No other food conjures such intense feelings of loyalty as the 100-year-old Marshmallow Fluff.

Indeed, tens of thousands of people descend upon Somerville’s Union Square every September to celebrate the whimsy and wonder of this beloved product.

Join in on Thursday, March 2, at Somerville Brewing Company, 15 Ward Street, Somerville, as we celebrate the launch of Fluff: The Sticky Sweet Story of an American Icon by the fabulous Mimi Graney.

There will be fluffy treats, cold beers, and dancing Flufferettes – all in the name of history. Books will be available for sale – come get your copy signed by the author, hot off the press!

Can’t make it to the launch party on March 2? Don’t worry your fluffy little head: Mimi is making the rounds this spring! On Saturday, March 4, it’s Happy 100th Birthday, Fluff! Celebrate at the Somerville Winter Farmers Market from 9:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. and enjoy special Fluff treats from the vendors. Wear your Fluff t-shirt or say “I’m a friend of Archibald Query” for special discounts throughout the market. Visit author Mimi Graney at her booth, where she will be signing and selling copies of Fluff.

Graney, founder of the What the Fluff? festival, has a knack for leveraging the assets of flagging communities to revitalize neighborhoods and local economies. When tasked with breathing new life into Union Square, Graney harnessed the power of Fluff – first invented there by Archibald Query in 1917 – and the festival was born.

As it enters its 12th year, Graney remains stuck on Fluff. To Graney, Fluff is more than a retro ingredient in a folksy sandwich. It is a story about the merits and pitfalls of adaptation and innovation. “Durkee-Mower, the small, family-run company behind Marshmallow Fluff, is one of the few remaining New England businesses manufacturing just a single product,” says Graney. “Its leaders have been able to respond to different demands across the company’s history.”

During its early years, Durkee-Mower expanded its factory and pursued the new advertising opportunities of radio. In the 1950s and 1960s, with a modernized plant and strong relationships with a number of major supermarket chains, Durkee-Mower stood up to national competitor Kraft, building a product identity that’s endured for generations.

In Fluff, Graney deftly brings the factory floor to life, weaving a fascinating narrative about New England’s forgotten candy industry, changing social roles for women, the advent of commercial radio and modern advertising, and the supermarket revolution.

“Fluff” author Mimi Graney.

Fluff has survived two world wars, nutrition battles, and the rise and fall of manufacturing towns. The world has changed around it, yet this icon of nostalgia remains the same.

“People feel a personal, emotional connection with Fluff, associating it with the innocence and comfort of childhood and home,” says Graney. “Opening a jar of Fluff is like returning to your mom’s kitchen.”