Vancouver Mycological Society

Mushrooms + Culture of Greece with Olga Tzogas
2025-03-11 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver)
Next Meeting: Mushrooms + Culture of Greece with Olga Tzogas
Tuesday, March 11th
Olga Tzogas started her love affair with Fungi and plants over 15 years ago, with the help and guidance of family, teachers and community. In 2011, Smugtown Mushrooms was started, which provides cultivation supplies to grow mushrooms, indoors or outdoors, for food or for medicine. Olga has taught hundreds of folks how to grow mushrooms, make medicine and learn about the glory of Fungi and the natural world. Alongside the collaboration of the collective, The Mycelium Underground, Olga helped create the New Moon Mycology Summit in 2018. She was a core organizer for the 2016 Radical Mycology Convergence and the MycoSymbiotics Festival from 2015-17. Annually, Olga returns to her ancestral homeland to guide small groups immersed in land based and traditional knowledge of the country of Greece, highlighting the fungi and plants there.
Mushrooms + Culture of Greece
March 11th, 7pm @ Floral Hall (5251 Oak st.)
Experience and take a visual journey into the diverse and lush natural world of Greece. Ancient forests, traditional land based living still exist, providing a rich culture weaved within nature itself. Connections to fungi are ever present and it’s only gaining more attention. Take a look into the relationships the locals have with certain species of mushrooms, plants, & their recipes for use. Olga Tzogas of Smugtown Mushrooms, based in Rochester, NY returns to her ancestral home to learn and connect deeper to the mycelial communities, and the people still practicing traditional ways of life or those creating a new. Greece is typically pictured by bluebird skies and matching crystalline seascapes, but Greece is home to lush dense forests of several Oak species, Chestnut, Beech, Fir, Sycamores and Pine to name a few. The life they harbor is exquisite. See the similarities of fungal life that are shared on both continents. Together we see a visual depiction of the funga, flora + fauna of this diverse ecological haven of the country of Greece.

Doors at 7, Talk at 7:30
As always, we would love to see your specimens at our monthly mushroom table for identification and admiration. Be sure to check out what Spring finds are at the March display.

Love the talk? Your VMS membership allows you to access an archive of several past talks on our website for your marathoning pleasure. As always, masks are encouraged in indoor spaces and for all in-person events!

VMS is still hybrid and we would love to see you virtually if you can’t make it in person! you can join us live through Zoom and there will be a Zoom recording in our members’ archive:

Topic: March Meeting
Time: Mar 11, 2025 07:30 PM Vancouver
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85361195452?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 853 6119 5452
Passcode: [REDACTED]

