SOMA CAMP 2027
Friday Jan. 15th - Monday Jan. 18th
We are trying to launch tickets by Oct 24th or Nov 1st!
Sign up for membership and/or the newsletter to get updates :)
What is going on at camp this year?
2027 Keynote Speakers:
Guilliana Furci, Dennis Walker & Julie Schreiber!
Cheese and mushroom tastings
Cooking demonstrations
More Forays than ever before!
Microscopy Lab
DNA Lab
Identification Table
Fungal Fashion Show
Gourmet Food
Heated Cabins
Arts and Fiber Classes
Dozens of Presentations
And much more!
What is SOMA Camp?
SOMA Camp is an annual multi-day event hosted by the Sonoma County Mycological Association and is nestled among acres of oak, madrone, tan oak, redwood, and douglas fir trees near Occidental, California.
SOMA Camp serves as a benefit for the SOMA Scholarship Fund and is packed with mushroom outings, specimen tables, an abundant cheese table, technical and beginner-friendly presentations, cooking demonstrations and mushroom-rich meals, cultivation workshops, fiber arts & fungal pigment classes, microscopy lessons and top-notch speakers!
Changes for SOMA Camp 2027
If you’ve been to SOMA Camp in the past, a few things have changed this year:
We highly encourage you to arrive on Friday for easier check-in, parking, and we have a great schedule of classes set up, especially if you consider yourself a beginning mushroom forager.
Bring your mushroom outfit for the Fungal Fashion Show!
Volunteers will pay $150.00+ fees if staying onsite in one of our cabins. There is no charge for staying offsite or in a registered-with-us RV, van, or trailer parked on the basketball court. Please note that CYO does not allow tent camping or sleeping in cars.
Location and Accommodations
SOMA Camp is held at CYO Retreat Center, a wonderful modern conference center near Occidental, about an hour north of San Francisco. The spacious, modern buildings are set amongst 225 acres of great mushroom habitat: mixed oak, redwood, madrone, CA bay and Douglas-fir forests.
Lodging is in shared, heated cabins with hardwood floors, bunks and personal cubbyholes. There are six bunkbeds per cabin, but we try to only use lower bunks only. The cabins are bright, clean, and airy. The shared restrooms and showers are a short walk from the cabins (in most cases.) Vehicles may be parked near the cabins.
Off-site lodging options are also available in the nearby areas of Occidental, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Jenner and Santa Rosa.
Please note that CYO does not allow pets -- no dogs, no cats, not even if you keep them in your vehicle or RV or camper.
CYO is a peanut-free facility. Please don't bring any peanut products onto the grounds or into the cabins.
What Should I Bring to Camp?
Please note that our camp host, CYO, does not allow pets -- no dogs, no cats, not even if you keep them in your vehicle or RV or camper.
For service animals and medical assist pets, you must fill out an application with our venue host before December 1st, 2026! Please inquire.
Also, CYO is a peanut-free facility. Please do not bring any peanuts on site!
Necessary or Highly Recommended:
Flashlight with good batteries and/or a charger. Bonus points if you bring a UV flashlight for the nighttime walks.
Plenty of warm clothes, warm hat, gloves or mittens, scarf -- prepare to dress in layers.
Rain gear (head to toe!) + umbrella. Prepare for rain and hope for at least some sunshine!
Sturdy walking shoes and/or rubber/waterproof boots
Watch, cell phone, or equivalent technology of your choosing
Pocketknife and/or other mushroom harvesting/cleaning implements
Basket with handles for collecting fungi, bags with handles, handkerchiefs, tackle boxes, or your other favorite collecting vessel
Refillable drinking water container
IF STAYING IN ONSITE CABINS:
Sleeping bag or bedding with blankets and pillow (none provided!)
Towel, wash cloth, personal toiletries
Footwear for when you are in your cabin
Earplugs and mask if you are a light sleeper (possible snoring cabin mates? We hope not, but just in case...)
Optional Stuff:
Walking and/or duff/mushroom probing stick
Compass (or cellphone with compass app)
Favorite whistle
Wax paper bags for keeping mushrooms organized in basket
Mushroom cleaning brush
Field guides, note pad & pen
Camera or photo equipment
Daypack, fanny pack, hip pack or rucksack
UV flashlight for evening walks around the lodge
Wool silk, mohair, alpaca or hemp plus nylon & rayon (if enrolling in a pigment/dye class)
Hand-held, multi-channel radios
Fingernail brush for dirt under the nails (or keep the forager’s manicure for style points)
Favorite snacks + extras to share
Hot beverage mug
Wine glass/beer mug (or buy one of our SOMA glasses)
Spending money: mushroom books, T shirts, posters, cards, silent auction, and more will be for sale!