This year’s theme is “Mushroom Season”. It has been chosen in honor of the inclusion of the Latvian mushroom gathering tradition in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The picking and use of mushrooms is a long-established tradition in Latvia, which is still alive today. The main use of mushrooms is for human consumption. Almost every family has its recipe for mushroom sauce, soup, or mushroom chops. They can be salted, pickled, marinated, dried, boiled and baked. It is an essential part of our culinary heritage.
This year’s festival programme has been created in cooperation with the Latvian Mycological Society. It will offer a wide range of mushroom knowledge – an exhibition “Edible and unedible mushrooms”, cooking masterclasses and demonstrations, mushroom workshops, environmental education activities, competitions, and lectures. You can learn not only about the nutritional and medicinal uses of mushrooms, but also about creative uses in crafts and household chores, and about the importance of mushrooms in nature.
As in other years, the festival program will be complemented by traditional wild food cooking demonstrations by Zaubes hunters and fishermen, new meetings with Vidzeme craftsmen in creative workshops, local goods market, and musical interludes.
Entrance is free.
Programme
‘ZAUBES WILD FOOD FESTIVAL 2024 – “MUSHROOM SEASON”‘
Time: 7 September 2024, from 11:00.
PREPARATION WORKSHOPS and DEMONSTRATIONS
Cooking masterclasses by Chef Ingmar Ladig
Cooking masterclasses by Chef Kristaps Reimāns
Cooking masterclasses by Latvian hostess Mara Zemdega
Laura Grēviņa’s “School for Little Cooks”
Outdoor cooking demonstrations of Vidzeme Technology and Design Technical School
CREATIVE WORKSHOPS
“VIENKOČI” Natures jewelry workshop
CLAY workshop – clay vessel making with ceramist Liene Zipa
Wooden banners, bark decorations, and braiding workshop with craftswoman Ginta Kalniņa
Natural, fresh cosmetics workshop with Laura Rose
Felting workshop
Gingerbread decorating workshop with natural colours
OPEN-AIR LECTURES OF THE LATVIAN MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Maija Pohodņeva “Mushrooms for health and taste”
Audra Spārīte Jansone “Toxic mushrooms and their properties”
Diāna Meiere “Truffles – collection and preparation”
“Spore” mushroom film tent and mushroom growing in bags
MUSHROOM WORKSHOPS/ LATVIAN SOCIETY OF MYCOLOGY
Yarn dyeing with mushrooms
Mushroom butter
Mushroom cosmetics
Mushroom paper
Mushroom basket weaving
Tent of short -films about mushrooms
COMPETITION
The most interesting dish – “Mushroom in a jar”. Cooperation with the seniors’ organisation “Sidrabozols”
EXHIBITION
“EATABLE AND UNEATABLE MUSHROOM” – consultations with specialists, children’s activity corner
MUSIC AT THE ZAUBES OAK TREE
Singing with the Zaubes Mixed Choir
Dancing with the Madona brass band
GREEN MARKET
Delicacies, drinks and food from local producers and craftsmen.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Natures Conservation Agency activities “Natural meadow products”
ACTIVITIES
Round boats on the lake, archery, walks with huskies, youth activities, radio-controlled car track
Various wild meats will be offered by the local hunters’ club “Zaube”.
https://www.facebook.com/Zaubewildfoodfest
More information: zaubewildfoodfest@gmail.com