In a word .... WOW!
This show is the "end all, be all" of fiber festivals. Visit the website at: http://www.sheepandwool.org/ for information about next year and getting on the show catalog mailing list. The show is run by the Maryland Sheep Breeders Association (their website is: http://mdsheepbreeders.org/default.aspx ). It is mainly a sheep and wool show -- like the name says, :) , i.e. the animal displays, competitions, exhibitions, classes, vendors and even food are all about sheep, wool, chevron, and every conceivable sheep product. However, over the years some other fiber folks have managed to appear, so you will also see some llamas, alpacas, goats, bunnies, and dogs in all kinds of displays and activities too - particularly as their cottage industry relates to the sheep industry. For example, there are sheep herding demos/competitions with dogs, and bunnies having their fiber combed, carded and blended with wool to make yarn. This also means that fiber vendors will have every imaginable wool fiber blend that is out there -- bamboo, silk, cashmere, hemp, chiengora, and kitgut too.
But that is not all... it is not just the diversity and volume of wool & fiber, it is also all the magnificent and creative applications for things to do with sheep, wool & fiber. There are supplies for, of course, the knitter, but also the crocheter, felter, needle-pointer, bead enthusiast, jeweler, textile artist, weaver, spinner, and fashionista! And all this material comes in every color under the rainbow! There are also classes to take, demonstrations to see, a shearing competition, all the animal displays, sheep dog trials (as mentioned earlier), a fashion show, the sheep competitions for all the different breeds, and a country mile of food vendors to top it off.
I have herd it said that between 40 to 60 thousand people come to the show if you count them from Friday afternoon thru to Sunday evening. When you glance up at the fields for parking, or down the main street of the fairgrounds -- it is absolutely believable. But the point is, the visitors & shoppers are more than handily met with a fantastic variety of things to see and do, eat and buy.
