About this project
What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Invention is an annual street festival that honors Marshmallow Fluff creator, Archibald Query, who invented the gooey, sticky spread right here in Union Square, Somerville, MA in 1917. The 2011 festival takes place Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 3 to 7 pm. (Raindate Sept. 25)
For the past five years, on the last Saturday in September, artists, musical and theatrical performers, culinary inventors and humorists gathered in our neighborhood to pay silly yet earnest tribute to the creation of this great American foodstuff.
This year's festival, our sixth, is expected to be larger than ever before, with 10,000 anticipated – drawn by their love of Marshmallow Fluff, enamored by the genius of Archibald Query, and, we strongly suspect, because folks will want to meet the three famous Fluff lovers joining us this year. This year's VIPs are Rick Linnehan, a NASA astronaut who served up Fluffernutters on the International Space Station, Allee Willis is an amazing songwriter who’s written a slew of songs you totally know, and most Fluff-tastic, Susan Olsen, also known as Cindy Brady from the Brady Bunch.
At What the Fluff? 200+ volunteers help us host tons of fun things to do for people of all ages. We keep all the fun free.
Some might mistakenly think that Durkee Mower, the company that manufactures Marshmallow Fluff in the nearby city of Lynn, MA, are sponsors this event. While those kind folks do provide us with a carload of Fluff and provide a tour for the winner of our Fluff Cooking Contest, they don't provide financial support. We rely on kind friends and supporters to make it all happen.
What the Fluff? includes:
Performances: This year we're joined by the 70s inspired bands Booty Vortex and Columbus, as well as a special engagement from the cast of The Donkey Show.
Cooking Contest: All are invited to submit their culinary creations for one-of-a-kind trophies and prizes. The Grand Champion gets a tour of the Fluff Factory. We've had 75+ entries in past years.
Shenanigans & Midway Games: From a games stage we lead fluff-filled silliness like Fluff Hair-Dos, the Lick-Off, and Blind Man's Fluff. This year we're planning several rounds of Fluff jousting! There's dozens of small scale games to test your skills or taste buds, from Fluff Bowling to sampling Fluff with everything from broccoli (not so good) to tuna (surprising well.) All the games have sweet prizes.
Fluff Grub & Stuff: As you might expect, there's lots to eat here at the festival. Lots of fluffernutters and whoopie pies (3000+ of each last year!), s'mores and krispie treats. All the nearby restaurants and bars get in on the event offering festival-exclusive special deals and treats.
Fluff Art: We have two shows happening in the neighborhood during the festival, with Fluff-inspired prints by Susan Olsen at one venue and an exhibit of traveling works from the Museum of Bad Art at another.
You can see all the details on the festival on our website, which is regularly updated via blog and twitter. http://unionsquaremain.org/fluff-festival/
How you can help us:
•Financially support the festival – Your contribution helps us cover the can't-beg-or-borrow stuff like the additional stages, sound systems, and portapotties, and helps us pay for supplies like printing and materials to build the games. We've got some really fun rewards to express our thanks.
•Volunteer - It literally takes a city to make this festival happen. Even if your pockets are only filled with fluff your support is still important to us! Well more than 200 volunteers are needed before and during the event. So if you can tie a balloon, smile as you pass out a program, spread peanut butter on bread or have the energy and talent to build one of the games, we'll find a way to express your sweet intentions. Volunteers get rewards too! You can email us directly for this at volunteer@unionsquaremain.org
•Come to the event - The festival is most fun when joy-filled folks are here to spread the goodness. So pass the word and come celebrate with us!
Above is the image for this year's poster and postcard. Below is the image for 2011 t-shirt and limited edition silkscreen poster. Both were designed by Andrew Emerson.
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Funding period
- (29 days)