AGM + Survivor’s Banquet
2025-02-21 17:30 - 22:00
February 21st: AGM and Survivor’s Banquet
If you are receiving this email, it means that you are a member in good standing and have the opportunity to participate in our AGM from February 21st to February 28th. The AGM will be held virtually, with some in person delivery for those who wish to participate physically.
Every year, our club holds a general meeting during which club business including the election of next year’s club Officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary) and Directors (members of the Board of Directors) take place. We must have this meeting to maintain our status with the BC Societies Registries, the provincial government organization overseeing the operation of organizations such as ours. The covid-19 pandemic has altered the normal schedule of the AGM as well as precluded the usual way of conducting it, so the current officers, with the agreement of Directors (consulted by telephone), have agreed on an electronic method for transacting the minimum equivalent of an AGM for 2024/5 (instructions below).
The two items of business are: (1) Election of the slate of nominees submitted by the Nominating Committee for Officers and Directors and (2) Review and approval of the 2024 financial report.
All VMS members in good standing are eligible to vote and the voting is open from 00h00 on February 21st to 23h59 February 28th. This period will commence during our Survivor’s Banquet, where we will go over the financial report in person and take floor nominations.
During that time, logged-in members will be able to:
View a financial report from the club’s treasurer
Elect the next Board of Directors
You can cast your vote only once on each item of business, and you must complete it for both items at the same time. Votes cannot be changed after they are submitted. Item (1) is carried if the slate receives a simple majority of all votes cast within the allotted time; item (2) requires a 75% majority. “Family” memberships are entitled to one vote per item.
You now have 3 weeks to apply to be part of the next board of directors. We highly encourage applications for: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. To do so, please complete this form. Visit https://vanmyco.org/gov/ if you’d like more background. Valid nominees must have been a member of the VMS for more than one year, be seconded by another member, and must accept their nomination.
In addition to the slate developed by the Nomination Committee, members are free to be nominated from the floor. Floor nominees must be a) eligible, b) seconded by another member, and c) consent to their nomination. To initiate a floor nomination, please come to our September meeting in person (details to come).
Eligibility for Board Member Position:
– At least 18 years of age
– Capable of managing your own affairs
– Not undergoing bankruptcy
– Have not been convicted of fraud or corporate offense within the last five years
– Have been a member in good standing for at least one year
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Survivor’s Banquet is a true potluck feast, “catered” by members, for members and their guests. See below for more information. (If you are not currently a member or your membership has expired, memberships can be taken out at the event.) Members are allowed to bring one guest. Entry is by donation, with a suggested donation of $5 (no one will be turned away for lack of funds).
More details:
Event starts at 5:30 pm at Floral Hall with Happy Hour appetizers, spreads, soups, etc. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm. We may be playing music after dinner if you wish to bring an instrument. We can occupy the space until 10 pm.
Bring a dish to share with several people, either an appetizer, soup, main or side dish, salad, or dessert. Also, bring a serving utensil or two. (Points for fungi-based dishes, especially dessert.) Please bring a list of ingredients.
There is no real kitchen in the hall, just a small microwave, so be creative in keeping your dish warm. Tables will be set up to leave your contribution.
Please bring your own plate, bowl, cup utensils, etc. to use, as well as any centerpiece or other table decor you’d like to add. Seating is “open” at tables for eight.
Due to current circumstances, we highly encourage mask use and social distancing when not seated.
We will also be hosting mushroom trivia again this year! Together with the guests at your table, you’ll be able to flex your mycological knowledge. Prizes will be announced at the ev
If you would like to attend, please register through our Google form by Feb 18th at the latest:
https://forms.gle/njDK87QcK4WDhD1q9
Space is limited, and you will be notified if you have been waitlisted. Please let me know ASAP if you are no longer able to attend.
If you have any questions or difficulty accessing the form, please email me at president@vanmyco.com

Monthly Meeting: Richard Winder
2025-02-11 19:00 - 22:00
Tuesday, Feb 11th
Renowned writer Richard Winder will be coming all the way from Sooke to bring us a very special presentation.
Tuesday, February 12th 7pm @ Floral Hall
Mushrooms for All Seasons:
Written by retired mycologist Richard Winder, Mushrooms for all Seasons is a presentation covering biological, ecological, historical, and nutritional information for popular edible mushrooms. Rather than guiding ID, the talk instead delves into facts and stories illuminating mushrooms available in western Canada and beyond. Grouped by season, a collection of savory and enjoyable recipes is also presented. His book of the same name features classical and modern dishes and there are notes on basic cooking methods and preparations like duxelles and sauces. Whether they are wild-harvested or purchased at the grocery store, mycophiles are sure to find a celebration of some of their favourite fungi.
Doors at 7, Talk at 7:30
As always, we would love to see your specimens at our monthly mushroom table for identification and admiration. Be sure to check out what Spring fungal finds are at the February display.
Love the talk? Your VMS membership allows you to access an archive of several past talks on our website for your marathoning pleasure. As always, masks are encouraged in indoor spaces and for all in-person events!
VMS is still hybrid and we would love to see you virtually if you can’t make it in person! you can join us live through Zoom and there will be a Zoom recording in our members’ archive:
Join Zoom Meeting
Time: Feb 11, 2025 07:30 PM PST
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81841085993?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 818 4108 5993
Passcode: [REDACTED]
We kindly ask that you do not use the online chat during the presentation until the Q&A portion, as it obstructs the screen for folks viewing the talk in person!

