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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
What the Fluff?: A Tribute to Union Square Invention
Annual Fluff Festival to Take Place Saturday, September 24, 2011, 3 to 7 pm
(raindate Sunday, September 25th)
Contact: Mimi Graney, Union Square Main Streets
617-955-0080 — usms@unionsquaremain.org
About the Event
What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Invention honors Fluff creator, Archibald Query, who invented the gooey sticky spread right here in Union Square in 1917. On Saturday, September 24, local artists, musicians, theatrical performers, inventors, and humorists pay madcap tribute to the creation of this great American foodstuff.
Guests can join in the festivities by creating a mallowey concoction for the cooking contest or participating in a range of Fluff shennanigans and field games — all with fab prizes. Get your tongues ready for the Fluff lick-off, your coordination on track for the Fluffernutter relay, and your balance for Fluff bowling. Play culinary roulette and dare to eat the Fluffed-up results. Sample the taste of Fluff from our various vendors presenting Fluff sweet and savory. There are Fluff-inspired cocktails at local watering holes throughout Union Square. A range of musical and theatrical performers will entertain the fluff-infused crowd.
This, the sixth annual festival, will be bigger than ever. The expected 10,000 festival-goers will consume fluffernutter sandwiches, whoopie pies, and other Fluff-filled treats from local vendors, view performances from local groups, and play Fluff games. Traffic will be re-routed around Union Square to accommodate festival activities.
The event continues to grow each year and this year we’re kicking it up several notches with 3 incredible Fluff-loving VIPs!
• Susan Olsen is best known for her role as Cindy Brady in the beloved Brady Bunch television series. A graphic designer, she’s been playing with her food by creating a whole series of Fluff-inspired artwork which will be on display before and during the festival at Bloc 11 here in Union Square.
• Allee Willis is a Grammy, Emmy, Tony and Webbie award-winning and nominated songwriter. Her hit songs include Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” and “Boogie Wonderland,” The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance,” Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield’s “What Have I Done To Deserve This,” and The Rembrandts’ “I’ll Be There For You (Theme From Friends),” selling more than 50 million records. Her first musical, the Oprah Winfrey-produced The Color Purple was a Broadway hit. Marshmallow Fluff is held in special regard by The Allee Willis Museum of Kitsch.
• Rick Linnehan is a Lowell-born NASA astronaut who extended his love of Fluff beyond the stratosphere when he brought along a fluffernutter for his Shuttle flight.
Along with a performance and games stage, there are free activities for all ages, and lots of Fluff food to try.
Guests can join in the festivities by creating a mallowey concoction for the cooking contest or participating in a range of Fluff shennanigans and field games — all with fab prizes. Get your tongues ready for the Fluff lick-off, your coordination on track for the Fluffernutter relay, and your balance for Fluff bowling. Play culinary roulette and dare to eat the Fluffed-up results. Sample the taste of Fluff from our various vendors presenting Fluff sweet and savory. There’s Fluff-inspired cocktails at local watering holes throughout Union Square. A range of musical and theatrical performers will entertain the fluff-infused crowd.
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011. 3 – 7 pm. (Raindate Sunday, September 25)
Where: Union Square Plaza in Somerville. Where Prospect Street, Washington Street and Somerville Avenue meet.
Activities:
Performance Stage: Headline musical performance by Booty Vortex with funk by the band Columbus. Special appearance by the cast of ART’s The Donkey Show. Boston Derby Dames join us for a fluffernutter relay.
Gallery Exhibits: Two Fluff-inspired art shows in the neighborhood. Inside Bloc 11 café see the Fluff-themed exhibit of work by Susan Olsen (aka Cindy Brady) and local artists Maris Wicks, Liz Prince, Joe Quinones, and Suzanne Lubeck. At Sherman Café, the Museum of Bad Art presents selections from their collection.
Cooking Contest: Whip up an original recipe with Fluff or present your best interpretation of a classic. Judges this year include Astronaut Rick Linnehan who brought Fluff along when living at the Space Station, and State Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere), sponsor of the bill to make the Fluffernutter the state sandwich. The Cooking Contest Grand Prize Winner gets a tour of the Durkee Mower Fluff factory, a one-of-a-kind trophy and gift certificates to local businesses.
Fabulous Pharaoh of Fluff: Campaign and get elected as our new leader. Candidates will be called upon to perform their Fluff-inspired rewriting of the song “September.” The winner will be crowned by last year’s Pharaoh with a special creation by CostumeWorks, the Union Square folks who do the wacky outfits for the Hasty Pudding Theatricals.
70s Fashion Show: The theme for this year’s festival is the 1970s when many feel that Fluff might have reached its greatest heights? How else can we account for shag carpeting? Wear your most fabulous 70s duds. Best dressed will be selected by our VIP Allee Willis.
Shenanigans Stage: All the big, messy Fluff games have their own stage with games including Fluff Lick-Off, Blind Man’s Fluff, Fluffer or Nutter Relay and Fluff Hair Dos.
Fluff Games for All Ages: Pin the F on Fluff Boy, Fluff Fishing, Pyramid Toss and the game of culinary roulette we call Fluff Fear Factor. Big game this year… Fluff Jousting! Win prizes!
Vendors: Buy Fluff treats and Fluff inspired items from whoopie pies to Fluffernutters.
Sponsorship:
What the Fluff? is produced by Union Square Main Streets and sponsored by The Somerville Arts Council’s ArtsUnion with funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the City of Somerville and other generous supporters. Union Square Main Streets brings together residents, business owners, government and other stakeholders to collaboratively improve the district.
