This weekend, Bennington is hosting an annual town tradition that some may find sweet, and others find tart.
From Friday, June 2 to Sunday June 4, the town will be hosting the annual Rhubarb Festival at Sawyer Park, a weekend-long celebration of all things rhubarb.
Festival organizer Molly Eppig said this year’s event will be one for the Bennington history books.
“I’m really looking forward to the whole thing,” said Eppig. “It’s a good thing to see every year.”
Since 2013, the town has been hosting Rhubarb Fest, introducing new events, vendors and traditions. The festival includes various rhubarb contests, including longest rhubarb stalk, widest rhubarb leaf, rhubarb flower arrangements, rhubarb photography, rhubarb art and the rhubarb market basket. Participants are encouraged to drop off their entries on Friday.
To kick things off on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., community members are encouraged to bring their pets for Bring Your Dog Day. Friday events will also include a dodgeball tournament.
On Friday evening, organizers will be hosting the second New England Rhubarb Wine Contest, featuring entries from Putney Mountain Winery in Putney, Vt., and eighteen twenty wines in Portland, Maine. Community members interested in entering their rhubarb wine should visit the contest tent at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. To conclude Friday’s festivities, Hancock band Eyes of Age will be performing from 6 to 8 p.m.
Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, community members can visit various food vendors, artisan shops and a farmers market. Later on, the Bennington Select Board will be judging the King Arthur Baking Company amateur pie-baking contest and the professional pie division. Additionally, the annual hollering contest, Drink Your Rhubarb and rhubarb trivia are back for this year’s event.
For the children, face-painting, activities and a petting zoo will be available, courtesy of Glory Be Farm and Dollar Shy Farm.
To conclude Saturday’s events, Manchester rock band Boneshakerz will be performing from 6 to 8 p.m.
On Sunday, community members can visit food vendors, artisan shops and products from the Rhubarb General Store. Attendees can also take part in trivia and Rhubarb Round-Up. A parade will conclude the weekend-long event at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
For information on the event and guidelines for the rhubarb contests, visit facebook.com/nhrhubarbfestival.