Entomopathogenic Fungi of Eastern North America (ON ZOOM)
2024-12-10 19:00 - 22:00
About Rowan Nygard:
Rowan Nygard grew up exploring the creeks and forests around the Eno River in Durham, North Carolina. There he found a deep appreciation of nature and a desire to know more about the natural world around him. As a photographer and community scientist, he has immersed himself in the study of ecology, with a focus on mycology and the ways that plants, animals, and fungi interact. Rowan is a passionate educator and hopes to demystify the minutiae so that everyone can better witness the magic of ecology.
Entomopathogenic Fungi of Eastern North America
Tuesday, December 10th online via Zoom @ 7pm PST
This lecture is based on a niche evolutionary group of fungi that infect and kill insects, resulting in incredible ecological interactions and beautiful, sculptural fruiting bodies. Over the last three years Rowan has found 20 undescribed species of Entomopathogenic fungi in Southeastern Pennsylvania and further south in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Gain the tools necessary to make informed and appreciative scientific observations of your own!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82330792028?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 823 3079 2028
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Nov. 12th: Monthly Meeting Fruits of the Forest
2024-11-12 19:00 - 22:00
Nov. 12th: Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, November 12th @ Floral Hall
Daniel Winkler will be making his return to Canada to bring us:
Fungal Fruits of the Forest – Choice Edible Mushrooms of the PNW
Daniel will present our choice edible mushrooms such as chanterelles, hedgehogs, king boletes, morels, bear’s head and cauliflower mushroom which are easy to identify, helping one to overcome mycophobia and truly appreciate wild mushrooms. In this richly illustrated presentation, Daniel will help you get to know, identify and find many great edible mushrooms while steering you clear of dangerous look-alikes. By the example of enjoyable edible fungi, Daniel will open for you the gates to the kingdom of fungi and elucidate their ecological functions and diversity in lifestyles. A key component in finding your mushrooms is getting to know their preferred habitat and their seasonality. Daniel will share lots of new insights from his new book “Fruits of the Forest – Handbook to Edible Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. In addition, Daniel is mixing in some fungal fun & facts from his ethno-mycological research and Mushroaming adventure travels.
About Daniel:
Daniel grew up collecting and eating wild mushrooms in the Alps and is sharing his enthusiasm as a mushroom educator, photographer and guide. Daniel just published his “Fruits of the Forest – Field Guide to Pacific Northwest Edible Mushrooms” (available at mushroaming.com). The 400 page, gorgeously illustrated book is the essence of a lifetime of mushroom hunting around the world. This book is focused on the incredible edible mushrooms of the PNW, where Daniel has been living the last 27 years. Previously, he published a series of fold-out field guides: Edible Mushrooms of the PNW, Edibles of California, Amazon Mushrooms, and Medicinal Mushrooms of North America, as well as MycoCards “Boletes of Western North America”. Daniel managed to blend his career as an ecologist and geographer focused on High Asia towards researching Tibet’s enormous fungal economy. His ethno-mycological Cordyceps research has been featured in National Geographic, New York Times, NPR, BBC World Service etc. In the last decade Daniel started exploring neotropical fungi. With his travel agency MushRoaming, Daniel has been organizing mushroom focused eco-adventures since 2007, currently exploring Bhutan and Colombia.
Doors at 7, Talk at 7:30
As always, we would love to see your specimens at our monthly mushroom table for identification and admiration. Be sure to check out what fungal finds are at the November display.
Love the talk? Your VMS membership allows you to access an archive of several past talks on our website for your marathoning pleasure. As always, masks are encouraged in indoor spaces and for all in-person events!
VMS is still hybrid and we would love to see you virtually if you can’t make it in person! you can join us live through Zoom and there will be a Zoom recording in our members’ archive:
Join Zoom Meeting
Time: November 12, 2024 07:30 PM PST
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81655218262?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 816 5521 8262
Passcode: [REDACTED]
We kindly ask that you do not use the chat during the presentation until the Q&A portion, as it obstructs the screen for folks viewing the talk in person!

