SEQUIM — Everything to do with the fiber arts — from sheep herding to shearing to spinning — will be examined during the Shepherds’ Festival on Monday.
The free festival will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road in Sequim. It is sponsored by the Olympic Peninsula Fiber Growers Association, North Olympic Shuttle & Spindle Guild and Lambchops 4-H club.
“The event is ‘homespun’ and an excellent opportunity to learn from the producers of fiber in our area,” said Renne Emiko Brock, a member of the North Olympic Shuttle & Spindle Guild.
“No one can leave there without being inspired or discover how vital the fiber industry is to our Peninsula.”
Sheep herding, shearing and fiber spinning demonstrations are planned. A farm animal petting zoo will be open.
Arts and crafts vendors will be on site, 4-H raffle prizes will be awarded and lamb kabobs and lamb chili will be available.
Pony cart rides available
New this year will be pony cart rides.
The festival has been an annual event for more than 25 years, said Cyndie Stumbaugh of the Olympic Peninsula Fiber Growers Association — except for last year, when the primary organizer wasn’t available, she said.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Stumbaugh said. “The petting farm is a huge hit. We should have a good variety of animals this year.”
Sheep herding is scheduled at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Shearing will go on all day except during the herding demonstrations.
Spinning demonstrations will continue all day, Stumbaugh said.
Proceeds go to Lampchops 4-H club
Tickets for the raffle are 50 cents each. Vendors have donated wares as prizes in the raffle, Stumbaugh said. Proceeds go to the Lambchops 4-H club, another sponsor of the festival.
The event draws about 1,000 people each year, she added.
For more on the Olympic Peninsula Fiber Growers Association, call 260-683-6495; on the North Olympic Shuttle & Spindle Guild, see www.nossg.org; and on 4-H programs, go to extension.wsu.edu/clallam/4h.
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Executive Editor Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3530 or at lleach@peninsuladailynews.com.
