What the Fluff
Get your fill of deliciously sticky marshmallow fluff. Prepare for a sugar buzz and drive the RV to Somerville for the annual What the Fluff Festival.
Event information
How many food products do you know of that get their own festival? While Fluff is more of a confectionary product than a food of substance, it’s one that still brings thousands of people to Union Square in Somerville every year.
Since the early 2000s, Fluff has been well celebrated in style, even if its beginnings were humble. Back in 1917, Archibald Query played around with a few ingredients in his home kitchen and came up with this unique concoction. Those ingredients of egg whites, corn syrup, vanillin, and sugar, haven’t changed to this day.
Fluff is now mass-produced and sold throughout the United States, but that wasn’t always the case. Archibald would sell his product door to door until WWI created a sugar shortage. After the war, he sold his recipe to Durkee Mower, a company that still makes this deliciously sweet treat to this day.
The What the Fluff Festival is about celebrating those humble beginnings and bringing people together with a passion for Fluff. It’s held for one day every year in Union Square and has an action-packed schedule.
Guests will find cooking contests, musical entertainment, and several different Fluff-related activities. If it doesn’t have marshmallow goo, it’s not worth having. One of the best parts about the Fluff Festival is that it’s central in Somerville, Massachusetts. Therefore, you can travel in your RV for the festival, but check out everything else the area has to offer as well. What are you waiting for? A Flufftastic adventure awaits!
Tickets
There aren’t that many things in life for free, but you can rest assured that in past years, the What the Fluff Festival has been. As it’s held in a public area, anyone can come and check out all the happenings and get in on the action. However, you may like to visit the organizer’s website in advance to find out what you’re in for upon arrival.
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Transportation
Driving
Somerville is a built-up, rather congested city with a lot going on in a relatively small area of land. Even as you drive your RV from out of the area, you will encounter plenty of highways and roads to pay attention to as you approach. Follow the road signs that lead to Somerville, and allow extra time for traffic. If you want to be as fresh as a daisy for the festival, drive to Somerville the day before and set up your RV for your stay in the area.
Parking areas
Given the central location of the What the Fluff Festival, parking is not an option for any vehicle. The road will be closed off for the afternoon's entertainment, leaving visitors to the area having to find alternative forms of transportation and spaces further out to park their RV. Never fear, for there are ample public transportation options to take you from the outskirts of Somerville to the city center.
Public Transportation
What the Fluff Festival organizers strongly encourage RV-goers and other visitors to make use of the city’s excellent public transportation services. You can fit in some exercise by renting a bicycle from the Union Square Station, or take a bus to Union Square from the outskirts. There are also different trains that run to Union Square.
Where to stay
Onsite
Given the central location of What the Fluff Festival, there will be no onsite opportunities to camp. This one-day festival is also short and sweet, so if you’ve traveled a fair distance to get to the festival, the rest of your holiday is yours to explore the area. You are not short of RV-friendly accommodation providers on the outskirts of Somerville.
Nearby
Many of the best RV parks in and around Somerville are within 11 to 50 miles away from Union Square. The central city location of the festival means you may need to travel a little further out to find somewhere to cater to your RV. However, even if you don’t book anything remotely close to the festival, transportation options are plentiful in this city. Make use of the buses, trains, and private ride services in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Getting around
The What the Fluff Festival is a small site, with many of life’s necessities within a short walking distance. Once you enter Union Square, you can travel on foot to make the most of all the competitions, displays, and entertainment. Most surrounding businesses sell food and beverages, so if you need a break, you can fuel your body and rest your weary feet. Union Square is just a bit to the west of Mystic River, Massachusetts Bay, and numerous historical landmarks that you may enjoy visiting as well.
What to pack
Clothing
It can be a mixed bag weather-wise when you travel to Somerville in September. If you want to prepare yourself for every possibility, bring four seasons of clothing by packing smart. Pack the winter woollies but don’t be afraid to add a few singlets and pairs of shorts as well. However, you’ll be loading on the layers, such as jackets, as the nights draw the sun to the horizon.
Gear
In effect, guests will find standing room only at the What the Fluff Festival, so do you really want to be lugging around a large bag? For your short visit to the festival, only take what you need. You’ll need cash and credit to satisfy your sweet tooth, and room in your backpack for your new purchases. It also wouldn’t hurt to bring a water bottle to wash down all that sugar.
Health & Safety
With a big crowd and potentially high temperatures, you will want to take care of your health. Bring sun protection such as a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, and remain hydrated throughout the five-hour event. Given the large number of people, closed footwear may also be an excellent option to avoid injuries.
Where to eat
Cooking
How and what you cook can depend on where you end up camping in your RV. Some hosts let you use a grill, while others prefer if you make use of your onboard gas cooker instead. Ask your host before you cook up a storm. If you need to stock up on supplies before you wander back to your accommodation, then Somerville delivers. Within a short one-minute walk, there is a market with everything you need to eat like royalty.
Restaurants
If the whole goal of traveling to Somerville is to try something new, then the restaurants throughout Somerville will surely let you cross that off your list. Even within eyeshot of What the Fluff, you can see many different restaurants, tapas bars, chain fast food outlets, and ethnic delights. The hardest part will be choosing just one to try first.
Vendors
There will be vendors galore at the What the Fluff Festival. While you might think that marshmallow fluff will form the majority of offerings, that’s far from the truth. Each year, an eclectic mix of vendors establish themselves in Union Square. Enjoy bakery goods, chocolate, ice cream, chicken, and even Tex-Mex goods. You won’t go hungry, that’s for sure.
Safety
Security
Given the number of visitors to the festival, you’ll see police patrolling Union Square. Their presence is to make everyone feel safe. If you need assistance at any time, you can approach them for a helping hand. Otherwise, the Somerville Police Department is a short one-minute walk from What the Fluff.
Weather
The weather, while usually mild in September, can go a little crazy sometimes. Before you hit the road, it doesn’t hurt to check the forecast for Eastern Massachusetts. If it’s raining, the festival is usually held the next day. It wouldn’t hurt to pack an umbrella and poncho to remain as dry as possible if it ends up raining.
Medical
If someone trods on your foot, or you stub your toe, it can put a dampener on your day. Fortunately, there is a pharmacy within a 15-minute walking distance to handle minor injuries. Otherwise, you will find several the hospitals nearby with some facilities a little under two miles away for anything more serious. In an emergency, dial 9-11.
