NY State Sheep and Wool Festival

The New York State Sheep & Wool Festival takes place at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck. The two-day event includes vendor buildings with fiber suppliers, workshops requiring advance registration, livestock shows and breed talks, demonstrations, and fiber arts competitions. A fleece show and sale allows attendees to purchase raw fleece directly. The festival also features a used fiber and sheep equipment auction and activities for children. The fairgrounds location provides space for both indoor vendor halls and outdoor livestock areas. Held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, this festival brings together the full spectrum of the fiber community—from shepherds showing livestock breeds to spinners, knitters, and weavers. Attendees move between vendor buildings, watch fleece-to-shawl competitions, attend breed talks with sheep and fiber animals present, and register for hands-on workshops. The fairgrounds setting accommodates both the commercial side of fiber arts and its agricultural roots, with sheep shows running alongside demonstrations of traditional fiber techniques.