Curious Conwegians congregated at Righteous Remedies on Oct. 11, hoping to try fun drinks with a twist for its Mushrooms and Mocktails event.
Righteous Remedies, a Conway business, teamed up with Silly Side Bend Farms to offer an alternative beverage to Conway — without the hangover.
Founder and CEO of Silly Side Bend Farms Drew Lupkey started the brand back in March 2021 after beginning a sobriety journey that included using mushrooms medicinally.
Lupkey said, “I’d always been interested in mushrooms just in general. On Aug. 1, 2020, it was almost as if the universe just kind of drew back my goggles and showed me that there was a better life than what I was living. And then from there, I spent about the first year of that sobriety journey, asking the universe ‘What am I here for?’
“So, at three in the morning in March of 2021, I started an LLC called Silly Side Bend Farms with the objective — very ambiguous objective — of just spreading a message of love, hope, and wellness to people in our community and far, far beyond,” he said.
Because of his deep-rooted interest in the medicinal use of mushrooms, Lupkey’s brand has grown exponentially over the last few years, with customers using their different extracts.
“The most overwhelming response that we get is that it provided a peaceful, calm focus,” he said. “When we say peaceful, calm focus, what we’re saying is that we don’t have to take stimulants to calm us down.”
“We can take something that’s not gonna have side effects, that won’t have the chance of addiction, and it comes from the earth, and it will help us calm down to the point where we can focus on something.
“So say goodbye to Adderall, say goodbye to the pots of coffee. A few drops of lion’s mane mushroom with some cordyceps is going to go a long way, and your body’s going to be happy.”
The event spanned over the course of a few hours, with several comfortable sitting areas and live music from various local bands.
The drinks served were various teas from Righteous Remedies and SSB’s mushroom extracts: cordyceps, lion’s mane and reishi.
SSB media marketing specialist, Rylee Bolls said, “It’s very important to open up the community to not be as closed off. I feel like this helps amplify, and we are trying to get into that younger vibe.
“It really brings in people to have a fun time and that can be super cool. For us, it’s important to do these events to show you don’t have to have another substance to have fun, unwind and to connect with people. It also shows connection happens in so many different ways,” Bolls said.
Emily Clark, owner of Righteous Remedies wears a mushroom-adorned outfit for the Mushrooms and Mocktails event. Righteous Remedies teamed up with Silly Side Bend Farms to host the event.
Lupkey said all of his products are safe for everyone, but one should consult with a doctor if under the age of 18.
SSB is on Instagram @ssbmushrooms where you can follow their upcoming events, online store, and more.