Back in 1996, Jim and Carol Sanford conceived of the King Boletus Mushroom Festival as a fundraiser for Buena Vista Heritage, combining two of their passions. Although mushroom forays and historic preservation seemed an unlikely pairing, the event has been a success in every year except 2002, when it was cancelled due to drought conditions.

More than its success as a fundraiser, however, the King Boletus Mushroom Festival has educated hundreds of participants on the fine art of hunting for and identifying mushrooms in the Upper Arkansas Valley and throughout Colorado. It has also brought together mushroom hunters of all ages and levels of experience to share their passion, tips and success stories.