Making a significant post-pandemic comeback, the 2023 Mushroom Festival was the place to be for family fun and great food. There was an increase in vendors compared to past years, with marketeers offering lemonade, rootbeer, funnelcake, crafts, carvings, cups, t-shirts, hats, gutter protectors, self-defense tools and much more. There were also those who rented a vendor spot, but were giving things away rather than offering items to sell. Of course many questioned why someone would spend money on a vendor spot and spend three days in the heat expecting no financial gain. Plain and simple, the goal was reaching people. Churches and religious groups are standard fare at fairs (pardon the pun) and festivals. There were at least three at the Mushroom Festival this year who were giving something away so that they could talk with people and simply make someone’s day more pleasant. In one area was a large poster adorned with dozens of bronze-toned leaves, forming a wide, spreading tree. …