Getcha Fluff On

I took some time off from cell migration yesterday to volunteer at the "What The Fluff?" Fest in Union Square, Somerville, which honors the invention of Marshmallow Fluff by Union Square native Archibald Query 90 years ago.

It was a beautiful sunny day and the crowd was in enthusiastic good spirits. There was a good mix of kids, adolescents, parents, and old folks; a combination of Somerville "townies" and cheerful hipsters from all over the place. They had games, like a bowling lane with Fluff jars as pins, bands (including my friends the talented B for Brontosaurus), burlesque dancers, a baking contest, and shenanigans such as the Fluff Lick-Off, the Fluff Beauty Contest, and the Blindfolded Fluffernutter Challenge. We were beating contestants off with sticks - there was no shortage of people willing to get sticky! (Yes, I know, everything I say about the Fluff Fest sounds dirty ... but it was really - even including the burlesque - pretty wholesome family fun.)

Verdict: Union Square is the best of the non-T-associated "squares", pretty much kicking Inman's ass when it comes to community events. (I remember when I first moved here and Union was pretty grotty. Back then even Inman wasn't so gentrerrific, though, either, and Davis was still up-and-coming.)

Next year any Bostonians should make sure to check it out! Seriously, all the good stuff is on this (the red) side of the river.