The Rosy Rhubarb Festival is part of our Community History

My name is Sandy Annett and I am a second generation “Rosy Rhubarber”. I grew up in

Shedden and my parents participated in early Festivals. My family always attended and

my husband, Danny, and I both volunteered to serve individual servings of fresh rhubarb

pie, sauce and ice cream. Since my own family’s relocation to the village in 1998, my

involvement with the Festival has gradually increased. I am current Chair of the

planning committee and Danny is a gate captain (and my personal hauler for all things

Rosy). I am now one of the people responsible to ensure that Rosy’s own rhubarb

plants are harvested into fresh sauce every year.

Local villagers first began planning for an annual Festival in 1992 to fund replacement of the existing “Community Hall” which was to be demolished. The Committee advertised

for local residents to host individual yard sales but they also needed a gimmick to draw attendees. Since the majority of village homes had a rhubarb patch, rhubarb became the central feature and our mascot, Rosy, made her debut at the inaugural Festival in 1993.

Today, residential yard sales are plentiful within the village and surrounding area. The

main Festival is located at the Keystone Complex. Highlights include over 100 craft,

manufacturing and food concession vendors, continuous children’s and adult

entertainment, baking and rhubarb leaf/stalk contests, annual Dutton Lion’s Breakfast,

Fingal-Shedden Optimist Car Show and, of course, individual servings of fresh rhubarb

pie, sauce and ice cream.

Rosy strives to provide not only a fun event but, also, a reason and venue for citizens to

gather and socialize with one another in a relaxed and family-oriented environment. A

designated Social Area complete with a 20’x40’ shade tent, tables and chairs will offer

attendees a place to rest and visit and to enjoy the local food, craft brewery and

entertainment.

The Rosy Festival has assisted Southwold Township in funding many projects including

the existing Keystone Complex building, Shedden Branch of the Elgin County Library, a

state-of-the-art LED sign, an outdoor covered Pavilion with an approved kitchen,

children’s Playground, Remembrance Garden and Memorial Forest honouring

Southwold’s soldiers of war and highlighting our Carolinian forestry roots, plus many

projects throughout the Complex grounds. For this current year monies have been

allocated for refurbishing of the Walking Trail around the perimeter of the grounds as

part of the Trans Canada Trails initiative AND refurbishing of the existing Baseball

Diamond.

Each year Rosy allows me opportunity to connect and interact with the people from my own community and from other communities in a fun, amicable and enjoyable venue. But mostly, it provides me opportunity to showcase our beautiful Keystone Complex and to remember the generation before me who had a vision. I am so grateful for their vision, leadership and their tenacity to make it come true. See you at Rosy 2026!