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Rhubarb, Rhubarb, Rhubarb

  • Jun 8
  • 4 min read

What’s On at the Dunoon Rhubarb Festival


A delicious day of rhubarb fun, brings venues along Hillfoot Street together for the Dunoon Rhubarb Festival on Saturday, 25 July. 



Up the hill behind Argyll Street, and a short walk from West Bay, Hillfoot Street is one of Dunoon’s central shopping streets. Boasting a range of independent businesses from eateries to groceries to curios and more, Hillfoot Street is home to Dunoon’s Rhubarb Festival this summer.


Businesses along Hillfoot Street, from GoYo at one end to the Curios Crow at the other, are joining forces for the second Dunoon Rhubarb Festival, part of Taste Dunoon food and drink festival.


Discover what's on at the Dunoon Rhubarb Festival:


At the POP shop

11am to 4pm

In the shop, workshops and Dunoon Goes POP garden at the POP shop, 28 Hillfoot Street


  • Rhubarb drinks and treats: Enjoy Dunoon Goes POP cordials, and rhubarb tea and treats in the Dunoon Goes POP Drinks Garden, served by POP shop members Coorie Cooks.

  • Rhubarb fun and games: 

    • Get a selfie as Robert ‘Bob’ Bryden, the architect of Dunoon Burgh Hall and the inspiration behind our Dunoon Goes POP rhubarb soft drinks flavour, Rhubob & Custard.

    • Plant the Rhubarb game: try your best throw to land the rhubarb bean bags in the planting holes.

  • Rhubarb shop: Dunoon and Scotland-grown rhubarb plants for sale from the Dunoon Goes POP garden shop.

  • Find rhubarb inspiration: Browse the rhubarb produce competitions and find out which creative rhubarb makes won the top prizes. 


Talks at the POP shop


11am: Rhubarb, A Plant to Dye For

Join local kiltmaker and heritage practitioner Caroline Davison’s interactive talk about how rhubarb is used to dye natural fibres.


3pm: Rhubarb, From Research to Revolution

with the soft drinks enterprise co-founder Hannah Clinch


Join the rhubarb revolution: Help make Dunoon the rhubarb capital of Scotland add your rhubarb patch to our Dunoon Rhubarb Grower’s Green Map. 


Garden Tours

12pm and 2pm

Join a tour of the Dunoon Goes POP Drinks Garden and discover the hidden stories behind the plants and our soft drinks (part of Scotland’s Garden Scheme, entry by donation). 


Rhubarb Produce Competitions at the POP shop


9am to 10am Produce competition drop-off in the POP shop at 28 Hillfoot Street.


1pm Prize-giving announcements


1pm to 3pm Browse the competition entries


1.30pm to 3.45pm Collect your entry to take home


For information on how to enter your rhubarb jam, chutney, showstopper or stalk go here>


Along Hillfoot Street



Rude Rhubarb Exhibition

Explore the cheeky rhubarb postcard exhibition in the window of The Dunoon Framer, 7–9 Hillfoot Street


Rhubarb crumble as you’ve never tried it before

Try a rhubarb crumble topping on your GoYo treats, 12pm to 5pm, 5 Hillfoot Street.  

Delicious Rhubarb Drinks

Sip on a glass of delicious rhubarb wine, cider or mead at Argyll Vintners. 11am to 8pm, 18 Hillfoot Street. 


Deep-Fried Rhubarb

Try deep-fried rhubarb at Anselmo’s fish and chip shop, open 12.30pm to 9pm, 36 Hillfoot Street. 


Rhubarb and Custard Sweeties

Pick up these classic sweets at The Sweet Spot, 6am to 6pm, 48 Hillfoot Street.  


Rummage for Rhubarb Garments

Have a rummage for upcycled retro rhubarb garments at the Curios Crow, 11am to 5pm, 64/66 Hillfoot Street.


Delicious Rhubarb Cakes

Connected to Hillfoot Street shopping experience, nip into Dae it Yersel for some homemade rhubarb cakes. 9am to 4pm, 43-47 Pretoria Crescent.


Health Store Rhubarb Treats

Nip in and find rhubarb products on display at everyone’s favorite health store, ECO Health Store, 9am to 5pm, 44 Hillfoot Street.


Opening times and offerings are subject to change, due to weather, things selling out and other unforseen changes. So please check the opening times of each venue and their channels for updates if you’re making a special trip.


Rhubarb products may sell out - so go early to avoid disappointment!



About Dunoon Rhubarb Festival 


This year the festival is part of the Taste Dunoon - Food and Drink Festival, by Dunoon Presents. 


The Dunoon Rhubarb Festival is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players. Our work is supported by POP shop members.






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 use it to make scrumptious puddings and tasty preserves. It’s incredibly versatile to cook with and easy to grow in our damp, mild climate. 


"When talking to people around Dunoon about rhubarb through our Dunoon Goes POP projects, we discovered that many people have stories to share of eating or growing rhubarb in back gardens," says Hannah Clinch, co-founder of Dunoon Goes POP.


"This led us to start a Rhubarb Revolution for Dunoon. We want to work with people who share our love of rhubarb to make Dunoon the Rhubarb Capital of Scotland. Through this one ingredient, we’re working with other local businesses, along Hillfoot Street, to have a bit of fun and raise the profile of our local food and drink culture.”


Interested? 


Get involved, join the rhubarb fun and let’s make Dunoon known for its rhubarb! 




 
 
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