At the 2017 New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, you’ll find not only black sheep but goats, angora rabbits, llamas, musk oxen, and alpacas. Held at the 160-year-old Rhinebeck Fairgrounds in historic Rhinebeck, NY, the two-day festival began in 1972 as a bred sheep sale and has since grown to include livestock competitions, demonstrations of fiber arts activities, and sheepdog trials.
The sheep-to-shawl competition focuses on how fast the fiber can be sheared, cleaned, carded, spun, and knitted or woven into a garment. In addition to these events, the festival provides a variety of kid-friendly activities, a plethora of food options, and is host to over 200 vendors offering everything from tools of the trade to high-end handmade clothing.
The 2017 New York State Sheep and Wool Festival takes place October 21-22.