Alberta Mycological Society

White Hedgehog Survey Weekend
2025-09-06 09:00 - 2025-09-07 14:00 (America/Edmonton)
Leader(s): Ryan James
Date: September 6-7, 2025
Time:

Sept 6: 9:00AM-5:00PM
Sept 7: 9:00AM-2:00PM

Location: North of Hinton
Dogs: Dogs are not welcome on this foray.
Other details:
This is a collaborative citizen science foray weekend with West Fraser in search of the edible large white Hydnums (Hedgehog mushrooms). The AMS is working with West Fraser to determine the habitat of these mushrooms for future conservation. Contribute to science and possibly also find mushrooms for the table!
Members-only event. Details regarding the location will be emailed to members up to 1 week prior. RSVP is requested – look for details in the email when it arrives in your inbox.
Please read and familiarize yourself with the AMS Foray guidelines.
Please be advised that all events listed on our website are subject to change or cancellation due to various factors, including but not limited to:

Unfavourable Moisture/Fruiting Conditions
Mushroom growth is heavily dependent on environmental conditions such as moisture levels and temperature. If conditions are not conducive to mushroom fruiting, events may be cancelled.

Unforeseen Circumstances
Despite our best efforts to plan and organize events, unforeseen circumstances may arise that necessitate cancellation or postponement.

Lack of Volunteers
Our events rely on volunteers to lead forays, and if there is a shortage of volunteers, we may need to cancel or reschedule events. Become a Foray Host!

Final event details, including any changes or cancellations, will be communicated via email to all members approximately one week prior to the scheduled event. We highly recommend checking your email regularly for updates.

Ministik Scientific Foray
2025-09-06 14:00 - 16:00
Leader(s): Rick Watts, Martis Osis
Date: September 6, 2025
Time: 2:00PM-4:00PM
Location: Ministik
Dogs: Dogs are not welcome on this foray.
Other details:

This is a scientific foray.
Members-only event. Details regarding the location will be emailed to members up to 1 week prior.

Please read and familiarize yourself with the AMS Foray guidelines.
Please be advised that all events listed on our website are subject to change or cancellation due to various factors, including but not limited to:

Unfavourable Moisture/Fruiting Conditions
Mushroom growth is heavily dependent on environmental conditions such as moisture levels and temperature. If conditions are not conducive to mushroom fruiting, events may be cancelled.

Unforeseen Circumstances
Despite our best efforts to plan and organize events, unforeseen circumstances may arise that necessitate cancellation or postponement.

Lack of Volunteers
Our events rely on volunteers to lead forays, and if there is a shortage of volunteers, we may need to cancel or reschedule events. Become a Foray Host!

Final event details, including any changes or cancellations, will be communicated via email to all members approximately one week prior to the scheduled event. We highly recommend checking your email regularly for updates.

Blackfalds Foray (cancelled)
2025-09-10 11:00 - 13:00
Space is limited for this foray. All attendees need a ticket and must be active members of the Alberta Mycological Society. Tickets are available at the bottom of this page.

Leader(s): Lori-Anne Leger, TBD
Date: September 10, 2025
Time: 11:00AM – 1:00PM
Location: Blackfalds
Dogs: No, dogs are not welcome on this foray
Other details: Members-only event. Details regarding location will be emailed to members up to 1 week prior.
Please read and familiarize yourself with the AMS Foray guidelines.

🍄 Community Foray 🍄
This foray is only possible because of one of your fellow members!
The best way to say “Thank You” is to lead your own foray for members.
If you are interested in leading a foray in your community, click the button link below.

🍄 🍄 🍄 🍄 🍄 🍄

Weald Camping Weekend
2025-09-12 17:00 - 2025-09-14 14:00
Weald Weekend Foray
September 12 – 14, 2025
Weald Provincial Recreation Area, Alberta
Join us for a weekend of fun and foraging on the beautiful banks of the Embarras River west of Edson in Weald Provincial Recreation Area.
Spots are limited! Reserve yours now…

September 12 – 14, 2025
$40 per unit for the weekend (no cost to come for the day)
Register now to guarantee your spot.

