If you like mushrooms you might want to head out to Crystal Falls this weekend. Friday marks the beginning of the Humungous Fungus Festival – a staple in the Crystal Falls community for nearly twenty five years. The festival started after some Michigan Tech students discovered an eleven ton, thirty seven acre fungus in the area.

Its about 1500 years old and is believed to be the biggest spore in the entire world. But, you can’t really see it. The fungus is mostly underground, making Humongous Fungus Fest somewhat of a misnomer.

“Crystal Falls is someplace where we’ll find any reason to get together and have a good time and bring people together and the fungus festival does that,” said Bryan Frailing, Camp Host at Runkle Lake Park.

While the festival may have little to do with fungus, the citizens of Crystal Falls will have plenty to do at the celebration. Throughout the weekend there will be rummage sales, softball games, horse pulls and even fireworks. But the crown jewel is the pizza.

On Saturday, festival goers can enjoy a seventy five square foot pizza, cooked over a fire at the park, and topped off with a special ingredient.

“We have fifty pounds of mushrooms, so if you want to know about the fungus, it’ll be on the pizza this year,” said Terrie Petrilli, President of the Business Association in Crystal Falls.

The two–day festival is hosted at Runkle Lake Park and ends Saturday evening.