Editorial: Mardi Gras returns, could lead to changes for festivals
Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival can inspire Gilroy residents to not give up on the Garlic Festival.
This editorial is the opinion of Gilroy Life
What for decades used to be known as the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras this year will gain a major rebranding when it is held Memorial Day weekend. The newly renamed Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival will see some big changes as it returns as the South Valley’s fun fungi celebration.
During the past 41 years the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras has been a beloved tradition in South Valley, enhancing its quality of life and economic prosperity. Unfortunately, after the tragic Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting in 2019 and the hiatus of events in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic, many food festivals did not survive. They faced significantly higher insurance and security costs. In 2022 many people chose not to attend because of potential exposure in crowds to the COVID-19 virus.
In 39 festivals (two missed because of the pandemic), Mushroom Mardi Gras organizers have awarded $1.5 million in scholarships and more than $550,000 to local nonprofits, school groups and youth sports. Since it launched its mini-grant program in 2008, $57,000 has gone to Morgan Hill’s elementary and middle schools for special projects.
The organizers of the Mushroom Mardi Gras held the popular event last year, returning with what it describes as its most successful festival since moving to downtown Morgan Hill in 2005. Unfortunately, that success didn’t appear likely to continue. The city told organizers the 2022 event would be the last festival downtown due to safety concerns with the current layout. They would need to find other options if they wanted the tradition to continue.
The festival’s board of directors started looking at other locations. None met the needs. They then met with city staff and the Morgan Hill Police Department to present an idea to keep the festival downtown. The plans included a new name and layout. It also created a theme emphasizing Morgan Hill as the “Mushroom Capital” of the western United States. It would focus more on food and wine and arts and entertainment than at previous festivals.
After the police department reviewed and analyzed the proposal, it presented a preliminary assessment following the Department of Justice’s published framework Planning and Managing Security for Major Special Events: Guidelines for Law Enforcement with strict requirements to continue holding the festival downtown.
The preliminary assessment listed two pages of requirements the festival needed to fulfill. These included installing perimeter fencing around the new festival layout at the Community Cultural Center and areas of Monterey Road, East Dunne Avenue and the CCC parking lot. Unfortunately, the new public safety conditions raised guest safety costs for city services from $33,000 in 2022 to about $90,000.
The added costs to prevent a possible attack forced the festival to charge admission for the first time since 2004. General admission will be $15. Seniors and military pay $10. There is a discount by buying tickets early. Kids younger than 12 get in free. The admission alone will barely cover the increased costs to put on the event.
We believe the rebranded 2023 festival will add value for guests. The security gates and admission costs are expected to make the event one that is more pleasant to visit. They also prevent the permanent closure of the festival, which serves as a fundraiser for student scholarships ($18,000 this year will be presented to local high school seniors) as well as to support local school programs, youth sports and nonprofit organizations.
The “can do” spirit of the Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival demonstrates that, despite the obstacles many festivals have faced in recent years, the South Valley community can still hold a family-friendly event that celebrates the region’s food, music and fun.
We’re glad to see the festival’s organizers took steps to ensure the continuation of the popular event. We also hope their efforts will inspire Gilroy residents to not give up on the Garlic Festival. We encourage community members to find and implement changes that will enable that food, music and arts event to continue as a local hometown tradition. Perhaps it will never return on the grand scale that made it world famous. But maybe it might one day make a comeback on a level where it will honor the heritage of our farming region and leave a lasting legacy full of family fun in the summer sun.
