By Tony Burchyns
Morgan Hill
– Big crowds are expected at the 28th annual Mushroom Mardi Gras
festival this weekend, which for the first time ever will be at the
Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center and along parts of Depot
Street.
Morgan Hill – Big crowds are expected at the 28th annual Mushroom Mardi Gras festival this weekend, which for the first time ever will be at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center and along parts of Depot Street.
The always colorful festival starts 10am Saturday with an array of rock and blues bands, food booths, a children’s activity zone – including a petting zoo – and numerous arts and crafts vendors.
The fun continues Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Last year, the two-day fiesta, which is typically held on Memorial Day weekend, drew an estimated 50,000 patrons.
For the past 20 years, the nonprofit Mushroom Mardi Gras organization has issued more than $500,000 in scholarship funds to hundreds of high school seniors heading off to college. Additionally, the organization awards scholarships to the Morgan Hill Adult School. Last year, the committee donated $30,000 for about 20 scholarships.
The festival is also a major fundraiser for many Morgan Hill nonprofit organizations, including schools. Britton Middle School will run a food booth to raise money for its programs. It will be the school’s major fundraiser this year.
Live Oak High School and the Emerald Regime Band students will help with the festival’s parking needs and ask for a $5 donation as a way to raise money for their programs.
Sobrato Wrestling Team parents will handle the beer garden while the students will do the trash pickup. The Sobrato Grad Night parents will handle the wine garden. The groups will be paid hourly for the service, which will help them finance their programs.
The festival will also hire other youth groups, paying them an hourly rate to help with other work needed to put on the festivities.
The Morgan Hill Lions Club will set up and tear down for the event and the Morgan Hill Kiwanis Club was paid to hang the green, red and purple decorative flags on the light posts along Monterey Road in downtown Morgan Hill.
Festival organizer Sunday Minnich is the only paid staff member in the Mushroom Mardi Gras organization. The group comprises a 12-member volunteer board of directors. Dan Sullivan is president.
Tony Burchyns covers Morgan Hill for The Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 201 or tb*******@mo*************.com.