Pacific Spirit Walk and Po Kong Dinner
2024-11-11 12:30 - 18:30
Nov. 11th: Pacific Spirit Walk & Po Kong Dinner?
We will have an easy walk in the forest on November 11th at 12:30 to look at the fungi of Pacific Spirit Park. Our mushroom experts will identify the specimens we encounter and talk about the fungal associations within our local ecosystem. Come join us to celebrate the season before it gets too cold!
Please sign up here before we fill up: https://forms.gle/iJdSDYJRU5uUpJuN6
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Our much-anticipated Po Kong dinner will be returning on Monday Nov. 11 at 6:30. Every year, we gather at Po Kong Vegetarian Restaurant to celebrate culinary mushrooms. Po Kong notably has a menu that features many fungi, including stinkhorn, lion’s mane, enoki, wood ear, and more.
How it Works:
We will reserve 50 seats, 10 people per table. Each person orders 1 mushroom dish and all the food is shared family style. After the meal, the bill is divided by 10 with your tablemates. The individual bill averages $20-30, not including beverages. Cash is preferred to limit our queue for a card reader.
The restaurant is located at 1334 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5V 3E4
Street parking is available but limited.
Please sign up to secure your spot: https://forms.gle/KtYyHaTf5dQMrteo9

Richmond Nature Show
2024-11-10 10:00 - 16:00
RICHMOND SHOW NOV. 10
Richmond Nature Park is teaming up with VMS to bring back the annual Richmond Mushroom Show on November 10th from 10-4. Don’t miss out on this family-friendly event before mushroom season is over.
We are still in need of some last minute volunteers! If you are interested in educating the public about fungi in a great setting, please get in touch with Vivian at info@vanmyco.com

Continental Mycoblitz – Fall 2024
2024-10-18 - 2024-10-27
Sponsored by NAMA, Mycota, and the Hoosier Mycological Society, this is a great oppurtunity to contribute to citizen science and submit specimens for sequencing! The fall mycoblitz runs from Oct 18-27, 2024. See here for details and stay tuned for VMS related events: https://mycota.com/continental-mycoblitz/
If you have questions feel free to email Jade Hopkins at jhop42@gmail.com.

VMS Fall Show – Van Dusen Garden
2024-10-12 10:00 - 17:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
We’re back again Vancouver! Come down to the Floral Hall this Fall for some fungal joy.
We will be having presentations, vendors, art, mushroom ID, and great company! Our goal is to provide fun, engaging, and accessible mushroom education to the public. We can’t wait to see you! Don’t forget to bring a mushroom ?
Location: 5251 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1
Time: Saturday, October 12th 2024. 10 am to 5 pm
Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/share/7Mt993LHURTUiD9J/?mibextid=9VsGKo
We will be having a raffle and costume contest for the best themed outfit. You won’t want to miss out on these prizes! Admission is $5 at the door, cash or card Kids under 12 get in free, bring the whole family! If price is a barrier, please email president@vanmyco.com for pay what you can.
This event is held on Ancestral, Traditional, and Unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Show Collection Urban Walk
2024-10-11 11:00 - 13:00
If you don’t have a car or are not planning on leaving the city to gather, a few of us will be conducting an urban survey on foot in Mt. Pleasant on Friday the 11th. We will collect specimens that we find and investigate connections between our city landscape and fungi.
The group will meet at Riley Park Community Garden (50 E 30th Ave) at 11, and walk around the neighborhood before concluding at the Fish Counter on Main Street at around 1. If you would like to join us for this 2 hour walk, please let me know at president@vanmyco.com

