What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Innovation is a madcap festival honoring the invention of Marshmallow Fluff, returning for its 18th year. It celebrates Somerville’s proud tradition of innovation with live music, fluffalicious feasts, sticky games, zany happenings, and much more on our rain date Sunday, September 24 from 3-7pm in Union Square.
Join us in the heart of Union Square! What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Innovation is presented by Union Square Main Streets and the Somerville Arts Council
The City of Somerville and the Fluff Planning Team have been keeping a close eye on this weekend's weather, just as I'm sure all of you Fluff lovers have been too!
Public safety is our highest concern and after a thorough discussion about Saturday’s weather, the difficult decision has been made to move the most flufftastic day of the year to this Sunday, September 24 from 3-7pm.
Although it looks like we'll be dancing in the rain either way, Sunday's forecast will provide for much more fluffalicious celebration for us all. See you Sunday!
Groove with Emcees Sheila and Bobby Foley, of The Neighborhood Restaurant and Bakery and DJ Paul Thomas of Reliable Market on the Fluff’n Jam stage featuring:
3:00 - Welcome by Mayor Ballantyne
3:15 - FM Collective
4:00 - Oom Yung Doe
4:20 - Samba Cisse & Silimbo D’Adeane
4:45 - Grace Givertz
5:25 - Villari's Martial Arts
5:45 - Samba Cisse & Silimbo D’Adeane
6:00 - Mayor Joe Flufftastic Innovation for Impact Award Presentation
6:15 - The White Owls
Take part in these hilarious antics hosted by Fluff Fest’s longtime Archibald Query impersonator:
3:00 PM – Marshmallow Toss
3:20 PM – Fluff Jousting
3:50 PM – Fluff on the Nose
4:00 PM – Fluff Musical Chairs
4:30 PM – Fluff Limbo
5:00 PM – Fluff Jousting
5:30 PM – Fluff Musical Chairs
6:15 PM – Fluff Limbo
6:45 PM – Fluff Hairdos
Midway Games
Try your hand at old-school, boardwalk-style games including Fluff Bowling, Fluff Ring Toss, and more at the Midway Games Area (free to play, free to win prizes)
Innovation Alley
Get inspired at Innovation Alley presented by Somernova featuring youth inventors and a bot that makes S'MOREs, performances at the open mic, facepainting, a chance relax at the Inno Alley Lounge & more!
Parkour with
Experience the thrill of this exciting sport with guidance from Somerville’s pros.
Fluff StuffDon't miss the chance to take home fluffy merch! Shirts, tanks, sweatshirts, koozies, tote bags, and more.
Bike Valet
Bring your two wheels without worrying about lock up with TWO FREE bike valets provided by Mass Bike.
Discover More!
Strike a pose with colorful cutouts of your favorite Fluff characters by local artists Nathaniel Devarie and CultureHouse.
Strut your Somerville pride in a Fluff t-shirt, tank top, or sweatshirt! Limited edition 2023 Fluff merchandise will be available in the merch tent on Somerville Ave by Parenting Journey. Other fun fluff stuff (totes, koozies,& more!) will also be available!
One day of Fluff is simply not enough! Scores of local businesses will be opening their doors to Fluff lovers in the lead up and during the Festival for you to enjoy scrumptiously sticky treats, buy limited edition Fluff goodies, and take advantage of other flufftastic specials. Check out the participating businesses and their flufftastic offerings!
Click into any event to learn more about what's available, location and times
One day of Fluff is simply not enough! Scores of local businesses will be opening their doors to Fluff lovers in the lead up and during the Festival for you to enjoy scrumptiously sticky treats, buy limited edition Fluff goodies, and take advantage of other flufftastic specials. Check out the participating businesses and their flufftastic offerings!
Fluffernutter Donut, Hot chocolate topped with fluff
Orange Creamsicle Cocktail topped with Fluff
Whipped cream vodka, orange juice, orange soda, grenadine, FLUFF
Hot and Iced Coffee, Espresso drinks and. Fluff based specialty: “The Boston Cream”
Peanut butter cookiewiches with doenjang fluff! (Doenjang is fermented soybean paste, like a punchier and less salty miso.) Brown sugar panuche squares on a stick, coated in fluff and rolled in injeolmi (roasted soybean powder, a nutty, soft flavor)
Macarons: Fluffernutter Caramelly (caramel and fluff), S’mores Choc pb s’mores, Toasted marshmallow Key lime Whoopie pie Cake jars: Key lime Whoopie pie Fluffernutter Other Sweets: S’mores stuffed macaron cookies macaron rice krispy treats
This free community celebration would not be possible
without the generous support of these partners:
A very special shoutout to the Fabulous Fluff Planning Team who– for a’nutter year – has come together to plan a flufftastic event. Their love for Fluff, endless creativity, and knack for sticky situation problem resolving has made it possible to sustain this beloved community tradition Simply put, the Fabulous Fluff Planning team is the peanut butter to Union Square Main Streets’ Fluff!
Super sweet special thanks to:
Erin Genett, Fluff Fest Coordinator Extraordinaire
Mike Katz, Our Very Own Archibald Query
Bryan MacAuslan, EventThem
Zack McWade
Jen Palacio, Tiny Turns Paperie
Voravut Ratanakommon (AKA Spicy V)
Abby Woodward, designer of this year’s flufftastic theme
Super sweet special thanks to:
Nathaniel Devarie
Durkee Mower
Somerville Media Center
Teddie Natural Peanut Butter
Union Square is short on parking so we recommend that you walk, bike, boogie, or take public transportation to the Festival. If you do drive, we recommend that you park on the outskirts of Union Square. But really, we don’t recommend you drive, if at all possible.
Start from our Eastern Entrance (Porter, Davis, etc)!
Start from our Western Entrance (Lechemere, Inman, Central, East Somerville)!
By Walking
We’re just a 25 minute walk from Lechmere, Porter, Harvard, Central or Sullivan Squares.
By Bike
Bring your two wheels without worrying about locking up with TWO FREE bike valets provided by MassBike at each entry!
By Green LineRide the Green Line to East Somerville Station. Shuttles will run every 10 to 15 minutes between the station and Union Square Plaza between 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and will be departing
By Bus
Route 87 buses will be detoured on from 12-9pm. Please make connections at Somerville Ave at Stone Ave or Somerville Ave at Loring Ave.
Mention us or tag us @flufffestival on your instagram posts so we can see how you Fluff.