2026 Spring Fun with Fungi

🌸🍄 Spring Fun with Fungi with Jay Justice 🍄🌸

A Seasonal Fungal Adventure Awaits!

Calling all mushroom enthusiasts, nature lovers, and the fungi-curious! Spring is an incredible time for fungi in Arkansas, and this workshop is your chance to discover what’s popping up as the forests wake back up 🌿

Join Ozark Natural Science Center and The Pack Rat Outdoor Center for a one-day immersive mushroom workshop led by Field Mycologist Jay Justice. Ever wondered which mushrooms are edible, which are toxic, and how to tell the difference? Jay will guide you through the fascinating—and sometimes surprising—world of spring fungi.

Whether you’re a seasoned forager or just starting your fungal journey, this workshop will deepen your appreciation for the weird, wonderful, and wildly important role fungi play in our ecosystems. Don’t miss this chance to learn from one of the best in the field—spring fungi are calling! 🍄✨

🌿 Choose Your Adventure!

📍 Saturday, May 2 – ONSC Lake Fayetteville | 599 E Lakeview Dr, Springdale, AR

📍 Sunday, May 3 – ONSC Kessler Mountain Outdoor Classroom and Nature Center | 1725 Smoke House Trail, Fayetteville, AR

🎒 What to Bring:

• 👟 Comfortable walking or hiking shoes

• 👖 Long pants and socks that cover the ankles

• 🧢 Water, sun protection, and weather-appropriate clothing

• 🥪 A sack lunch

Optional:

If you’d like help identifying mushrooms you’ve already collected, feel free to bring up to 5 fresh fungi samples per person for Jay to examine.

🕒 Schedule:

• 🖊️ 9:45 – 10:00 AM – Check-in

• 🔬 10:00 AM – 12:15 PM – Fascinating Fungi Presentation | Learn how to identify edible and poisonous spring mushrooms, including seasonal favorites and lookalikes, plus a closer look at Arkansas fungi you’re likely to encounter this time of year.

• 🍽️ 12:15 – 1:00 PM – Lunch Break | Bring a sack lunch or step out for a bite nearby

• 🌿 1:00 – 3:30 PM – Guided Foray & Mushroom Hunt | Head out on the trails to search for and collect wild spring fungi

• 🔎 3:30 – 5:00 PM – Hands-On ID Session | Return with your finds for group discussion and expert identification

🎟️Ticket Information

• Adult tickets (18 & up) = $35

• Teen tickets (12-17) = $15

• Children 12 and under = Free

  • All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

• Two-Day Discount! $60 for adults, $25 for teens

  
  

  All proceeds go to support research, community science, and education at Ozark Natural Science Center.

Directions and Parking Information

 🚗Directions to Lake Fayetteville Campus: Ozark Natural Science Center at Lake Fayetteville, 599 E Lakeview Dr, Springdale. Carpooling is appreciated - our parking lot is small. Another option is to park at North Shore Disc Golf parking lot and walk approximately 10 minutes: https://tinyurl.com/North-Shore-Parking

🚙Kessler Mountain Campus: The Kessler Mountain Nature Center and Outdoor Classroom is located in the former Ozark Mountain Smokehouse building at 1725 Smoke House Trail, Fayetteville, AR.  The entrance to the parking lot is at the intersection of Hwy 62/MLK Jr. Blvd. and S. Rupple Rd/Smoke House Trail. There is a stoplight at the intersection.

About Ozark Natural Science Center 

ONSC offers a unique, immersion-based approach to learning about nature and the natural sciences. Students visit us for authentic science learning experiences that are correlated with national and state science learning standards and provide in-depth education in biology, ecology, geology, social studies, and nature art – all while students have fun hiking and experiencing nature. Camp activities include  hikes, team-building, games, art, and small-group activities.

About Jay Justice

For over four decades, Jay Justice has been a towering figure in the world of fungi. His fascination with mushrooms began during graduate school, sparking a lifelong passion that led him to co-found the Arkansas Mycological Society in 1982 and become a key member of the North American Mycological Association (NAMA).

A recognized expert in Southeastern mushrooms, Jay has led countless forays, authored scientific papers, and co-wrote Amanitas in North America (2020). In 2011, he received NAMA’s prestigious Gary Lincoff Award for his outstanding contributions to amateur mycology.

With a knack for making mushroom science fun and accessible, Jay is an engaging speaker, seasoned field guide, and a true fungi guru. Don’t miss the chance to learn from him at this year’s Summer Mushroom Workshop! 🍄

Ticket Refund Policy

• Refunds up to 1 week before the event: Tickets are refundable minus any applicable fees (processing, administrative, etc.) until 7 days before the event.

• Refunds within 1 week of the event: For refund requests made less than 7 days prior to the event, a 50% refund will be given.

• No refunds within 24 hours of the event: Refund requests made within 24 hours of the event are not permitted, except in exceptional circumstances and only with approval from ONSC administration.

*Please note that all refund requests must be submitted in writing to info@onsc.us. Refunds will be processed within 7-10 business days.

Questions? Please email Programs and Communications Manager, Jill Bowman at jill.bowman@onsc.us.