Exact location details and gate code will be sent to paid registered members.
Details:

Please restrict generator use to no earlier than 8 a.m., and not after 10 p.m.
Cooking up mushrooms for tasting is encouraged.
Arrive no sooner than 4 PM Friday – Departure by 2 pm Sunday.
Cost is $40 per unit (tent, trailer, etc). Registration is required to help manage the space available.
First scheduled foray is Saturday morning at 10 AM, back for lunch then out again at 1 or 2 PM. Sunday is open.
Great evenings of socializing, getting to know other like-minded fungophiles, carrying on deep mycological conversations, taste testing, singing and whatnot dependant on libations.
There is a closed-in shelter on site, a few picnic tables, and outdoor toilets, but no power or water hookups.
Pump water on site but water is not certified potable.
Sketchy cell service in the valley.
Firewood is provided.

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and there will be a plethora of tasty edibles
ie: Hedgehogs, yellow foots, gypsies, red tops, russulas, lobsters, if not at least great company. Bring an instrument if you play and the usual foray (wet weather) essentials.

Fungi Feast at the Park - Calgary
2025-09-27 17:00 - 22:00 | Park By Sidewalk Citizen, 340 13 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2R 0W9, Canada
Fungi Feast at the Park: An Evening of Mushroom-Inspired Cuisine and Conversation📍 Park by Sidewalk Citizen📅 Saturday, September 27th | 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
The Alberta Mycological Society is kicking off National Mushroom Month with our very first Fungi Feast — a flavorful evening celebrating the fascinating world of mushrooms through food, drink, and expert insight.
For this special event, we’ve partnered with Park by Sidewalk Citizen for an evening of mushroom-focused canapés curated by Chef Stefan Gusztak, featuring creative mushroom-inspired dishes that are sure to delight.
Guests will also enjoy a talk by Malcolm Saunders, owner of LightCellar, who will share fresh perspectives on fungi in food, health, and everyday life.
🎟 Tickets: $50/person — includes:

A welcome drink of Raspberry Gazoz or all-natural Chaga Root Beer
Mushroom-themed canapés by Chef Stefan Gusztak
Expert presentation from Malcolm Saunders
A chance to win a door prize
A lively, welcoming evening with fellow food and fungi enthusiasts

Celebrate the incredible world of mushrooms with us — food, drink, and fungi await!

Refund Policy:
No refunds will be issued after Sunday, September 14th, 2024.
Spots are limited — don’t miss this one-of-a-kind event blending flavour, learning, and community connection.

Edmonton Year-End Social
2025-12-13 14:00 - 17:00 | Abbotsfield Penny McKee Library Program Room, 3210 118 Ave NW Unit 160, Edmonton, AB, T5W 4W1, Canada
Edmonton 2025 Year End Event Please join us for Christmas treats and a chance to connect with fellow members, share feedback and help shape the direction of the Alberta Mycological Society as we look ahead to 2026.
Whether you’re a long-time member or new to the community, this intimate event is a great opportunity to get involved and have your voice heard.
Admission is FREE. Seasonal snacks and beverages will be provided.
PS Stocking stuffers and other merchandise will be available for purchase for your favorite mycophiles (maybe even for yourself)!
** Due to limited capacity, this event is for registered AMS members only. **
Agenda
2:00 – 2:15 PM: Setup
2:15 – 2:20 PM: Welcome & Introductions
A quick hello and overview of what to expect during the meeting.
2:20 – 2:30 PM: Overview of AMS Goals & Current Programs
A brief look at our mission, achievements, and ongoing initiatives.
2:30 – 3:15 PM: Open Discussion: Member Interests & Needs
We want to hear what matters most to you. Bring your ideas, concerns, and suggestions.
3:15 – 3:45 PM: Ideas for Local Events, Forays, and Education
Help us plan what you’d like to see in the Edmonton region in the coming year.
3:45 – 3:55 PM: The Christmas Mushroom
What is the Christmas Mushroom and how does it link to Santa Claus?
3:55 – 4:10 PM: Feedback Form Completion
Members will have time to fill out feedback forms to help guide future AMS efforts.
4:10 – 4:30 PM: Cleanup

"Lichens as Living Collaborations: What It Takes to Build One" Webinar by AMS Graduate Award Winner Arseniy Belosohkov
2025-12-18 18:30 - 20:00
Lichens as Living Collaborations: What It Takes To Build OneLichens are famous as partnerships between fungi and algae, yet after more than a century of trying, mycologists still do not have a reliable “lab lichen” that can be rebuilt from known parts. In this talk, I will take you behind the scenes of my graduate research on lichen resynthesis, from historical experiments with spores on agar plates to modern questions about potential hidden partners, new layers to the basis of the lichen symbionts’ relationships and what is still needed to be understood to grow a lichen thallus.

