Bennington is set to celebrate all things rhubarb
Published: 05-30-2024 11:31 AM |
This Saturday in Bennington, it will once again be time to “head for the rhubarb.”
The trustees and the Friends of Bennington’s G.E.P Dodge Library will host the town’s annual Rhubarb Festival on Saturday, June 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sawyer Field at 148 Route 202, behind the Sunoco station, in Bennington. This year marks the 11th year of the festival.
“There will be something for everyone this year at the festival,” said Molly Eppig, who founded the festival with her friend Janice McKenzie in 2013 to raise money for G.E.P. Dodge Library. “This the first year the library trustees have been involved with organizing the festival, and they and the library staff have been working hard.”
Eppig notes that this is a a “dog-free event” and asks guests to please leave furry friends at home.
Various volunteers and groups in town, including the Recreation Department and the Friends of the Library, have assisted with the Rhubarb Festival over the years. Eppig said this year’s festival committee is especially grateful for support from the Town of Bennington, the Select Board and the town office staff, including Town Administrator Deb Davidson.
This year’s business sponsors include Alberto’s Restaurant, Edmunds Ace Hardware, Realtor Meg Hardwick, Jon and Robyn Manley, Realtor Haley Tramposch, Trow Logging and Wade’s Automotive.
Proceeds from the Rhubarb Festival benefit the Dodge Library Building Fund, which is saving funds to build an accessible ramp for the library, among other upgrades.
This year’s festival has a schedule of events for children and adults, including arts and crafts, food trucks, live music and the Rhubarb General Store.
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Events include the Rhubarb Photography Contest for teens, children and adults. Photo entries will be accepted from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in the events tent. The festival also includes a farmers market, craft vendors, a children’s activity tent, a Rhubarb Story Walk and a petting zoo featuring local farms and 4-H clubs. The Rhubarb Trivia Contest will happen at noon, followed by the “Call-Your Spouse-Home-for-Rhubarb Hollerin’ Contest.”
One of the festival’s events is the rhubarb pie-baking contest, which is sponsored by King Arthur flour. Bakers entering the contest must provide proof they used King Arthur flour in their pie. Pies will be accepted until 9:30 a.m in the events tent.
Arts and crafts for the Rhubarb Art Contest will be accepted starting at 8:30 a.m. in the events tent. Items accepted include art, paintings, drawings, knitted or crocheted items, quilts or sculpture and artwork, and will be accepted until 10 a.m.
Additional competitions include rhubarb beverage-making, rhubarb flower arrangements, rhubarb preserves and rhubarb superlatives (plants). Exact requirements for the contests can be found at townofbennington.com/rhubarb-festival. Winners of the competitions will be announced starting at 12:30 p.m.
The library will host a book sale and bake sale, including pies from the pie contest.
“Vendors will be selling a variety of wares, with many items being rhubarb-themed, including rhubarb food products, beverages, clothing and accessories,” Eppig said.
Admissions and parking for patrons and admission are free. Eppig said that this year, Bennington Selectman Tony Parisi will be supervising parking with help from his sons.
“Visitors will enter the fairground through the welcome tent. There they will encounter the famous Rhubarb General Store, dedicated to all things rhubarb,” Eppig said. “You can purchase jams or relishes, or rhubarb soda.”
The Rhubarb General Store will be open all day. For guests who would like to grow their own rhubarb, ready-to-plant crowns will be on sale, as well as appropriate fertilizer to help them grow. For people who want just enough rhubarb to make a pie at home, stalks will be sold in one-pound bundles.
Visitors to the Rhubarb Festival will also have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for items from vendors, gift cards from local businesses, and a “Rhubarb Pie Gift Basket” filled with everything needed to make a pie, including a rhubarb plant.
Vendors who are interested in selling rhubarb products at the Rhubarb General Store should contact debdavidson524@hotmail.com or trusteejillwilmoth@gmail.com. For information about the festival, send email to molly.eppig@gmail.com or go to townofbennington.com/rhubarb-festival.