‘Shear’ fun planned at annual Sheep and Fiber Festival
Colleen Nelson
The Sheep and Fiber Festival at the Greene County Fairgrounds will be held on Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Colleen Nelson
The Sheep and Fiber Festival in Greene County provides an educational opportunity for those interested in learning about yarn production.
Colleen Nelson
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Sheep and Fiber Festival will be held at the Greene County Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 21. The festival includes displays, interactive activities and items for purchase.
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Ready for some shear fun?
This year鈥檚 Sheep and Fiber Festival at the Greene County Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. has more than 40 vendors with hand-dyed yarns, hand-woven products, artisan crafts, wines and accessories to shop.
Sheep shearing demonstrations and a 鈥淪heep to Shawl鈥� presentation by Butler County Pedalers shows every step in the historic do-it-yourself process, from shearing to carding, spinning and weaving a heritage shawl.
Admission is free.
Kids of all ages can try their hand at drum carding, drop spindling or throwing the shuttle on a loom at vendor booths set up to teach these traditional crafts.
In 2003, Waynesburg Prosperous and Beautiful Inc., a nonprofit inspired by the state鈥檚 PA Downtown Center program, held its first Sheep and Fiber Festival on High Street to showcase the cultural and historical aspects of Greene County鈥檚 sheep farming heritage. Within a few years it outgrew High Street and moved to the county fairgrounds to become a popular regional attraction.
Greene and Washington counties once lead the nation in wool production. Old farm families and a new generation of producers have continued the craft, organizing festivals like this to showcase their many breeds, encourage the use of natural fibers and promote the flavor of today鈥檚 market lamb.
But, not all fibers come from sheep. Lippencott Alpacas brings alpacas to pet and yarn and products to sell, along with a carding drum that straightens fibers and gets them ready to be spun into yarn.
Vendors and demonstrators will be in all fair buildings and outside as well. New this year is Yarn Bits and Bobs of North Hills, Pittsburgh, 鈥渁 mobile boutique鈥� of luxury yarns and accessories including Irish artisan yarn.
Jessica Magby of Richmond, Ohio, and Sarah Beamer of Morgantown West Virginia, will do three shearing demonstrations throughout the day.
Magby raises long wool sheep and shears for herself and others. At the festival she will be shearing from the flock of Heidi Hileman of Wild Patch Woolies in Avella and Lynda West of West Heritage Farm in Marianna.
Beamer, a retired WVU animal science teacher, also raises heritage sheep, known for producing long lustrous wool. Some breeds like Jacob, date back to biblical times.
Other vendors will also bring sheep to exhibit and have information for anyone interested in starting a flock of their own.
Farm-raised food and homemade goodies include Larry Daugherty of Heritage Farm Foods, Kinsinger鈥檚 Amish Family Baked Goods, Pennsylvania Dutch Foods, jams and butters from East Franklin Grange and Plum Run Winery.
Future crafters are encouraged to stay until the end of the festival, vendor co-chair Marianne Turcheck of Rostraver Farm, Rostraver said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e raffling off a spinning wheel and it鈥檚 a beauty.鈥�
Go to Waynesburg Sheep and Fiber Festival on Facebook to see the complete list of vendors and the schedule of events or call 724-833-2622 for more information.