Early Bird Special: Use code SPORE10 for $10 off any ticket tier — this week only! First 100 Mycelium Supporters get a bag of ChagaRoot!
When: Wednesday, December 9, 2026
Time: 6:00 – 10:00 PM
Where: Barr Mansion, Austin, TX
Donation: Sliding scale, $35–$250
Kids: 15 and under free (night walk included!)
You're Invited to a Mycelial Soiree! (Spor-AY!)
Early Bird Special: Use code SPORE10 for $10 off any ticket tier — this week only! First 100 Mycelium Supporters get a bag of ChagaRoot!
When: Wednesday, December 9, 2026
Time: 6:00 – 10:00 PM
Where: Barr Mansion, Austin, TX
Donation: Sliding scale, $35–$250
Kids: 15 and under free (night walk included!)
Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the Texas Star Mushroom, our beloved official state mushroom, at the historic Barr Mansion. This isn't your average fundraiser — it's a Sporée, where fungi fanatics, soil punks, master naturalists, and the merely mushroom-curious gather under the stars and beneath the soil for a night of mycelial magic.
Expect top chef-curated mushroom bites, mocktails, Cocktails, live music, mycological storytelling, a raffle with incredible prizes, and a guided UV night walk through the grounds. Whether you're here for the science, the food, the community, or just a really good excuse to dress up and talk about fungi — you belong here.
All proceeds support our education and recycling programs, Texas Star Mushroom research, and community education.
The Evening
6:00 PM — Gates Open: Cocktail Hour
Arrive to the warm glow of Barr Mansion. Enjoy chef-prepared mushroom appetizers, a signature cocktail, and ambient music while you mingle with fellow fungi enthusiasts. Browse a small marketplace of local artisans and mycological makers.
7:00 PM — Welcome & Anniversary Moment
We honor the founders, volunteers, and community members who built CTMS — and celebrate the Texas Star Mushroom's legacy as our official state mushroom.
7:15 PM — Featured Speakers
Liz Bowman (Mycologist) and Matt Powers share short talks on the Texas Star Mushroom, fungal ecology, and the cutting-edge research ahead. 15–20 minutes each.
8:15 PM — Music, Dessert & Raffle
The band takes over as dessert is served and our raffle opens. Headline prize: a Boom Room 2 from North Spore ($500 value), plus grow kits, farm tours, local art, and more.
9:00 PM — UV Night Walk
Step outside with CTMS guides for a UV-powered walk through the Barr Mansion grounds. Discover fungi, lichen, and the hidden networks beneath your feet. Family-friendly — kids welcome!
9:45 PM — Closing Remarks
Final thanks, sponsor recognition, and a first look at what's next for CTMS.
10:00 PM — Event Concludes
Why We're Gathering
Every ticket, raffle entry, and sponsorship supports:
Food Equity & Security — free grow kits, workshops, and fresh food access for food-insecure communities
Texas Star Mushroom Research — genome sequencing, metabolomics, and soil ecology in partnership with Dr. Liz Bowman of UT, and international collaborators
SporeCorps & Youth Education — Mycology 101 for the next generation of scientists, artists, and soil stewards
Enter Raffle
Want to support us more or can’t make the event and still want to join in the fungal fun.
(Anyone in Texas can enter).
We partnered up with North Spore and are raffling their popular automated BoomRoom+ Fruiting Blocks
Valued at $500+! Enter with your donation and support mycology education!
Tickets
First 100 Mycelial Supporters get a free bag of ChagaRoot MycoProtein! Tickets are offered on a sliding scale to ensure accessibility for all: Tickets are offered on a sliding scale to ensure accessibility for all:
Community Spore — $35
Accessible ticket for those who need flexibility (limited)Fruiting Body — $60
True-cost ticket covering the event experienceMycelium Supporter — $100
For those who can give more and help fund others, a small gift of ChagaRoot MycoProtein! ($60 value, 1 lb)Patron — $250
Reserved seating, lifetime membership, t-shirt, and a small gift
Kids 15 and under: Free (night walk included!)
No one turned away for lack of funds. Contact us for Community Spore access.
Become a Sponsor
Your support makes this accessible, community-centered fundraiser possible. Sponsorships directly fund our soil and food equity programs, fungal research, and community education — and give your business visibility among Austin's vibrant mycological and environmental community.
Mycelium Network — $500
Logo on event web-page, social media thanks, name in program, 1 raffle ticketFruiting Body — $1,500
All above + dedicated social post, logo on print materials, 2 raffle ticketsTexas Star — $5,000
All above + naming rights to a key activity (e.g., "The [Sponsor] UV Night Walk"), verbal recognition, prime logo placement, 5 raffle ticketsTitle Sponsor — $10,000+
All above + presenting sponsor recognition across all materials, dedicated booth space, 10 raffle tickets
In-kind donations welcome: food, alcohol, raffle items, services, and supplies.
To sponsor: Contact us and let us know
Thank You to Our Partners
Barr Mansion — for hosting us in this beautiful, historic space
Gabe Erales and our chef team — for donating their time and talent
North Spore — for the Boom Room 2 raffle prize
Hi-Fi Mycology & Cap City Shrooms — our foundational mushroom farm partners
Interested in partnering? We'd love to hear from you.