The Poetry of Mushrooms

August 18, 2022

A sunny street scene in a mountain town with a Telluride Mushroom Festival banner across the road. Buildings line both sides, with people and parked cars visible. The sun shines brightly, casting shadows, and mountains are seen in the background.

by Matt Hoisch

Picture by Matt Hoisch.

The Telluride Mushroom Festival looks at the medicinal, culinary, and ecological facets of fungi. But it also focuses on the artistic elements of the mushroom world, including through an annual mushroom poetry performance.

KOTO spoke with several local poets taking part in this year’s Mycolicious, Mycoluscious, Mycological Poetry Show on Friday, August 19th.

Original music by Travis Fischer

Recent News

  • A group of twenty people wearing matching green shirts pose for a group photo outside a building in Colorado; most are standing, with some kneeling or sitting in front.

    AmeriCorps Cuts Leave Hundreds in Colorado Without Service Roles, Prompting Legal Challenge

    May 9, 2025

    Hundreds of AmeriCorps members in Colorado had their service terms abruptly ended after the Trump administration announced major funding cuts. Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera says the move threatens rural nonprofits, education programs, and public land conservation projects. Colorado has joined 24 other states in suing the federal government to block the cuts.

  • A house with solar panels covering the roof sits in a grassy field, with the sun setting in the background and clouds drifting across the sky.

    Telluride Sixth Grader Explores Beet Juice, Solar Panels in Statewide Science Fair

    May 8, 2025

    Telluride sixth grader Ingram Olson is tackling climate change one solar panel at a time. After months of research and a boost from NREL, Olson presented his beet juice-powered solar project at the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair—earning the Burt Rutan Energy Award.

  • View from a mountain peak in San Miguel County overlooking a green forested landscape on federal public lands, with a clear blue sky and scattered white clouds above. Rocky terrain is visible in the foreground.

    San Miguel County Passes Resolution Supporting Federal Public Lands

    May 1, 2025

    San Miguel County commissioners voted unanimously to support federal public lands in a resolution citing their role in the local economy, environment, and quality of life, while also opposing federal efforts to weaken protections.