Oct 8 Meeting: Modern Biology
2024-10-08 19:00 - 22:00
Tarun Nayar
Modern Biology has brought ‘plant music’ to the masses. Originally educated as a biologist, veteran musician Tarun Nayar brings his passion for nature and sound together in an ambient project that is organismic, immediate, uplifting, and deeply contextual. He uses modular synthesis, home built synthesizers and other analog equipment to improvise with the natural vibrations of a certain place and time – via plant bioelectricity, latent electromagnetic radiation, and even the earth’s resonant hum. Trained from childhood in Indian classical music, he uses the system of Indian raga to mold his musical choices for time of day and season. His performances are an effort to bring the listener into the present moment through vibration, space, and connection.
His work has been viewed over 200 million times and amassed him over 1 million followers on social media, has been featured by The Guardian, BBC, Genius, Vice, The Verge, LA Times and Times of India among others, and one of his ambient works opens the new album, Moonchild Era, by Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh. His recent albums have received editorial support on Spotify’s Music for Plants, Deep Listening, and Lava Lamp playlists. Recent performances include the Museum of Contemporary Art (LA), Art Basel (Miami), The Nobel Prize Museum (Stockholm) and the New York Botanical Garden.
Tarun is passionate about protecting wild places and has committed the lion’s share of the proceeds of this project to supporting the natural world.
Don’t miss this one of a kind presentation, where Tarun will reveal the sounds of various fungi and explain his process! We might even get to listen in on a mushroom that you bring…
Doors at 7, Presentation at 7:30 followed by Q&A
As always, we would love to see your specimens at our monthly mushroom table for identification and admiration. Be sure to check out what fungal finds are at the October display. Masks are still encouraged in indoor spaces and for all in-person events!
This event will be in-person only due to its interactive nature, we hope to see you there!
(next month we will be back to hybrid)
Want more talks? Your VMS membership allows you to access an archive of several past talks on our website for your marathoning pleasure.

Manning Park Foray
2024-09-13 - 2024-09-15
Manning Park Foray: information about tickets and details will be emailed out closer to the time, stay tuned!

Monthly Meeting: Urban Fungi
2024-09-10 19:00 - 22:00
There’s Fungus Among Us: Urban “weed” Mushrooms and Immigrant Fungi
Tuesday, September 10th @ Floral Hall
Join us as founding member Paul Kroger takes a look at mushrooms growing in urban areas in landscaping and under street trees, fungi that often have come from elsewhere. Humans create habitats that are home to many common and some unusual fungi, adding diversity, beauty and interest to our city surroundings.
Paul Kroeger has studied mushrooms for over thirty-five years and has many times served as President of the Vancouver Mycological Society. He has been involved in many projects and studies about diverse aspects of mushrooms, gaining knowledge about fungal ecology, biochemistry of toxic, hallucinogenic, medicinal, and edible mushrooms. Years of experience have created unique insights and understanding of fungal life-ways and interactions in temperate ecosystems.
Doors at 7, Talk at 7:30
As always, we would love to see your specimens at our monthly mushroom table for identification and admiration. Be sure to check out what fungal finds are at the September display.

Love the talk? Your VMS membership allows you to access an archive of several past talks on our website for your marathoning pleasure. As always, masks are encouraged in indoor spaces and for all in-person events!

VMS is still hybrid and we would love to see you virtually if you can’t make it in person! you can join us live through Zoom and there will be a Zoom recording in our members’ archive:

Time: Sept 10, 2024 07:30 PM Vancouver
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82407958357?pwd=[REDACTED]
We kindly ask that you do not use the chat during the presentation until the Q&A portion, as it obstructs the screen for folks viewing the talk in person!

