NEW!!! 2024 Amateur En Fuego Fried Mushroom Eating Contest

The Kennett Square Mushroom Festival celebrates our local mushroom industry, and our Kennett Square Community—the Mushroom Capital of the World. Festival attendees can sample a variety of mushroom inspired foods, from deep fried mushrooms to mushroom jerky and more. Learn about our unique process of growing mushrooms, meet our local mushroom farmers and take home local mushrooms! Attendees can also visit over 195 craft and food vendors, who offer mushroom-themed goodies while visiting the delightful Kennett Square boutiques, and enjoy a variety of restaurant options in downtown Kennett Square! The Mushroom Festival is a nonprofit organization, which distributes a portion of the proceeds from the festival, to various non profit community organizations thru a grant process. Please review our grant recipients on our website! Thank you for your continued support.

Hosted by WXTU's Jeff Kurkjian and Frank Pastella

 

DATE:  September 8th @ 1 pm

 

This year, as a warmup (pun intended) to the annual fried mushroom eating contest, we will be hosting our first spicy mushroom eating contest that we have dubbed "Mushroom En Fuego".

 

While we prepare for the fried mushroom eating contest, 10 Contestants will be tasked to eat 4 mushrooms, one at a time, with ever-growing heat. Each contestant will eat a fried mushroom coated in hot sauce, wait a specific amount of time, then move on to the next. If you can eat the last, hottest mushroom and wait out the final time without reaching for the delicious vanilla milkshake that will be in front of you, you will win a prize. Can you take the heat? Do you dare to try?

 

Join us to watch the spectacle and cheer on the contestants as they take the heat before our amateur eating contest.

 

 

 

 

READ CAREFULLY THIS OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES AND ENTRY FORM

No transfer or prize substitution by the contest winners is allowed. All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. It is the responsibility of the winners to comply with all instructions as to the pick-up, receipt, arrangements for or use of any prize won and
failure to do so on a timely basis may affect the winner’s right to claim or use the prize. All winners and participants agree to the use of their name, voice, likeness, and city/town for advertising or trade purposes and to cooperate reasonably in any effort to promote or publicize the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival or this contest. Apart from the prizes associated with being selected as a winner, The Kennett Square Mushroom Festival shall not be obligated to compensate you in any way for such publicity.

RULES

1. All Eaters must be at least 18 years of age to enter.

2. Eaters must sign the contest waiver before participating.

3. No eater may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Any visible signs, and the participant will be ejected immediately.

4. Eaters will have 8 minutes to consume as many fried mushrooms as possible. Food may not be touched prior to the start of the contest.

5. Buona Foods' fried mushrooms will be presented in 1-pound food boats.

6. Eaters must finish one boat at a time. Boats must remain on the table and stacked for counting at the end of the contest.

7. Mushrooms must be consumed "picnic style." No dunking or mutilating is allowed. Food should be respected and eaten in the intended form.

8. Beverages of any kind (except alcohol) may be consumed during the contest.

9. No contact may be made between eaters. Violators will be ejected.

10. When the eight minutes have elapsed, a thirty second "chipmunking rule" will be in effect. All food in mouth must be swallowed by the end of the thirty seconds or a 1/4-pound penalty will be subtracted from the eater's total.

11. In the event of a tie, a one-minute final feeding frenzy will determine the winner.

12. No reversals allowed. If you heave, you leave!

13. All judges' decisions are final.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RISKS AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY: Contestant acknowledges that there are risks of personal injury, illness and possible loss of life, and risks to participating in this contest. Contestant voluntarily enters the contest and assumes all of these risks. Contestant, as a condition of entry, agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless The Kennett Square Mushroom Festival and affiliated companies, their vendors, their advertising, promotion and public relations agencies, co-sponsoring companies and their affiliates and agencies, and all officers, directors, employees and agents of the aforesaid entities, from any and all claims and costs, including attorneys’ fees, relating to, arising from or in connection with participation in this contest or the receipt or use of any prize. In so doing, contestant releases and indemnifies therefore said entities and individuals from liability for injuries or damages of any kind arising from or in connection with participation in this contest or the receipt or use of any prize. In no event shall The Kennett Square Mushroom Festival be liable to a contestant for acts or omissions arising out of or related to the contest or that contestant’s participation in the contest.