SOMERVILLE, Mass. (09/28/08) -- This is the 3 year that the town of Somerville has celebrated its claim to fame: Archibald Query’s invention of Marshmallow Fluff, over ninety years ago. The Union Square Main Streets (USMS) organization started the Fluff festival in 2006 as a means of bringing people together in the community through history, food, and games.
Despite the rain delay, over 150 people appeared, decked out with rain boots and umbrellas, thirty minutes after the festival opened. The carnival-style festival squeezed itself into the small cobblestone parcel of land between the Union Square storefronts and the busy road running through the center of Somerville.
“I wanted to be involved with people who share my love of fluff,” said Rebecca Martin, 27. Martin, along with her roommate, Brittany Lawabee, also 27, is a new resident in Somerville, Massachusetts. She saw Sunday’s “What the Fluff” Festival held in Union Square as the “perfect excuse” to get involved in the community and to meet people. Martin said, “I’m new to the area and I want to get out there.”
The Festival itself featured vendor booths with fluff related foods, and games such as Bowling with Fluff containers, Bean Bag toss into Fluff containers, and a taste testing “Fluff Fear Factor” booth.
“I just love how cool the games are and how creative everything is,” said Cristen Hamel, as she waited in line with her daughter at the Pin the “F” on the Fluff Boy booth. Hamel’s husband and sister-in-law play in the Patsy Hamel Band that played as entertainment during the festival. Madeline, Hamel’s 5 year-old daughter, had high hopes for the festival. “I want to be crowned Pharaoh of Fluff” said Madeline. “Because I’m sweet, just like Fluff.” The Pharaoh of Fluff receives a Doctor Seuss look-a-like hat to wear, along with the honor of making an “acceptance speech” at the end of the Fluff Festival.
Canadian born Michael Adler said that he had never heard of Fluff until today. Adler and his wife, Elissa, reside in Newton, Massachusetts and run a Tropical Plant rental business out of Waltham. The Adlers were returning from eating brunch at the Neighborhood restaurant, when they drove past the Fluff Festival in Union Square and decided to stop and check it out.
“I grew up on Fluff,” said Elissa Adler. “When we went to summer camp I used to eat fluffer-nutters.” Michael Adler, however, declined the many free Fluff taste-testing opportunities saying that he enjoyed simply walking around the festival with his wife and their two German Shepherds.
Mike Katz, a 53 year-old MIT professor, attended the festival as the Fluff creator, himself. Dressed up in neon green pants, a polka dot tie, and misshapen hat, Katz introduced himself to everyone he met as, Archibald Query, causing spectators to take a double take.
Kat lives in Somerville, himself, and finds it very important to participate in community events, such as the Fluff Festival. “As a community, the Fluff Festival is an expression of the joy of Somerville. We celebrate a diversity that many other communities just don’t have,” said Katz.
Katz works as the Technical Director for MIT Theatre Arts. “I actually have a show today, but because of the rain date, I had to be here,” said Katz. Katz then told the Globe that he doesn’t mind missing his show. Pointing to his costume, Katz said, “Who else can do this?”
By CATHERINE MOORE
