This UK Fungus Day, join us for Fungi Field Day at the Botanic Garden to celebrate fungi and their relationships with plants. Come along to learn, engage and play, and discover what we can do to help conserve the fungal diversity around us.
Highlights include:
🍄 A range of talks from expert speakers about fungi, lichens and slime moulds.
🔬Science outreach stall with microscopes to view fungi that live deep inside plant roots.
🎨 Mycorrhizal fungi-inspired ‘artscaping’ provided by the arts and wellbeing charity Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination.
🍃 Guided fungal forays around the Garden.
🎯 Fungi crafts and games stall plus face painting!
Programme of talks (Classroom)
Four talks from Dr Bethan Manley (Society for the Protection of Underground Networks), Dr Alan Wanke (Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge), Dr Jeongmin Choi (Crop Science Centre, University of Cambridge) and Dr Gothamie Weerakoon (Natural History Museum, London).
More information about the talks coming soon.
Getting to the talks:
All talks will take place in the Botanic Garden Classroom. Entrance is from the Brookside lawn, and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Fungi art adventures (Schools’ Garden)
1.30 – 4.00pm: Fantastical Fungi Artscaping
Join Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination (CCI) artist Hilary Cox Condron and friends to explore the magical world of fungi beneath our feet. Taking inspiration from the ‘Fantastical Forest’, an artwork of semi-transparent hangings made with communities across the region, you will be painting the underground fungal network using magical inks made from the natural world.
At 2pm and 3pm, there will be the opportunity to learn how to sample plant roots with scientists from the University of Cambridge. You will take root samples from plants in the Botanic Garden Schools’ Garden to reveal the hidden fungi under our feet. The discoveries will be used for the Botanic Garden’s ‘Fungi of the Botanic Garden Trail’ released after the event.
This activity is part of the Botanic Garden Fungi Field Day and is being led by CCI and Dr Jen McGaley from the Crop Science Centre, University of Cambridge. CCI have been working with Jen since 2021 to involve communities in sampling and learning about mycelium.
Ages 3 +
Children must be accompanied at all times. Unaccompanied adults welcome.
Free tickets for the sampling must be booked online 1 week prior to the event. Tickets will be released in September.
Guided walks and stands (Main Lawn)
10.00 – 4.00pm
Science and games marquees, guided walks and fungi-themed face painting.
Enter a magical world at the Mycorrhiza Marquee, where you can talk to scientists about fungi and mycorrhizal symbiosis, and look at mycorrhizal root samples under a microscope.
Visit the Games Stand for fungi-based fun and drop in any time for mushroom-themed face painting.
Get to know the fungi growing across the Botanic Garden by going on an expert-led guided walk. Walks run for approximately one hour setting off from the Mycorrhiza Marquee and are suitable for all ages. Timings released on the day at the Mycorrhiza Marquee.
