If you walk into Union Square in Somerville, Massachusetts, on a crisp Saturday in late September, you’re going to get sticky. There is no way around it. You’ll see kids with white smears across their foreheads, grown men in lab coats arguing about sugar ratios, and a general sense of joyous, localized chaos. This is the What the Fluff Festival, a massive, weird, and deeply endearing tribute to a jar of marshmallow spread that most of the world takes for granted.
Most towns have statues of generals or poets. Somerville has a festival for a guy named Archibald Query.
Back in 1917, Query whipped up the first batch of Marshmallow Fluff in his own kitchen and sold it door-to-door. He eventually sold the recipe to two guys from Lynn for five hundred bucks—which, honestly, sounds like a bad deal in hindsight—but the spirit of the invention stayed rooted in Somerville. Now, over a century later, the neighborhood turns into a sugar-fueled block party that attracts roughly 20,000 people. It’s a lot of people for a square that’s already a nightmare to park in.
The Sticky History of Archibald Query
Union Square isn't just a place with expensive condos and good donuts; it’s the literal birthplace of a New England staple. Archibald Query wasn't some corporate scientist. He was just a guy with a bowl and a dream. When he started cooking it, he didn't have a factory. He had a kitchen.
The festival, officially titled "What the Fluff?: A Celebration of Union Square Invention," was started by the Union Square Main Streets organization back in 2006. It wasn't meant to be this huge thing. It was just a quirky way to highlight local business and history. But it tapped into something. People in Massachusetts are fiercely loyal to their regional quirks. We have the Red Sox, we have the T, and we have Fluff.
Don't call it "marshmallow creme." That’s the generic stuff. Fluff is different. It’s a texture thing. It’s also an identity thing. If you grew up here, the "Fluffernutter"—that's Fluff and peanut butter on white bread—was a dietary staple. It’s basically a rite of passage.
What Actually Happens at the What the Fluff Festival?
It’s basically a carnival designed by someone who had way too much espresso. You’ve got the main stage, which usually features some sort of "Pharaoh of Fluff" or a variety show that feels like a throwback to old-school vaudeville. It’s campy. It’s loud. It’s great.
One of the big draws is the Fluff Games. These are not high-stakes athletics. We’re talking about "Fluff Musical Chairs" where the losers might end up with a face full of goo. There’s the "Lick-Off." There’s "Fluff Jousting," which is exactly what it sounds like: people on pedestals trying to knock each other off using pool noodles covered in—you guessed it—marshmallow spread.
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It’s messy.
The air smells like toasted sugar and car exhaust. You’ll find local restaurants getting in on the action, too. They don't just put a dollop of white stuff on a cookie and call it a day. They go hard. In past years, you’ve seen Fluff-crusted chicken, Fluff cocktails (which are surprisingly drinkable), and even Fluff tacos. Some of it is delicious. Some of it is a culinary dare.
The Community Vibe
Somerville has changed a lot. Gentrification is the big elephant in the room whenever you talk about the Boston area. But the festival feels like one of the few things that still belongs to the "Old Somerville." It’s a mix of the old-school residents who remember when the square was mostly auto-body shops and the new tech workers who just moved in from California and have no idea what’s going on.
Everyone is just there to be goofy.
You’ll see a lot of "Fluff-play" (cosplay, but fluff-themed). People dress up as giant jars or wear hats made of cotton balls. It’s a low-stakes, high-effort kind of energy. Honestly, in a world that feels increasingly cynical, there’s something genuinely refreshing about thousands of people gathering just to celebrate a sticky dessert topping.
Why Fluff Matters (No, Seriously)
It’s easy to dismiss this as just another food festival. But there’s a reason it ranks so high in local hearts. Fluff represents a specific kind of American innovation. Archibald Query didn't have a venture capital firm. He had a recipe.
The company that eventually bought it, Durkee-Mower, still makes it today in Lynn, Mass. They haven't changed the recipe much. They haven't sold out to a massive global conglomerate that would strip the soul out of it. It’s still a family-owned vibe.
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There was actually a legislative battle about Fluff back in 2006. A state senator tried to limit how often Fluffernutter sandwiches could be served in schools. The backlash was swift. People treated it like an attack on New England culture itself. The What the Fluff Festival was born right around that same time, serving as a defiant, sugary "we’re still here" to the world.
Logistics for the Uninitiated
If you’re planning on going, you need to be smart. Don't drive. Just don't. Union Square is a construction maze on a good day, and during the festival, it’s a total lockout. Take the Green Line. The new Union Square station is a gift from the transit gods for this specific event.
Bring wet wipes.
I’m serious. You will get Fluff on your hands. You will get it on your phone. You will find a sticky patch on your elbow three hours after you leave. Wet wipes are the only currency that matters in the heat of the festival.
Also, bring cash. While most vendors take cards or apps now, the small stands for the games or the community booths often move way faster if you have a five-dollar bill ready.
Beyond the Sugar High
The festival usually has a theme. One year it was "Fluff: The Final Frontier," with a heavy sci-fi lean. Another was "Fluff Centennial." The organizers, Union Square Main Streets, use the proceeds to fund small business grants and neighborhood improvements. So, when you’re buying a Fluff-topped brownie, you’re technically contributing to urban renewal.
That’s how I justify the third dessert, anyway.
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What’s interesting is how the festival handles the crowd. It’s spread out. You have the "Shenanigans Stage," the "Performance Stage," and rows of vendors. It’s a bit overwhelming if you have sensory issues, but the community usually carves out some "quiet zones" or at least areas that are a bit more chill away from the main speakers.
What to Eat First
Don't just go for the standard stuff. Look for the collaborations.
- The Fluffernutter: You have to have one. It’s the classic.
- The Savory Experiments: Some local BBQ spots have been known to do Fluff-infused sauces. It sounds wrong. It tastes right.
- The Drinks: Look for the breweries like Aeronaut or Remnant. They usually brew something special for the weekend. Sometimes it’s a sweet stout; sometimes it’s a sour that mimics the tang of the fluff.
A Lesson in Neighborhood Pride
In the end, the What the Fluff Festival is a reminder that cities need to be weird. Every "cool" neighborhood eventually runs the risk of becoming a sterile row of bank branches and chain pharmacies. Events like this keep the local flavor alive—literally.
It honors the working-class roots of Somerville. It honors the idea that invention doesn't always have to be a "disruptive" app. Sometimes, invention is just a way to make a sandwich better.
If you’re a tourist, it’s the best way to see the "real" Greater Boston. It’s not the Freedom Trail. It’s not the fancy shops on Newbury Street. It’s a crowded square full of people who are unironically excited about a 100-year-old marshmallow recipe.
Actionable Tips for Your Visit
- Check the Date Early: It’s almost always in September, but the rain date is usually the following Sunday. Check the official Union Square Main Streets website a month out.
- Arrive Early: The best food items sell out by 3:00 PM. If you want the "weird" stuff, get there when it opens at 2:00 PM.
- Wear Washable Clothes: This is not the day for your dry-clean-only silks. You are entering a splash zone.
- Explore the Side Streets: The festival is the main draw, but the shops in Union Square are incredible. Pop into the local bookstores or the vintage shops while you’re there to escape the sun for a bit.
- Support the Merch: The festival posters are usually designed by local artists and are legitimately cool. They make better souvenirs than anything you’ll find at the airport.
Go for the sugar, stay for the community. Just remember: it’s Somerville. It’s supposed to be a little bit messy. Embrace the stickiness and don't take yourself too seriously. Nobody else there is.