Around the Sound: Rhubarb Days

SUMNER, Wash. — Idaho has potatoes, Iowa has corn, and Washington has apples and rhubarb!

Washington State is one of the top producers of rhubarb, and within the state, a vast majority of the produce comes from Sumner. So, it only makes sense that the town celebrates its most popular crop with a special weekend full of celebrations.

This Saturday and Sunday, Downtown Sumner’s Main Street will be filled with over 220 pop-up tents and shops full of local businesses and business owners to celebrate the annual “Rhubarb Days” festival.

The event started in 2011 and was designed to celebrate the community’s agricultural heritage.

Rhubarb, a truly unique produce with a myriad of uses, takes center stage at this local festival. You’ll find it used in various ways, but for this special weekend, our local businesses are crafting one-of-a-kind rhubarb items that will pique your interest. Just look for the red balloons that say “rhubarb here” to get your hands on these festive products.

“We’re going to have everything from a beer garden with rhubarb-infused craft beer to a kids zone... food trucks, live music right here in Heritage Park, and the streets close down,” Lori Waltier, the Executive Director of Sumner Main Street Association told KIRO 7. Waltier also added that this event is a way, “for everyone to come to downtown Sumner and visit our local businesses and enjoy all things rhubarb!”

Less than three miles from Downtown Sumner sits Knutson Farms. The farm, which is one of the largest commercial producers of rhubarb in the country, is known for its spectacular pumpkin patches, community events, markets, and recently, the South Sound Tulip Festival. The family-run farm provides the rhubarb for this ever-growing celebration.

According to Waltier, last year the event welcomed about 35,000 people and has continued to grow every year, other than the two years the town took off due to COVID-19.

The event is free and open to all, visit Sumner Main Street Association’s website for more about what to expect.

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