2024 Summer Continental Mycoblitz – VMS Walk
2024-08-10 10:00 - 15:00
Summer Continental Mycoblitz 2024: VMS Walk

It’s coming up to that time of year again where we can get out there and collect fungi for science! Join us in participating in a walk to collect specimens for the North American Mycoblitz, an amazing opportunity to obtain DNA barcode sequences from local specimens for just the cost of postage! Ludo and I will guide participants on how to upload photos to iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/), create voucher labels, and prepare specimens to be mailed in for sequencing. We encourage participants to download the iNaturalist app ahead of time if you are interested in contributing photographs or specimens to the mycoblitz project.
Details about the Mycoblitz project can be found at this page: https://mycota.com/continental-mycoblitz/ (scroll below sponsor for details on the process).
We will meet at the Millstream Trail Head at 10:00am on Aug 10th (https://maps.app.goo.gl/vFyLhYDVjYmzuJnq7). Trail may be steep (moderate / intermediate rating) in locations!
If you are interested in participating or want more information (space is limited) email: edu@vanmyco.com

Continental Mycoblitz – Summer 2024
2024-08-09 - 2024-08-18
Sponsored by NAMA, Mycota, and the Hoosier Mycological Society, this is a great oppurtunity to contribute to citizen science and submit specimens for sequencing! The mycoblitz runs from Aug 9-18, 2024. See here for details https://mycota.com/continental-mycoblitz/ Stay tuned for info about VMS related events.
If you have questions feel free to email Jade Hopkins at jhop42@gmail.com.

Monthly Meeting
2024-06-11 19:00 - 22:00
Culinary Truffles with Doug Campbell and Dr. Shannon Berch
(see latest email for full details: https://vanmyco.org/latest-email-to-members/)

Spring Mushroom Show
2024-06-02 10:00 - 17:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
We’re back for our second year, this time with event more food, crafts, and fun!
Don’t miss out on this Spring celebration of all things fungi! We will have talks and experts to ID all day. Check out our unique vendors, offering gourmet products, crafts, ceramics, and grow kits.
Entry: 5$, Kids under 12 free
(if cost is a barrier, please message us or email president@vanmyco.com)
Venue is wheelchair accessible
This event is held on Ancestral, Traditional, and Unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Mushroom Walk
2024-04-28 10:00
Rain or Shine VMS Walk in the Woods
Sunday April 28th
10 am (I’ll be there about 9:45 am, and we’ll leave about 10:15.)
RRSVP HERE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrWsUJhW2aeHznZaYVvheWFvGYGCrfhuAUnJDdb3-SFDfAoQ/viewform
Hyannis Trail: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hyannis+Trail/@49.3314749,-122.9999159,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x54867a8e7043ca71:0xb46a12dc1d010e5d!8m2!3d49.3314749!4d-122.9999159!16s%2Fg%2F11gdlwhfj0?entry=ttu
Hyannis Trail > Ned’s Atomic Dustbin > Mushroom Trail > Powerline Trail > back left down the Hyannis trail
I’ll be printing off a trail map and leaving it at the trailhead if anyone shows up late. I did an estimate, and this should be about 2.5 hours. Bring water and packed lunch!
Please also note that it is a residential neighbourhood, and it can often be full of cars near the trailhead. Please arrive early to find parking, or organize group transportation among your friends.
If you want a ride from Vancouver around Oak/Broadway (or wherever east of there too), I can pick you up. Please email VicePresident@Vanmyco.com if you need a ride, and we can see about organizing carpools.
Laura
VP

Mushroom Dyeing
2024-04-09 19:00 - 21:00
Monthly meeting: talk on mushroom dyeing.

Feb 13th Meeting: Macro/Micro with Bryce Kendrick
2024-02-13 19:00 - 22:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Dr. Bryce Kendrick has authored more than 300 mycological publications, including several books. Notable titles include The Fifth Kingdom, A Young Person’s Guide to Fungi, and The Genera of Hyphomycetes. Dr. Kendrick has studied fungi for over 50 years and is a retired former professor of mycology at the University of Waterloo. He currently lives on Vancouver Island and continues to be involved with the Pacific Northwest Key Council. We are so excited to welcome him here on the mainland for this special presentation.
Meeting time: Tuesday, February 13th, 7pm (talk begins at 7:30)
Location: Floral Hall, VanDusen Gardens 5251 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1

As always, we welcome and encourage you to bring whatever fungal finds you encounter. These specimens will be proudly identified and displayed at the meeting.

