Saturday May 31, 2025 (10 am – 1 pm) marked our 16th rhubarb festival. One again we spread sweetness and joy and celebrated spring as a community. We picked rhubarb and baked and sold pies (and confections of all kinds) featuring this resilient, nourishing, (and stunning) early season plant! We shared proceeds with Gather, Middlebury’s drop-in community living room.
The centerpiece of the festival is rhubarb, but over the years this unique fundraising event has included a plant sale, book sale, cook books, craft sale, “bling” (or gently used adornments) sale, a “father’s corner” for special gifts, a café, music, and children’s activities.
From Lise Anderson: “If you have been waiting for a moment to join an activity at CVUUS, this is the one! As a relative newcomer, I helped with the Rhubarb Festival my first year in town. It was a great way to get to know people and make new friends. Want to help? Everyone is welcome to join the Rhubarb leaders group. To all the good people who helped in large and small ways last year, we hope you jump in. No experience necessary.” Contact: Lise Anderson or Mary Hadley.
We accept cash, check or credit card.
We encourage people to come early, as we sell out fast on some items.
2025 Rhubarb Festival
This year featured lots of pies and savories, as always, on the main level, expanded offerings at our Bling and Sweets and Savories stations also on the main level, a Garden Patch tent outside, a cafe on our lower level and NEW! Fairy House making for kids and kids at heart.
Got rhubarb? Many donated (or got) pre-chopped rhubarb in CVUUS downstairs fridge or freezer. We wanted fresh stalks without leaves in 1.5 lb bundles. See Gayle Muenchow. Help chop rhubarb in advance as your schedule permits or on Thurs May 29 or 30, 2-3;30 pm. Helpful to measure into 4 cups per bag.
Bake pies? We made over 165 pies and offered rhubarb ($20) and rhubarb/strawberry ($25) and small ($15) pies. Some gluten free, vegan. Several pie making events were held May 29 and 30 (3-7 pm). This was a great opportunity to learn how to make pies. You could sign-up or see Lise Anderson. You could also sign up to make pies at home and bring them to us or to take pies that we make at the bees to bake at home and bring back. We can provide supplies (rhubarb, pie tins, boxes).
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Rhubarb Café We’ll be serving rhubarb crisp and poached rhubarb with vanilla ice cream and poached rhubarb over ice cream along with assorted non-alcoholic beverages downstairs ($5/serving). Bake crisp? Be server? Contact Mike Greenwood
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Sweets and Savories Want to make home kitchen contributions of additional rhubarb items such as jams & jellies & chutneys and MUSTARD, cakes & tarts, cookies & bars, muffins & buns, sweetbreads & brownies, sauces & chutney? We also welcome non-rhubarb ones for sale. Expanded this year to accept HOMEMADE BREADS on which to spread those great condiments. Notify Mary Conlon of what you can make. We’ll offer our CuuK BuuK of favorite rhubarb recipes ($5).
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Bling! Bring jewelry, scarves, ties and other accessories for sale. Look for the bling collection basket in the sanctuary. Expanded this year to accept colorful garb. Contact Laura Asermily or Jake Loven.
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Garden Patch We seek seeds to swap, houseplants (no outdoor ones, please), veggie and herb starts and garden accessories for outside under the tent. These little bits of generosity build strong connections. Pollinator Pathway information will be provided. Contact Dinah Smith.
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NO BOOK SALE THIS YEAR (taking a break, except for our “CuuK BuuK” on the main level and possibly gardening books at the tent (review with Dinah in advance of donating).
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Sweet Music All our regulars were away this year so we just played rhubarb themes and fiddle tunes.
NEW! Children’s Fairy House Making Station Contact Julia Santerre re@cvuus.org |
