a street festival, expect lots of walking and standing.
• No Pets: Borough rules prohibit pets inside the festival footprint; service animals only.
• Don’t Miss These Bites: Breaded mushrooms and the locally made mushroom soup sell out, hit food stalls early.
  

Conclusion

Mushroom Festival 2025 is small-town charm with big-flavor energy: chefs on stage, growers teaching, families cheering, and streets lined with food and music. Add in nearby Longwood Gardens and the Brandywine Valley’s museums, and you’ve got a perfect early-September weekend that feels both festive and local.

Frequently Asked Questions