by Lynne of cozycottagecreations
The 22nd Annual Sheep Shearing Festival takes place this coming Saturday at Gore Place in Waltham MA. It’s an event we mark on our calendar every year and look forward to with great anticipation! Even if you're not a fiber addict like me, this is a great way to spend the day.
One of my favorite suppliers, Bartlett Yarns from Harmony Maine, vends here ever year. I’ve used his wool for the felted items you see below. You can still smell and feel the lanolin in his products (before they've been felted, that is), which I find very inspiring.
The gates open at 10am, and that’s when plan to arrive. There is so much to do, you can spend the whole day. Besides the vast amounts of wool available, there’s also a large craft area (perhaps 150 booths) featuring beautiful selections of fiber-y items, a sheep herding demonstration, spinners spinning, a May Pole dance (here’s a tip: if you want to participate, join the first group that winds the ribbon around the pole – the second group gets to unwind it – a much harder task!), a super-duper magic show (the highlight for my daughter), and I could go on and on.
Last year we finished the day on the lawn, munching our freshly made fried dough and strawberries, while children frolicked to the tunes of a blue grass band. I couldn’t help but think, “It doesn’t get better than this”. As we were leaving the gates at closing time, my daughter lamented “Why do we have to wait a whole year to go to the sheep shearing festival again?” Why wait whole year, indeed!
So, if you’re in need of a fiber fix, or looking for a fun way to spend a weekend, here are a few fiber-y events happening in the New England area between now and October, 2009. Click on the links for more information.
Annual Sheep Shearing Festival, Waltham MA, April 25th
Fiber Frolic in Windsor, ME – June 6 and 7th
First Branch Farm and Fiber Tour, Vermont – July 18th
Fingerlakes Fiber Arts Festival – NY – Sept 19 and 20th
Franklin County Fiber Twist, Western MA – Sept. 26th
Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival – Champlain Valley, VT – Oct. 3 and 4th
We love Gore Place! The house is amazing, have you ever taken a tour? We won't be able to make the festival on Saturday but do hope you'll share pictures with us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion Lynne! I just went there with my sisters and it was so fun, loved the alpacas!
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