Annual tradition held on Memorial Day weekend
Staff Report
Morgan Hill – It’s time once again to put on your Mardi Gras beads and masks during the Memorial Day Weekend for the 27th annual Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, Saturday, May 27 and 28.
Last year’s event proved to be a huge success with the move to downtown. The response from visitors, vendors, downtown merchants and other participants was very positive, with a consensus that downtown was a great ‘new’ home for the festival. Â
This year’s event again encompass six blocks throughout downtown. Some features of the festival include gourmet food booths, arts, crafts, beer garden and wine tent, entertainment, Mardi Gras parade and stage shows, business exhibits and Munchkin Land for the kids. And, new this year, to kick off the festival, there will be a Friday night event on May 26.
As a nonprofit, charitable organization, the purpose of the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras is to provide educational scholarships to seniors in the Morgan Hill Unified School District. The festival also supports many nonprofit clubs and organizations by either donating money for their volunteer services or providing booths for their own fundraising efforts.Â
During the past 27 years, they have provided more than $500,000 in scholarships and due to the generous support received from the business community, were able to award 17 $1,000 scholarships last year. Â
It is the goal of the Mushroom Mardi Gras Board of Directors this year to provide more scholarships with a higher amount, which will assist them in accommodating the needs of more of our students. It is the generous sponsorships and donations by local businesses that assist with reaching the goal. This year’s sponsors include The Ford Store Morgan Hill, KitchenWorks & Renewal by Anderson, Bud Lite, Coca-Cola, Dasani, and Bank of the West. Donations for the scholarship fund have also been received by Diversified Software, Mobedshahi Family Foundation and Bank of the West.