AMS Webinar: Mycorrhizal Fungi
2026-01-15 18:30 - 20:00
Presenter: Jacob Beauregard
PhD student at the University of Alberta in the mycorrhizal ecology lab of Dr. Justine Karst
Webinar: Mycorrhizal Fungi: Diversity, Function and Mysteries of the Underground
Mycorrhizal fungi are globally distributed plant symbionts. While multiple groups of mycorrhizal fungi exist, they share the fact that they form intimate relationships with plants – from the arctic to the tropics. However, mycorrhizal fungi span an incredible diversity of species and functional traits, not only within groups but between them. Whether with grasses, orchids, or your favourite tree, they are playing important roles right beneath your feet! Many questions remain in regard to their impacts on soil ecosystems, the other microbes that live with them, and how they play into making plants more resilient to changing environments. Join us in exploring who they are, what they do, and everything we don’t yet understand about them!
Presenter:
Jacob is a PhD student at the UofA in the mycorrhizal ecology lab of Dr. Justine Karst. While he is from Vancouver, BC, he recently moved to Alberta from Quebec and has a background in forest conservation, management and microbial ecology. Jacob fell in love with fungi and never turned back – from mushrooms to molds, he leads a mycocentric life and is on a mission to bring fungi to the forefront. He believes that fungi are for everyone from everywhere and that we just need to get their stories out there! While fanciful fungal stories do exist, he believes they are wild and mysterious enough without the need for embellishment. He likes to live by the mantra – less hype, more hyphae and hopes you’ll be equally inspired by the many mycological mysteries already out there!
His Lab:
https://lab.karst.ca

AMS Webinar: Slime Molds
2026-02-19 18:30 - 20:00
Details Coming Soon!

AMS Webinar: 13 New Fungi Species in Alberta
2026-02-25 18:30 - 20:00

2026 Summer Solstice Feast Weekend
2026-06-19 16:00 - 2026-06-21 14:00 | Bergen Community Hall Camping, 31547 Range Road 53C, Mountain View County, Alberta, T0M 1X0, Canada
2026 Summer Solstice Feast WeekendFriday June 19th from 4pm to Sunday June 21st @ 2pm. at the Bergen Community Hall Camping is plentiful, including 6 x 15 amp plugin sites.

More details to follow.

NOTE: Calgary to Bergen – 109 Km @ 1 hr. 24 mins
Edmonton to Bergen – 263 Km @ 2 hr. 50 mins

Wild Mushroom EXPO 2026
2026-08-16 10:00 - 17:00
Coming to you in 2026!
The Alberta Mycological Society welcomes members and the world to Wild Mushroom Expo! Experience hundreds of freshly foraged, WILD Alberta mushrooms, all together on one day, in one space, along with fellow mycophiles. Which are edible? Poisonous? Medicinal? Hear from mushroom experts!
Enjoy tastings from the Wild Mushroom Café, browse mushroom books for adults and kids, mushroom merch, historical & art displays; bring mushrooms from your special spaces to be identified. Visit fine vendors and non-profit groups at the Expo. Become a member and begin your mushroom experiences!
Sunday, August 16, 10:00 – 5:00 pm. One day only – hundreds of WILD mushrooms in one space. $10 Adults / under age 10 are free.
Speakers, vendors and special guests TBA closer to the event. Keep checking this page! To check out last year’s Expo, go here: https://photos.albertamushrooms.ca/Events/Expo-2025
We welcome donations to help us achieve our many important projects, such as the Great Alberta Mushroom Foray, Fungarium, Fungal DNA Sequencing activities, and Fox Creek Fire Prevention project.
