Hay-on-Wye, famous for its bookshops, literary festival and history of independence, is adding a new claim to fame this autumn as it transforms into the UK's first Fungi Town.
Now in its second year, the three-day event takes place between 2-4 October 2026 and sees the whole town celebrate the extraordinary kingdom of fungi, from mushrooms and toadstools to yeasts and moulds. Fungi Town brings together scientists, growers, artists, cooks, enthusiasts and curious visitors for a weekend of science, culture, food and discovery.
Ed Fox, one of the co-founders of the event, says:
“Fungi are magical,” says Ed Fox, one of the co-founders of the event. “They live at the tops of mountains and the bottom of the ocean, they can survive in space and between your toes. Some glow in the dark, some control the brains of insects, some cure depression and some can be used to make the world's deadliest Beef Wellington. Without fungi there would be no bread, no beer, no cheese, no life on Earth.
“We wanted to create a place where everyone from experts to the fungi-curious could come together to celebrate these incredible life-forms, and come away with smiles on their faces and their minds blown. What makes this event so different is the way the whole town gets into the spirit of things – with wonderful food on the menus, gifts in the shops and an amazing range of talks and activities. This is an event for hungry minds, souls and bellies!”
Highlights include:
- Talks on the cultural history of magic mushrooms, the wonder of stinkhorns, medicinal mushrooms, fungi conservation and how rethinking decay can transform your life.
- Leading fungal experts from organisations including Kew Gardens, Cardiff University, the Royal Horticultural Society, the National Museum of Wales and the Lost Gardens of Heligan.
- Fungi-inspired food, poetry, mushroom growing, paper making and walks.
- Films, food and drink, a musical ‘Puffball', a street parade and a town-wide mushroom shop-window competition.
Events will take place at Hay Castle and The Globe at Hay, as well as in shops, restaurants and other venues across the town. Fungi Town is open for experts and beginners alike, offering the chance for kids of all ages to discover some of the natural world's most remarkable and least understood species.
Fungi Town runs from 2–4 October 2026 in Hay-on-Wye. The full programme and information about visiting the town are available at www.fungitown.org.uk.
Fungi Town has been made possible with support from Herefordshire Community Foundation, Ashley Family Foundation, Hay Fund, Black Mountain Lions, Hay Castle Trust, Usk Valley Trust, generous individual supporters and the wonderful people of Hay.