Survivors’ Banquet
2024-01-13 17:30 - 22:00
This is a true potluck feast, “catered” by members, for members and their guests. See below for more information. (If you are not currently a member or your membership has expired, memberships can be taken out at the event.) Members are allowed to bring one guest. Entry is by donation, with a suggested donation of 5$ (no one will be turned away for lack of funds).
More details:
● Event starts at 5:30 pm with Happy Hour appetizers, spreads, soups, etc. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm. We may be playing music after dinner if you wish to bring an instrument.
● Bring a dish to share with several people, either an appetizer, soup, main or side dish, salad, or dessert. Also, bring a serving utensil or two. (Points for fungi-based dishes, especially dessert.) Please bring a list of ingredients.
● There is no real kitchen in the hall, just a small microwave, so be creative in keeping your dish warm. Tables will be set up to leave your contribution.
● Please bring your own plate, bowl, cup utensils, etc. to use, as well as any centerpiece or other table decor you’d like to add. Seating is “open” at tables for eight.
● Due to current circumstances, we highly encourage mask use and social distancing when not seated.
● Please bring 2 pieces of valid ID if you’d like to purchase a drink from the bar.
This year, our entertainment will be mushroom trivia, and together with the guests at your table, you’ll be able to flex your mycological knowledge. Prizes will be announced at the event.
If you would like to attend, please register through our Google form by January 8th at the latest:
https://forms.gle/Rp9PVXdeMhce2YvQ6
Space is limited!
If you have any questions or difficulty accessing the form, please email president@vanmyco.com

VMS Meeting: Dec 2023
2023-12-12 19:00 - 21:30
Get cosy and join us online* to watch a stream of the Fungi Film Fest! (https://www.fungifilmfest.com/)
*for current VMS members

VMS Meeting – Nov 2023
2023-11-14 19:00 - 21:30 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
The usual! Speaker TBD

42nd Annual Fall Mushroom Show
2023-10-22 10:00 - 17:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Get ready for the 42nd Annual Fall Mushroom show!

When: Sunday, October 22nd, 2023
When: 10am – 5pm
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden, Floral Hall, West 37th and Oak Street, Vancouver, B.C. Canada

BC’s biggest mushroom festival will return to Floral hall this Fall bigger and better than ever. We have extended our hours to bring you loads of family fun mushroom festivities!

We will have:
– live entertainment
– fresh and dried mushrooms for sale
– mushroom kits
– guest speakers
– books and apparel
– arts and crafts
– mush more!

Bring your own specimens for identification!

Please note, talks and presentations will take place in the Cedar Room of the Floral Hall, which has a capacity of 50. Talks are “first come first serve”.

Masks are optional, and appreciated.

Admission $5.00, children under 12 free.
Wheelchair accessible. Parking free but VERY limited. Venue is transit accessible via the 17, R4, and 41 bus lines.

Speakers and talk schedule will be announced on the day!

If admission price is a barrier, please contact president@vanmyco.com

This event is held on Ancestral, Traditional, and Unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Fungal Barcoding and Microscopy with Alan Rockefeller
2023-10-17 19:00 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
TUESDAY, OCT. 17th, Fungal Barcoding and Microscopy with Alan Rockefeller:

The Floral Hall has a capacity of 150 people, so in an effort to not have to turn anyone away at the event, we have made an Eventbrite page. If you would like to attend Alan Rockefeller’s talk, please register below as soon as possible:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fungal-barcoding-and-microscopy-with-alan-rockefeller-tickets-734904608467?aff=oddtdtcreator

As with all our events, bringing in fresh specimens is HIGHLY encouraged. Let’s show Alan the fungal bounty of our region!

October Monthly VMS Meeting
2023-10-10 19:00 - 21:30 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Join us for our monthly educational meeting!
Details to be announced!

