Duluth Rhubarb Festival returns, raising funds for Chum services
Rhubarb pies, a café and the Rhubarb Javelin drew neighbors to Asbury United Methodist Church, with every dollar raised headed to Chum's services for more than 8,000 people.
The Rhubarb Festival returned Saturday to Asbury United Methodist Church, where neighbors filled 6822 Grand Avenue for a day of food, games and fundraising that fed directly into Chum’s social services. Held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the 21st annual festival unfolded in sunshine and temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
The event was built around a simple bargain that gives it staying power in Duluth: show up for rhubarb pies, baked goods and a café, and help fund a nonprofit that serves more than 8,000 people each year. Chum says all proceeds from the festival go directly to its programs for people who are homeless, low-income, hungry, isolated or otherwise marginalized.
That mission gave the celebration a practical edge. Alongside the seasonal desserts, the festival featured live music, kids’ games, contests, crafts, auctions and stage shows, plus a Rhubarb Javelin competition that added a distinctly Duluth twist to the day. The mix turned the church grounds into a neighborhood gathering place where families could linger, eat and take part in a local tradition that has become part fundraiser and part summer ritual.
Chum has framed the festival as part of its broader work of providing basic necessities, fostering stable lives and organizing for a just and compassionate community. The fundraiser has also required a major volunteer effort in past years, with Chum asking supporters to help fill hundreds of volunteer spots, a sign of how much the event depends on community labor as well as community attendance.
That long-running support helps explain why the festival has remained tied to Chum’s identity, including its 50th anniversary year, when the rhubarb event was linked closely to the organization’s milestone. In a city where social-service needs remain real and immediate, the festival offers more than nostalgia for old-fashioned baking. It channels a neighborhood crowd into direct support for Duluth residents who rely on Chum’s food, shelter and basic-needs work throughout the year.
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