Festival FAQs
Everything you need to start planning your Southwest Funga Fest weekend at Nambe Falls Recreation Area, September 5–6, 2026.
We’re expanding this guide as final festival details are confirmed. Items marked for confirmation are being fact-checked before the festival.
Festival Basics
When and where is Southwest Funga Fest 2026?
Southwest Funga Fest takes place September 5–6, 2026 at Nambe Falls Recreation Area in Northern New Mexico.
The festival brings together mycology, education, guided exploration, art, culture, community, food and music for a full weekend immersed in the fungal world.
What happens at Southwest Funga Fest?
The weekend includes expert-led talks and classes, hands-on workshops, guided ethical mushroom forays, panels, citizen science, activities for kids, wellness and movement offerings, vendors, food, community gatherings and evening entertainment.
Programming runs throughout both Saturday and Sunday.
Who is speaking at the festival?
Our 2026 program brings together mycologists, scientists, educators, artists, traditional practitioners, foragers and community voices.
Dr. Susan Trapp is the 2026 Keynote Speaker, presenting Terpenes: Humanity’s First Medicine Cabinet.
Featured presenters include Alan Rockefeller, Melody Tsui, Michael Weese, DezBaa’ and additional educators and guides as the complete program is finalized.
Do I need to know anything about mushrooms to attend?
Not at all.
Southwest Funga Fest is designed for everyone from people encountering mycology for the first time to experienced mushroom hunters, cultivators, citizen scientists and researchers.
You can build your weekend around introductory experiences or dive deeply into specialized topics.
Tickets & Admission
What does a festival ticket include?
Festival passes provide admission to the festival and its general programming for the applicable day or weekend.
Some activities may have limited capacity, require advance registration or have separate participation arrangements.
TO CONFIRM: Which workshops, forays, ceremonies or other activities require reservations or additional payment.Can I buy a ticket for just one day?
Yes. Both Full Festival Passes and Single Day Passes are available.
Current pricing and ticket options should always be checked on the festival Tickets page.
What is the refund or ticket-transfer policy?
Program & Schedule
What does the daily schedule look like?
The current festival rhythm includes morning forays, two morning workshop periods, afternoon classes across multiple stages, followed by a panel, featured/keynote programming and evening music.
The detailed presenter-by-presenter schedule will provide the authoritative times once programming assignments are complete.
What are the guided mushroom forays?
Forays are guided excursions focused on observing, identifying and learning about fungi in their natural environment.
The emphasis is on ethical, educational exploration and responsible interaction with the landscape.
Current planning places the foray in the morning, approximately 8:00 AM–12:30 PM, with return no later than approximately 1:00 PM.
TO CONFIRM: Registration process, capacity, transportation or meeting location, difficulty level and specimen-collection rules.Do I need to register separately for a foray?
Because guided forays can have limited capacity, we expect participants will need to sign up rather than simply arrive.
TO CONFIRM: Final registration process and participation rules.Will there be music and evening programming?
Yes. The festival continues into the evening, with music and other community programming planned after the daytime educational schedule.
The current daily framework places evening music approximately 8:00–11:00 PM.
Final performers and times should be checked against the published schedule.
Families & Festival Experiences
Are children welcome?
Yes. Southwest Funga Fest is intended to be an intergenerational experience, and Kids Camp is part of the planned festival programming.
TO CONFIRM: Ages, supervision requirements, hours, registration requirements and any additional charge.What is the Grey Area Citizen Science Lab?
The Grey Area Citizen Science Lab is part of the festival’s science and discovery programming.
PROGRAM COPY NEEDED: Add an authoritative description of what participants will be able to see, learn or do in the lab.Will there be mushroom identification?
Mycology, fungal identification and citizen science are central parts of the educational program, including presenters with extensive field-identification experience.
TO CONFIRM: Whether there will be a formally designated identification table or station and its operating hours.Food & Vendors
Is there food at the festival?
Yes. Local food is part of the festival experience, and a Four-Meal Voucher is among the festival ticketing options.
TO CONFIRM: Participating food vendors, meal-voucher redemption rules, dietary options and outside-food policy.Will vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or other dietary options be available?
Will there be vendors?
Yes. The festival includes vendors and community marketplace activity alongside the educational programming.
Expect a mix connected with fungi, art, wellness, culture, food and the broader Southwest community.
Can I still apply to be a vendor, speaker, performer, volunteer or sponsor?
Southwest Funga Fest has dedicated application forms for vendors, speakers and educators, performers, volunteers and sponsors.
Availability depends on remaining space and programming needs as the festival approaches, so interested participants should submit as soon as possible.
Planning Your Visit
What should I bring?
Plan for a full day outdoors in Northern New Mexico. Comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, layers, a reusable water bottle and weather-appropriate clothing are sensible basics.
For a foray, additional field gear may be recommended.
TO CONFIRM: Festival-specific prohibited or required items, chairs, blankets, rain gear and recommended foray equipment.What is the weather likely to be like?
Northern New Mexico conditions can change quickly, particularly around mountain and monsoon weather.
Come prepared for sun, temperature changes and the possibility of rain. Check the local forecast immediately before traveling rather than relying on an advance prediction.
Can I bring my own water?
Attendees should plan to stay well hydrated, particularly at altitude and during outdoor activities.
TO CONFIRM: Water availability, refill locations and container policies.Where do I park?
Parking and arrival instructions will be provided through the festival’s Plan Your Visit information.
TO CONFIRM: Parking location, fees if any, accessible parking, overflow parking and any shuttle arrangements.Is the festival accessible?
Southwest Funga Fest wants programming to be welcoming to as many participants as possible, but the recreation-area setting and individual activities may involve uneven natural terrain.
IMPORTANT — TO CONFIRM: Venue-specific accessible parking, paths, restrooms, seating and which activities or forays are realistically accessible before making stronger accessibility claims.Can I camp at Nambe Falls Recreation Area?
Can I bring my dog or another pet?
Mycology, Safety & Culture
Can someone tell me whether a mushroom I find is safe to eat?
Festival education can help participants learn about fungal identification, but never eat a wild mushroom based solely on informal identification, a photograph, an app or online advice.
Identification for consumption requires appropriate expertise and certainty.
Are psychedelic mushrooms part of the festival?
The festival’s educational program may include scientific, cultural, historical and policy discussions involving Psilocybe, psilocybin and related research.
Southwest Funga Fest is a broad mycology festival—not an invitation to possess, distribute or consume substances contrary to applicable law or venue rules.
Can I take photographs or video?
General personal photography may be appropriate, but presenters, ceremonies, workshops and individual participants may have different expectations.
TO CONFIRM: Establish the festival’s final photography, recording and ceremony-consent policy.Getting Involved & Staying Informed
Can I volunteer?
Yes. Volunteers are an important part of producing Southwest Funga Fest, and a dedicated 2026 Volunteer application is available through the website.
Roles and schedules will depend on festival needs.
What happens if it rains?
How do I stay informed about schedule changes and festival announcements?
Use the Southwest Funga Fest website as the authoritative source for festival information and subscribe to festival updates.
Festival social channels will also carry speaker announcements, program highlights and important updates as September 5–6 approaches.
Where should I start planning my visit?
Start with the Festival Guide for the overall experience and schedule, then visit Plan Your Visit for travel and venue information and Tickets when you’re ready to attend.
More answers are coming.
We’ll continue updating this FAQ as final schedules, visitor policies and festival logistics are confirmed. Check back as September 5–6 approaches.