March Meeting: Paul Kroeger presents "Darwin's Elves"
2023-03-14 19:00 - 21:00 | VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC
Paul Kroeger has studied mushrooms for over thirty-five years and is a founding member of the Vancouver Mycological Society. He has been involved in many projects and studies about diverse aspects of mushrooms, gaining knowledge about fungal ecology, biochemistry of toxic, hallucinogenic, medicinal, and edible mushrooms. Years of experience have created unique insights and understanding of fungal life-ways and interactions in temperate ecosystems.
Kroeger has many times served as President of the VMS and co-authored ‘The Outer Spores: Mushrooms of Haida Gwaii’ in 2012. He has worked at the University of British Columbia researching the biochemistry of medicinal mushrooms and is a major contributor to the mycological herbarium collections in UBC’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Paul is an entertaining, knowledgeable speaker who gives illustrated talks throughout the Pacific Northwest on subjects such as general mycology, fungal biology, poisonous mushrooms, magic mushrooms, biology, and the mycology of hot springs.
“Darwin’s Elves”: Poisonous mushrooms and mushroom poisonings
An introduction to poisonous mushrooms and their effects is important for all those who are interested in mushrooms as a hobby. Major toxin types and their effects are described, and a few case studies show how suspect fungi are identified. This presentation presents practical general guidelines for safely handling and preparing edible fungi, and avoiding becoming another poisoning victim. Some surprising common causes of ‘mushroom poisoning’ are also discussed.
Doors at 7, Talk at 7:30
As always, we would love to see your specimens at our monthly mushroom table for identification and admiration. Be sure to check out what fungal finds are at the March display.

VMS Meeting Nov 8 — Kabir Bhalla: Of Maize and Men
2022-11-08 19:00 - 21:30 | VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC
Of Maize and Men: How do fungal pathogens such as Ustilago maydis and Cryptococcus neoformans cause disease?
Kabir Bhalla (he/him) is a graduate student in the Kronstad Lab at UBC. He is particularly interested in polyphosphate, a phosphorus biopolymer, and how it contributes to disease in the pathogenic basidiomycete yeast, Cryptococcus neoformans.
7 pm: Doors and Mushroom Mingling
Come at 7 pm to secure a good seat and chat about mushrooms with our experts who will identify specimens. Be sure to check out what fungal finds are on the table (and bring your own!)
7:30 – 9:30: Guest Talk
Bhalla will be presenting a broad overview of C. neoformans and U. maydis, their disease mechanisms, and some recent work from the Kronstad Lab at the University of British Columbia.
Join us in person at VanDusen Gardens (Floral Hall). Members may attend the presentation via Zoom.
This would be a hybrid meeting, meaning those who cannot attend in person can join us live through Zoom and there will be a Zoom recording in our members’ archive.

2022 VMS Mushroom Show
2022-10-23 11:00 - 16:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
The Annual VMS Mushroom Show returns after a 2 year COVID hiatus!

Join us in VanDusen Gardens’ Floral Hall from 11 AM to 4PM on Sunday October 23rd, and witness the range of fungal diversity of the Lower Mainland!
We are seeking volunteers who would like to help out with the VMS annual mushroom show: with breakdown & set up, lunch crew, ID help, and more! if you are a VMS member and interested in helping out/more info, please shoot us an email at info@vanmyco.com
Eventbrite ticket listing | or $3 cash at the door

VMS Meeting Oct 11: Dr. Mary Berbee on Mushrooms Up!
2022-10-11 19:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
We are honored to have Dr. Mary Berbee of the Berbee Lab join us for our next meeting on October 11th.
Schedule of events:
7 pm: Doors and Mushroom Mingling
Come at 7 pm to secure a good seat and chat about mushrooms with our experts who will identify specimens. Be sure to check out what fungal finds are on the table (and bring your own!)
7:30 – 9:30: Guest Talk
Our guest speaker, Dr. Mary Berbee will talk about Mushrooms up! UBC’s newest collaboration with the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, and BC fungal research.
This would be a hybrid meeting, meaning those who cannot attend in person can join us live through Zoom and there will be a Zoom recording in our members’ archive:
