Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
‘FUN-GI’ FOR ALL
Police increase security during 38th annual Mushroom Festival
KENNETT SQUARE >> People enjoyed the best of Pennsylvania this past weekend during the 38th annual Mushroom Festival in the heart of the borough.
In light of a nearby manhunt for fugitive Danelo Cavalcante, security at the event was visibility elevated.
“There was a significant amount of planning and preparation that goes on behind the scenes of events like the Mushroom Festival,” said Chief William Holdsworth of the Kennett Square Police Department.
“Officers are purposefully staged in several locations within the event perimeter both uniformed and plain clothed,” he said.
Kennett police assigned officers on patrol outside of the event itself, handling calls and assessing traffic concerns, the chief said. Further, the Kennett Square Police Department has threat assessments conducted leading up to large public events.
“We also utilize additional equipment and safety measures for our events,” Holdsworth said.
The police chief said event organizers also contract private security at the festival’s entrance points through which Kennett law enforcement collectively works as a team to keep the public safe.
The two-day event takes place every year during the first weekend in September after Labor Day. The firstever Mushroom Festival happened back in 1985.
Holdsworth called this year’s event: “successful.”
He continued, “I believe that after all of the recent chaos in the area this was a great opportunity for people to relax and enjoy some community togetherness.”
The police chief said the best part of the Mushroom Festival was seeing the enjoyment of all who were in attendance.
“It’s great to see both local residents and guests from afar come together and have fun,” said Matt Fetick, the mayor of Kennett Square.
Gale Ferranto is the Mushroom Festival coordinator.
“The Mushroom Festival was well attended this weekend,” she said. “We had a large crowd on Saturday, the streets were full.”
She said people were enjoying activities at both the culinary and music stages.
“With the unforeseen challenges of our local circumstance, our Mushroom Festival may not have been happened without the special attention and support from our Kennett Square mayor, Matt Fetick; Kennett Square Police Department; Kennett Fire Company, PoMar-Lin Fire Company; Longwood Fire Company; and Kennett Collaborative,” Ferranto said on Monday.
Ferranto said the festival’s main event is the Mushroom
Growing Exhibit which saw steady traffic all weekend including Sunday after the rain subsided.
“Our volunteer mushroom growers were in full force ready to answer all questions as we displayed the stages of mushroom growing and provided all the cultivated mushroom varieties we grow,” Ferranto said.
Ferranto said the best part for her was seeing the attendees get excited about being at the Mushroom Festival — mushroom lovers at their best.
“We saw an incredible amount of people wearing mushroom apparel, hats, shirts, socks, mushroom supplements, and interesting mushroom food dishes,” she stated.
Ferranto lauded the Mushroom Festival’s community sponsors who make the event possible. She also thanked the committee board members of the Mushroom Festival — “who are the Best Team I have ever worked with — they give countless hours preparing for the festival through wrap up, our Mushroom farmers of Pennsylvania, our local community volunteers. many organizations who step up and give their time to show up the
weekend after Labor Day who have supported this festival for 38 years.”
About 60% of the nation’s mushrooms are grown in southeastern Pennsylvania with the bulk of production happening in Chester County.
On Sunday, Rob McGee — who traveled to Kennett Square by bus from the Bronx — was the first-place winner of the fried mushroom eating contest. Stefan Talabisco came in second-place and Stephen Buchanan came in third-place.
There was also a chopped mushroom contest. On Saturday, Karly Mazza of Oxford won that day’s competition. Debra Martin Berkoski of Conestoga won the next day’s prize for the same contest.
Winners will be announced
in the days ahead for the painted mushroom and cute as a button contests.
For decades, the Mushroom Festival has been raising funds for charitable giving endeavors to support stellar organizations in the community.
Past recipients have included numerous difference makers, including the Garage Community and Youth Center, Kennett Education Foundation and North Star of Chester County.
In fact, the Mushroom Festival has raised and donated more than $1 million for local organizations during the last 20 years alone. Donated funds have been spent helping nonprofits purchase books, build playgrounds and procure food to feed for the hungry.