Fiber animals take over Tunbridge

Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 1-2—TUNBRIDGE— The 28th annual Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival will be held on the weekend of Oct. 1 and 2 at the Tunbridge Fairgrounds in Tunbridge. The festival enjoys a classic setting amidst the Vermont hills at the peak of fall foliage.
Central to the festival is a marketplace of vendors, including farmers and artisans offering fiber for hand spinning and felting, yarns, patterns, needles and hooks, buttons, books and dyes. Also on offer will be a wide variety of equipment and supplies for spinning, weaving, knitting, crocheting, felting and other fiber arts. Handcrafted garments, accessories and household items will be available along with baskets, soaps and other handmade and farm-raised products. The fleece show and sale will highlight top quality fleeces from a variety of animals. Licensed local farm producers will feature meat, cheese and more.  The animal barn includes sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas and angora rabbits. This is a great opportunity to talk directly to producers about raising fiber animals.
The Cashmere Goat Association will hold its 2016 CGA North American Cashmere Goat Show in the Riverside Barns.
Fiber classes take place beginning Friday, Sept. 30, at the Tunbridge Town Hall and will include   spinning, felting, knitting and weaving. For a full description of classes, teacher biographies and online registration, visit our website.
For those interested in showing off their skills, this year’s contests will offer a chance to compete for ribbons and prizes in fiber arts categories as well as alternative categories in photography, drawing, painting and poetry. Contest rules and entry forms are available on our website.  Shepherd Workshops and Vendor Demos allow vendors, farmers and fiber artists the chance to share their knowledge and skills.
Music by Royalton Community Radio provides a background rhythm as visitors wander from building to building and visit outdoor demonstrations including the popular border collie herding demos and sheep shearing with Jim McRae.  Food vendors will offer delicious local food featuring everything from lamb, pizza, soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts to the best maple creemees.
Admission to the festival is $6 a day, $5 for seniors and $1 for children under 12 years. The festival is open Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. For more info, visit vtsheepandwoolfest.org.