The sun is shining, the days are warming, and it’s time for Ray County to start celebrating the ‘shrooms. The Friends of the Farris have officially announced that the 40th Annual Mushroom Festival will commence April 29 through May 1, 2021 around the Richmond square. The festival resumes after taking a year off in 2020.

Friends of the Farris, Inc. took management of the Mushroom Festival after the Richmond Chamber of Commerce decided not to continue hosting the event.

“This year’s festival will look a little different than previous years,” said Mushroom Festival Committee Chairperson Sherry Smith. “The committee understands its responsibility of promoting a fun, family-friendly festival for everyone to enjoy, while also considering the health and safety guidelines of the Ray County Health Board. We’re making changes to accommodate the current safety guidelines.”

Missing this year will be the bleachers and the main stage. Also missing will be the Mushroom Festival parade. These attractions promote “mass gatherings in close quarters” which the committee hopes to avoid with an outdoor event.

Returning this year will be all the food, craft and art vendors, a car show, the Mr. and Ms. Mushroom contest, and the Evans Midland Carnival. There will be a demolition derby hosted by the Ray County Fair Board Saturday evening. There will also be live music inside the Farris Theatre on Friday evening, a show that will monitor the safe social distancing protocols of the health department.

“Details are still being worked out, but the Friends of the Farris are making every effort to create an outdoor festival that promotes our community, the city of Richmond, Ray County, and their businesses safely in today’s COVID environment,” Smith said.

The festival has the full endorsement of Richmond’s City Council and the Ray County Commissioners.

“We hope this year’s festival and the carnival help the children, since they’ve had such a tough time this past year,” Smith said. “Not only will the festival help our families, it will help support the Farris Theatre and the fine arts.”

Business and event sponsorships of this year’s Mushroom Festival go toward the Friends of the Farris non-profit organization, which maintains and renovates the historic Farris Theatre and the Farris Arts District. The Farris Theatre was closed most of 2020 due to COVID-19, making this year’s Mushroom Festival a much-needed infusion of funds for the historic theatre.

We couldn’t have asked for a better fundraising partnership and a better opportunity for everyone, Smith said.

Details of this year’s Mushroom Festival will be coming soon. Mark your calendars for April 29 through May 1 and plan to join the festivities in downtown Richmond, Mo. For more information, look for the Mushroom Festival’s Facebook page. You can also contact the Farris Theatre at 816-776-6684 or email MushroomFestivalinfo@gmail.com.