Mushroom Festivals

Yunnan’s mushroom festivals take place during the summer rainy season, when wild mushrooms arrive in local markets in their greatest variety. These events combine seasonal food, fresh-mushroom trading, cooking competitions, forest-picking experiences, agricultural exhibitions and ethnic cultural performances. The main festival period is generally July and August, although fresh wild mushrooms are widely available from June to September.

The two largest and most established events are held in Nanhua County (南华县) and Yimen County (易门县). Smaller regional celebrations take place in areas such as Longpeng in Shiping County (石屏县龙朋镇), while Lijiang and other mushroom-producing destinations organize matsutake seasons, markets and food-promotion activities.

Festival schedules change every year according to rainfall, mushroom production and local arrangements. Visitors should confirm the final program before booking transportation and hotels.

Main Yunnan Mushroom Festivals

Nanhua Wild Mushroom Food Culture Festival

The Nanhua Wild Mushroom Food Culture Festival (南华野生菌美食文化节) is Yunnan’s most comprehensive mushroom celebration. Nanhua is widely promoted as the “Kingdom of Wild Mushrooms”, and its annual festival combines local cuisine, fresh-produce trading, rural tourism, ethnic culture and the mushroom industry.

The 23rd festival was scheduled from August 3 to 9, 2026. Its principal activities were held around the Nanhua Wild Mushroom Kingdom Tourism Area, with additional events in nearby towns and villages.

Mushroom Food Streets and Markets

The 2026 program included the Hundred Mushrooms, Thousand Flavours Food Market, bringing together mushroom snacks, barbecues and hotpots. Visitors could try foods such as ganbajun fried rice, mushroom buns, mushroom rice noodles, preserved jizong and grilled matsutake.

A dedicated mushroom hotpot area offered seasonal mushrooms with chicken, duck, goose, goat and other soup bases. The festival also organized a commercial market for agricultural products, food, local specialties and cultural goods.

Mushroom King Competition

One of the festival’s best-known events is the Mushroom King Competition, in which exceptional specimens are judged according to size, freshness, appearance and quality.

The 2026 competition included categories for matsutake, truffles, lingzhi, ganbajun, boletes, jizong, tiger-paw mushrooms and other local varieties. Mushroom exhibitions and educational displays helped visitors learn about forest environments and different species.

Ethnic Culture and Evening Activities

Nanhua’s festival is also an important cultural celebration. The 2026 program included Ailao folk songs, large community dances, Yi cultural performances, night markets and live music.

These activities make Nanhua suitable for travellers who want more than a food market. A complete visit can combine mushroom dining, cultural performances, shopping and countryside sightseeing over two or three days.

Wujie Matsutake Mountain-Opening Ceremony

The Wujie Matsutake Mountain-Opening Ceremony (五街镇松茸采摘开山仪式) is held in Wujie Town as part of the wider Nanhua festival season. It reflects traditional respect for the forest and formally marks the beginning of local matsutake collection.

The 10th ceremony in 2026 was scheduled for August 4 at Baijunyuan in Wujie Town. Activities included a ceremonial opening of the mountain, the collection of the first matsutake, mushroom tasting, local-product markets, traditional clothing and handicraft displays, group dancing and a bonfire celebration.

This event offers a more rural and community-based experience than the main festival in Nanhua town. Visitors interested in matsutake culture, forest traditions and village life should consider combining both locations.

China–Yunnan Wild Edible Mushroom Trade Fair in Yimen

The China–Yunnan Wild Edible Mushroom Trade Fair (中国·云南野生食用菌交易会) is held in Yimen County, southwest of Kunming. Compared with Nanhua’s tourism-oriented food festival, Yimen places greater emphasis on mushroom trading, processing, industry development and commercial exhibitions.

The 22nd trade fair was held from July 31 to August 4, 2026. During the event, Yimen’s Wild Mushroom Museum and Urban Planning Exhibition Hall extended their opening hours for visitors.

Recent editions have featured hundreds of stalls selling fresh mushrooms, dried products and processed foods. Programs have also included mushroom auctions, culinary competitions, industry conferences, long-table meals, mushroom-picking experiences and science exhibitions.

What to Experience in Yimen

Visitors can explore the specialist mushroom trading centre, compare fresh seasonal varieties and learn how mushrooms are graded, packaged, processed and distributed. The Yimen Wild Mushroom Museum adds an educational element, especially for families and study groups.

Yimen also has a strong restaurant culture centered on wild mushroom hotpot and local seasonal dishes. The festival can therefore be planned as a one-day trip from Kunming or as an overnight food and countryside experience.

Longpeng Wild Mushroom Culture and Tourism Festival

The Longpeng Wild Mushroom Culture and Tourism Festival (龙朋野生菌文化旅游节) is held in Longpeng Town, Shiping County, in Honghe Prefecture. It combines mushroom culture with the distinctive performing traditions of southern Yunnan.

Longpeng has organized its mushroom festival for at least ten consecutive editions. Typical activities include wild mushroom picking, mushroom exhibitions, agricultural-product markets, cooking events and rural tourism.

The festival is particularly known for performances of Haicai Tune (海菜腔) and the Cigarette-Box Dance (烟盒舞), both closely associated with local Yi cultural traditions. Earlier programs included street performances, singing competitions, Mushroom King selection, auctions and bonfire evenings.

A local festival calendar lists August 16, 2026, but this date should be reconfirmed with local organizers because the schedule is not always fixed.

Lijiang Matsutake Food Culture Season

The Lijiang Matsutake Food Culture Season (丽江松茸美食文化季) focuses on one of Yunnan’s most valuable highland mushrooms. The 2026 season opened on July 5 at Lijiang’s Xishang Agricultural Trade Centre.

The program combined matsutake cuisine, product sales, industry promotion, summer tourism and local cultural experiences. Unlike a short festival lasting only several days, it functions more as a seasonal campaign linked to the matsutake harvest and restaurant market.

This activity is convenient for travellers already visiting Lijiang Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain or surrounding highland villages. Premium fresh matsutake may also be packed for chilled domestic delivery, subject to the seller’s services and transport regulations.

How to Plan a Yunnan Mushroom Festival Tour

Nanhua provides the widest combination of food, cultural performances, markets and rural activities. Two days are recommended if the trip includes Wujie Town or mushroom picking outside the county centre.

Yimen is more convenient from Kunming and is particularly suitable for professional buyers, culinary travellers, families and visitors interested in the commercial mushroom industry.

Longpeng offers a smaller and more traditional ethnic-cultural festival, while Lijiang is best for travellers interested primarily in matsutake cuisine and highland tourism.

Hotels in county centres may fill quickly during the main festival weekends. Transport and accommodation should be reserved in advance, particularly for Nanhua and Yimen.

Festival Food and Shopping Tips

Visit mushroom markets early in the morning for the freshest selection. Ask sellers to keep different species separate and explain the correct cooking method for each variety.

Dried mushrooms, packaged soup ingredients, mushroom sauces and preserved jizong are easier to transport than fresh mushrooms. Fresh products should remain cool and well ventilated and should be cooked promptly.

Choose established restaurants specializing in wild mushrooms. Wild mushrooms must be correctly identified and thoroughly cooked, and alcohol should be avoided during mushroom meals. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, confusion or hallucinations require immediate medical attention.

Best Festival for Different Travellers

Yunnan’s mushroom festivals are more than seasonal food events. They connect forest conservation, rural livelihoods, ethnic culture, agricultural trade and regional cuisine. For the fullest experience, plan a visit between late July and mid-August and combine a festival with a formal mushroom market, specialist restaurant and professionally guided forest activity.