Berkshire Mushroom Festival

SHEFFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Mushroom Festival is this August, a two-day celebration for mushroom lovers, nature enthusiasts, wellness seekers, and curious families alike.

Hosted at the historic Dewey Hall, this gathering invites attendees to explore the many dimensions of fungi— ecological, culinary, artistic, and medicinal. 

This year's festival brings together a dynamic mix of foraging expeditions, hands-on workshops, expert talks, and local vendors. Whether you're a seasoned mycophile or just curious about mushrooms, there's something for everyone.

Festival Highlights:

• Guided Foraging Walk: Learn how to safely identify local edible and medicinal mushrooms with our experienced guide, 

• Educational Workshops: Dive into the world of culinary mushroom cultivation, natural dyeing with fungi, and the ecological role of mycelium in soil health and human nutrition.

• Functional Mushrooms and Nootropics learn about making your own medicinal mushroom extractions and explore the range of techniques to capture the power of mushroom medicine. 

• Psychedelic Perspectives: Join insightful conversations about the spiritual, therapeutic, and ethical use of psychedelic mushrooms.

• Artisan Marketplace: Discover locally crafted tinctures, spore prints, mushroom grow kits, eco-fashion, and more from our regional vendors.

"The goal of the Berkshire Mushroom Festival is to offer something that's both fun and deeply meaningful," said Daniel Shankin, founder of Tam Integration and co-organizer of the event. "We're creating a space where people can connect more deeply with nature, with themselves, and with the fascinating world of mushrooms."

Tickets & Information
Early?bird weekend passes are $100 and are available now at BerkshireMushroom.com

Greenagers Founder Will Conklin Honored as Business Person of the Year

By Breanna Steele12:17PM / Saturday, October 03, 2026

Casey Pease of state Sen. Paul Mark's office presents William Conklin, right, with a state Senate proclamation.

EGREMONT, Mass. — The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce honored a local businessman and nonprofit leader on Sept. 24 at Catamount Mountain Resort.

 

William Conklin was this year's Business Person of the Year, recognizing his work as founder and executive director of Greenagers, a nonprofit that helps youth and children engage in work in environmental conservation, sustainable farming, natural resource management, and vocational skills building. 

 

Conklin and his family also run Sky View Farm and he is a managing partner of Konkapot Tree and Timber, a small-scale forest products business.

 

"If you spent any amount of time in Southern Berkshire, chances are you've heard his name, whether you realize the connection at the time or not," said board member Sierra King Watson, who emceed the event. "You might be having a conversation about farming, a new barn or structure that was built, students learning hands-on skills in sustainable agriculture, or a family that receives donated firewood to help keep their home warm through a cold Berkshire winter, or maybe you're simply talking about one of those community leaders who somehow manages to show up, support everyone, and seemingly be everywhere all at once.

 

"Well, one name has a way of continuously popping up, and that is Will Conklin."

 

Board President Mark Rulison said the region has more than 1,200 nonprofits. One in four jobs in the county is in the nonprofit sector, which ranks 27th nationally for nonprofit employment. He said the economic impact on the community is huge, thanking those who help.

 

For the event on Thursday, Conklin requested that as much of the food as possible was sourced locally. Most of it came from Greenagers, Sky View Farm, Indian Line Farm and Fancy Feast Supper Club, creative dinner series.