The Sheep and Wool festival is baaa-ck in upstate New York - Gothamist

Published Oct 12, 2024

Modified Oct 12, 2024

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Published Oct 12, 2024

Modified Oct 12, 2024

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If you need an excuse to flock to upstate New York for a day, look no further.

The 44th annual New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, which draws craft enthusiasts and livestock producers alike, takes place Oct. 17-20 at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY. It's expected to draw more than 30,000 visitors from across the country.

The festival is a celebration of all things ovine, and will feature everything from sheep breed shows, yarn-spinning demonstrations, and basket-weaving workshops to lamb cooking and sampling booths.

“Rhinebeck is the festival to be at,” said Paul Haesemeyer, a knitting designer from Billings, Montana, who recently moved to Crown Heights. He said that until his move to Brooklyn, Rhinebeck was “always a dream for me, but never could make it work out.”

But Rhinebeck – roughly a two-hour drive from the city – isn’t the most accessible destination for many New Yorkers. Some have found creative ways to bridge the distance.

Paulina Patyk, a knitting teacher at Cleo’s Yarn Shop in Bushwick, organized a day trip to the festival on Oct. 19, including transportation between the fairgrounds and the shop. All 108 tickets have already been sold.

Patyk, who has attended the event twice, planned the trip herself in order to provide access for those without a car.

The festival's appeal may seem niche — its sold-out classes include the Fundamentals of Carving a Wooden Spoon and broom making — but for attendees like Patyk, that's the point.

She said she makes the trek every year for “the shopping opportunities, to see all of these interesting yarns from all over the country, sometimes all over the world, and getting to speak with some authors as well.”

And although she loves yarn and knitting, she's most excited about one thing: "The apple cider donuts," she said.

“They're warm and fresh, and the line usually gets really crazy, so I try to go first thing," she said. "I'll get a whole bag of them to bring home and just eat them throughout the rest of the week.”

The festival’s chair Nena Johnson recommends that New Yorkers hoping to attend and connect with folks who can carpool to Rhinebeck check out Ravelry, a website for fiber artists.

She said the annual event is Rhinebeck's biggest, and most lodging is booked up to a year in advance.

The Amtrak stops in Rhinecliff, three miles from the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. There is no public transit to the fairgrounds, so Johnson advised booking a taxi or car service in advance, if possible.

And if you don’t know how to crochet, knit or weave, don’t sweat it; there’s something at the fair for almost everyone. Leaping Llamas, a competition to find out which llama can jump over the highest bar, takes place on Sunday. And apple cider donuts and other fair food abounds.

You can see the festival’s lineup here. Tickets are available online for $13.50 or $15 at the gates. Children under 12 can attend for free. Workshops cost extra and you must register in advance.

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