A group of more than 40 delegates and instructors attending the 17th Annual Fusarium Workshop at FABI let their hair down and to enjoy a drumming session under the tutelage of the African Drum Café’s expert team. Everyone had a good laugh while trying to maintain a rhythm before sitting down to enjoy a hearty braai (barbeque) under a crisp, clear Autumn sky. This was after four days of intense lectures and hands-on laboratory training sessions. All the participants were awarded a certificate for completing the course while the instructors were thanked for once again sharing their vast wealth of knowledge on Fusarium with the group. This annual event not only serves to broaden the knowledge base about Fusarium but is also an invaluable opportunity to network, make new friends and to foster new collaborative research ventures going forward.