From Caps to Trails: A Fungi Day Out

Curious about mushrooms? You are invited to join us at Tawny Oaks Visitor Center for a presentation with Kelli Parke, Program Coordinator at the Forest Park Nature Center of the Peoria Park District. Come explore the fascinating world of mushrooms, including how they grow, where they live, and why they’re so important to our native ecosystems and ourselves.

Enjoy a relaxed picnic lunch before heading out on a guided mushroom identification hike through Singing Woods Nature Preserve. Come ready to learn, explore, and see these mighty mushrooms in a whole new way!

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Location: Tawny Oaks Singing Woods - Meet at the Visitor's Center.
Address: 715 West Singing Woods Road, Edelstein, IL 61526
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Time: 10:30am

Schedule at a Glance

10:30 a.m. – Fruiting Bodies: Mushrooms (Indoor Presentation)
12:00 p.m. – Mushroom-Themed Potluck Picnic
1:00 p.m. – Optional Guided Fungi ID Hike at Singing Woods Nature Preserve
Cost: $10 per person

Registration required to reserve your space!

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The adventure begins at 10:30 a.m. with Fruiting Bodies: Mushrooms, a 90-minute indoor presentation exploring how mushrooms grow, where they live, and the important roles fungi play in native ecosystems and our everyday lives. Whether you're new to fungi or already captivated by them, this engaging program will help you see the fungal kingdom in a whole new light.

At 12:00 p.m., we'll gather at the pavilion for a mushroom-themed potluck picnic. Participants are asked to bring a mushroom-flavored, mushroom-inspired, or mushroom-decorated dish to share while enjoying conversation with fellow fungi enthusiasts.

Then, at 1:00 p.m., those who wish to continue the adventure can join a guided mushroom identification hike through Singing Woods Nature Preserve. This optional hike follows steeper trails and may be more physically challenging, but offers a wonderful opportunity to observe fungi in their natural habitat and practice identification skills. Program cost is $10, and pre-registration is required.

Other Fungi Educational Classes for 2026:
Edible Mushroom Grow Kit Workshop

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I am registering for the September 24 "From Caps to Trails: A Fungi Day Out"

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I will be attending the optional guided mushroom identification hike following the Mushroom Picnic.

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As part of our commitment to providing equal opportunities in our programming, University of Illinois Extension is required to collect and report overall statistics about the race, ethnicity, and gender of program participants. Your responses are voluntary and appreciated.

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Refund Policy

Cost for workshop can be credited toward another event if participant cancels before 30 days prior to the class. No credits within 30 days of the class.

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