Dunoon Rhubarb Festival competition winners!

“You outdid yourselves, Dunoon bakers, makers and growers!” says Hannah Clinch, co-founder of Dunoon Goes POP, host of the inaugural festival. 

With 46 entries over 5 categories, the Dunoon Rhubarb Festival competition entries included scrumptious rhubarb stalks, jams, chutneys, puddings and drinks. 

All of the rhubarb competition entries!

Flavour, presentation, creativity

Demonstrating excellent flavour, creativity and presentation, everyone submitted produce of an exceptionally high standard. The blind judging was rigorous to ensure that our judges gave every entry consideration.

Here are the winners across the 5 categories

Biggest Stalk of Rhubarb

1 Isla Campbell

2 Lesley Palmer

3 Jackie Bushnell 

Best Rhubarb Chutney

1 Abigail Apps 

2 Mark from Local Hero 

3 Margaret McSharry 

Best Rhubarb Jam 

1 Becky Hothersall 

2 Manda Forster 

3 Pauline Beautyman 

Best Rhubarb Pudding, Cake or Dessert

1 Joanne Bradley 

2 Sai Wong-Walsh from Planted by Sai

3 Abigail and Finlay

Best Rhubarb Drink 

1 Joanne Bradley 

2 Mharie Claire 

3 Val McKay 

The prizes

• First prize winners receive a £45 voucher for a Dunoon Goes POP Drinks experience.

• Second prize winners receive a Dunoon Goes POP syrup. 

• Third prize winners receive a rhubarb plant, grown from seed here in Dunoon. 

Book your first prize Drinks Experience

If you won first prize, you'll have a voucher for a Dunoon Goes POP Drinks experience. We've added dates to our events page browse here

To book your prize-winner place, please email hannah@tacit-tacit.co.uk

Pick up prizes and your produce

If you haven’t yet picked up your prize or your produce entry, contact hannah@tacit-tacit.co.uk to arrange collection. 

“Thanks to everyone for their effort, rhubarb passion and creative flair,” says Dunoon Goes POP’s Hannah Clinch. “You made the first Dunoon Rhubarb Festival a fun and community-spirited celebration of local food and drink culture through one special ingredient, rhubarb!” 

Thanks to National Lottery players and the Community Fund for making this event possible.

Why a rhubarb festival?

Rhubarb is the key ingredient in our signature Dunoon Goes POP Rhubob pop syrup, inspired by local legend Robert ‘Bob’ Bryden, architect of Dunoon Burgh Hall.

Not only does rhubarb make delicious soft drinks, but you can also make scrumptious puddings and tasty preserves. It’s incredibly versatile to cook with and easy to grow. We'd love to make Dunoon the rhubarb capital of Scotland!

Rhubarb is also a fantastic ingredient to bring Dunoon's creative cooks, bakers and growers together, to celebrate Dunoon's food and drinks culture.

"We're leading a Rhubarb Revolution for Dunoon," says Hannah Clinch. "To make our town known for growing rhubarb, we need to bring together the growers, makers and eaters to celebrate the tasty crop, and a Rhubarb Festival felt like the best way to do that."

Shall we do it again next year?

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Email us at hello@popshop.scot if you have any feedback at all.