The Mushroom Parade Float in the 2025 Memorial
Day Parade. Photo by: Moonloop Photography.
Historic Kennett Square will come alive with music, color, and small-town magic as The Mushroom Parade kicks off the 40th Anniversary of the Mushroom Festival on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 6:00 PM.
Produced by Kennett Collaborative and funded by the Mushroom Festival, the
parade will march along a familiar route, starting on South Broad Street and turning west onto State Street—mirroring the beloved Holiday Light Parade.
“The Mushroom Festival is one of the most important events for Kennett Square’s economy—but it’s so much more than a weekend celebration,” said Daniel Embree, Executive Director of Kennett Collaborative. “Year after year, the Festival supports local nonprofits with generous grants that strengthen our entire community year round—including Kennett Collaborative, Kennett Area Community Services, Family Promise of Southern Chester County, local fire companies, and so many others.”
Embree added, “We want the Mushroom Parade to be a joyful expression of all things Kennett Square and we invite people to get creative, weird, and wild as they show off their love for fungi and this beautiful and welcoming town we all care so deeply about.”
Gina Puoci, President of the Mushroom Festival’s Board of Directors, said the idea for the parade felt like the perfect way to honor the milestone year. “We knew we wanted to do something special to start our 40th anniversary celebration—and we thought, who better to bring that energy than Kennett Collaborative? They already organize the Memorial Day and Holiday Light
Parades, so we were thrilled when they said yes to taking this on.”
Kennett Square is the heart of the U.S. mushroom industry, producing over a million pounds weekly and driving local agriculture and economy.
Anyone interested in participating in the parade—whether with a float, musical group, dance troupe, or whimsical mushroom-themed creation—is invited to submit a short application by Friday, August 22 at mushroomparade.org.
Spectators looking to celebrate mushrooms and the charm of Kennett Square should plan a long weekend in the Brandywine Valley, beginning with Thursday’s parade. Friday offers time to explore Longwood Gardens and the borough’s renowned shops and restaurants, followed by the biggest and best Mushroom Festival Kennett Square has ever seen on Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7, 2025. The Mushroom Festival is always held the weekend after Labor Day, and the theme for this year’s festival is ‘Harvesting 40 Years Together’.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this fungi-tastic celebration of Kennett Square’s identity, artistry, and community spirit!
