We don’t often think of mushrooms as a symbol of winter, but I recently learned that fungi have a strong underground system that produces its own antifreeze to keep the organism alive in the cold.
In other words, even though the fruiting bodies, or what we tend to think of as mushrooms, die off, the fungi are still alive and flourishing underground. To honor their resilience and let the mushrooms know that we haven’t forgotten about them, even while they’re hiding, we decided to celebrate “Fungi February.”
Funky Fun
To start, my kiddo and I made an upcycled mushroom garland. To make the mushrooms, get a cardboard egg carton then cut out the individual egg holders along with the taller, triangle-shaped dividers. Trim the edges to make everything look a bit more cohesive in shape. There will be some funkiness and inconsistencies, but character is one of the glories of upcycling.
Next step: paint your mushrooms! I went for a classic toadstool vibe, and my kiddo chose the themes of rainbow, rasta and chaos. While your mushrooms dry, head outside to find some sticks to use as the stipes or stems. Break the sticks into 3-to-4-inch sections and hot glue them into the cup of your mushroom. Finally, poke holes in either side of your mushrooms, run a string through, and, viola, your beautiful hanging art piece is ready for display. We put ours in the window as a signal to the mushrooms that we’re thinking of them. Pro tip: These garlands look magical intertwined with faerie lights, twinkling in the nighttime.
Fit & Fire
On a not-so-cloudy nor cold day, we visited Riverfront Park, starting at the intersection of Maclay Street then heading north. This section of trail hosts both the Peace Garden, a series of outdoor art installations, and the BlueZone Fit Circuit, a series of public exercise equipment. Never once have we used the fitness equipment properly, but we make up our own games. Sticking with our “February Fungi” theme, we started with the “Log Hop” and pretended the logs were Super Mario mushrooms and that we were Mario and Luigi jumping to earn points. The pull-up station is fun because parents can get a workout by lifting their kids up over the bar 1,000 times. The body curl station can be used as a dramatic backdrop for a child pretending to fall into hot lava, off a cliff, into the ocean, anywhere that poses imminent doom. Parents, work it out again by pulling your kids up and playing the hero over and over again.
On the topic of drama, the highlight of a central Pa. winter, Harrisburg’s Ice & Fire Festival, is hosting real live fire dancers on March 7. Bringing the heat on a usually frigid night, the fire dancers captivate audiences with their blazing props. For those who’d rather embrace the natural February temperature, the ice sculptures are cool and there’s usually an ice throne to chill in. There’s a scavenger hunt for all ages—be sure to check out TheBurg’s sculpture in front of our office. Local vendors sell their wares, with Deep Creek Glassworx being a favorite, selling many trinkets, including tiny glass mushrooms.
Stage Center
If you’re still craving more performance in your life, check out “The Little Mermaid” at Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center in Middletown. Performances are happening Feb. 6 to 8. We saw “The Lion King Jr.” performed at HCPAC recently, and it was incredible. Just like on Broadway, the young actors brought their story into the audience, dancing and singing in the aisles. Their costumes were epic, and they boldly belted out the beloved songs from the show. Tickets are fairly affordable, so a show at HCPAC can be an accessible introduction to live theatre for a family.
You can help make these musical productions possible by volunteering with HCPAC. Volunteer opportunities include positions as directors, producers, musical directors, choreographers and stage managers. Anyone who has an interest and skills in theatre or production is encouraged to get involved. The performances these kids put on are impressive, and it would be a wholesome and impactful experience to join the team that helps make these shows happen. Spread the word, see a show, invite your family, and make a cozy winter night of it.
During “Fungi February,” we explore our many similarities to mushrooms. When it’s too chilly to be outside, we nourish ourselves in other ways, digging deep and forming new pathways. Now is when we notice the parts of ourselves and our communities that may have taken root between the cracks, overlooked. Though the parks and riverfronts may seem empty, there’s culture, events and creativity teeming beneath the surface.
To learn more about the Ice & Fire Festival, visit www.harrisburgpa.gov/events/ice_and_fire_festival.php.
To learn more about HCPAC, visit www.thehcpac.org.
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