Kennett Square Mushroom Festival kicks off with extra security as escaped prisoner manhunt continues
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. (CBS) -- The "mushroom capital of the world" will have its day after all.
Despite the ongoing manhunt for escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante, Kennett Square's annual mushroom festival is going on as scheduled, but with plenty of extra security to keep visitors safe.
"The safety of our community members remains our utmost priority, and we want to reassure you that all necessary precautions and protocols will be in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone in attendance," a letter from the festival president said.
The festival is bringing thousands of people to the area Sept. 9 and 10. There are mushroom-centric foods and merchandise and plenty more - like local honey and even clothing, a fried mushroom eating contest, a mushroom picking contest and a painted mushroom silent auction.
Woodside Farm Creamery is one of the vendors offering food. They're slinging mushroom-flavored ice cream at the festival this weekend.
"We plan all year long, and we planned early on for decent security," festival coordinator Gale Ferranto said. "We feel pretty good about the security this year, it is beefed up, but appropriately so."
The festival in downtown Kennett Square about three miles from the police search perimeter around Longwood Gardens.