Big Sur Foragers Festival 2026

The Big Sur Foragers Festival returns Thursday–Sunday, Jan. 22–25, 2026, celebrating the region’s natural bounty while raising essential support for the Big Sur Health Center. The festival blends culinary excellence, educational walks, and community partnerships to showcase the unique flavors and resources of Big Sur.

Event Highlights

  • Community Supporting Events
    • Dates: Thursday–Friday, Jan. 22–23, 2026
      Local restaurants will host special evenings, donating a percentage of proceeds to benefit the Big Sur Health Center. Details on participating restaurants will be announced soon.
  • Fungus Face Off
    • Date & Time: Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, 12–3 p.m.
    • Location: Big Sur Lodge
    • Ticket Price: $125 per person
    • Attendance Limited to 200 Guests

The festival’s signature tasting event will feature more than 10 acclaimed chefs presenting foraged-inspired dishes alongside more than 20 regional wineries pouring selections that highlight the flavors of the Central Coast. Attendance is capped to ensure a warm and comfortable atmosphere for all guests.

  • Wild Foraging Walk & Talks
    • Dates: Saturday–Sunday, Jan. 24–25, 2026
    • Time: 9:30 a.m. start (subject to weather and road conditions)
    • Location: Big Sur Lodge, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
    • Ticket Price: $75 per hiker (no refunds)
    • Capacity: Two hikes per day, 30 people per hike

Big Sur Foragers Festival 2026 is excited to bring back its popular “Wild Foraging Walk and Talk” mushroom hikes. There will be 2 hikes of 30 people each on both Saturday and Sunday, January 24-25, 2026, 4 hikes total. Hikers will meet at 9:30 a.m. at The Big Sur Lodge in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (subject to change pending road and weather conditions) for a talk and display of wild mushrooms, then set off on guided hikes with our mushroom experts. Cost is $75 per hiker. NO REFUNDS.

Hikes will be led by mushroom experts Mark Gillespie, Anthony Gerbino, Todd Spanier, and Dr. Phil Carpenter. Lisa Haas, assisted by Maryia Crabbe, will provide an incredible display of local wild mushrooms and discuss identification, medicinal and culinary use, and many other interesting facts.

Tickets on Sale at:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-sur-foragers-festival-wild-foraging-walk-and-talk-hikes-jan-24-and-25-tickets-1835402792159?aff=oddtdtcreator

A reminder there are FOUR hikes to choose from (please select your ticket choice on Eventbrite)

  1. Saturday, January 24th Hike #1 9:00 a.m. (30 people)
  2. Saturday, January 24th Hike #2 9:00 a.m. (30 people)
  3. Sunday, January 25th Hike #1 9:00 a.m. (30 people)
  4. Sunday, January 25th Hike #1 9:00 a.m. (30 people)

Supporting Community Health

All proceeds from the Foragers Festival benefit the Big Sur Health Center, whose mission is to provide accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare to the residents, workforce, and visitors of the Big Sur coast. By attending, guests help ensure that essential health services remain available to this rural community.

Tickets

Tickets go on sale Oct. 1, 2025, and will be available exclusively through Eventbrite.

🍄 Big Sur Foragers Festival – Fungus Face-Off

Must be 21+ to attend

The Fungus Face-Off returns as the highlight of the Big Sur Foragers Festival—an unforgettable afternoon where top chefs, wineries, and breweries showcase their creativity with the season’s most celebrated ingredient: wild-foraged mushrooms.

This year we’re excited to welcome an incredible lineup of partners:

 

  • Blair Wines
  • Chalone Vineyard
  • Cafe Carmel
  • Wild Plum
  • Deetjen's Big Sur
  • Bitter Ginger
  • Marthas Hopyard
  • Fernwood
  • Big Sur River Inn
  • Big Sur Lodge
  • The Pocket
  • I Brand Winery
  • Julia's Vegetarian Restaurant
  • Terry's Restaurant + Lounge
  • Post Ranch
  • Wrath Wines
  • Morgan Winery
  • El Vaquero Winery
  • Fly Wheel Wines
  • Scheid Winery
  • Joyce Wine Co

We’re also thrilled to welcome back Edible Monterey Bay as our Media Sponsor and Judge Panel, and Jeff White of KRML returning as our Emcee.

There’s still time to join the lineup! We are actively seeking additional chef participants and winery or brewery partners to make this year’s competition even bigger and better.

And don’t miss our Silent Auction, where you’ll find unique items and experiences—all to benefit our nonprofit partners.

2026/01/22 08:00:00
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A heartfelt thank you!

To Edible Monterey Bay for being our exclusive media partner for the Big Sur Foragers Festival. Your support and partnership contribute immensely to the success of this wonderful event. 🌿🍽️ #EdibleMontereyBay #BigSurForagersFestival #Gratitude

History

The event has traditionally served as a fundraiser for the Big Sur Health Center. The community’s non-profit health center will receive the proceeds from the foraging events to continue to support the presence of local health care services in the Big Sur area.

The four-day festival affords Big Sur area restaurants the opportunity to host the culinary expertise of notable chefs who will be preparing unique fare ranging from rustic to elegant, paired alongside the central coast region’s amazing selection of wine and beer.

Join Us

January 22 – 25, 2026
at Big Sur Foragers Festival

Thank You!

To all of our sponsors, donors and volunteers who make this event possible!