Join fibre, fabric, and yarn art producers and enthusiasts in Desbarats this summer for an exciting day of workshops, demonstrations, and vendor booths at the Algoma Fibre to Fabric Festival.
The event will take place during the farmer’s market on Saturday, August 12 from 9am until 2pm in the Johnston Township Community Centre.
Ashleigh Sauvé, Program Manager at the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre and member of the Algoma Fibre to Fabric Festival organizing committee, is excited to bring together the producers and makers in the fibre arts communities.
“The Algoma Fibre to Fabric Festival revisits a similar event co-sponsored by Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) back in 2013. Recently, a few fibre producers, processors and enthusiasts joined together with the goal of bringing back the festival as an annual event to celebrate and highlight the local fibre community and spark interest in those new to the world of fibre, yarn, fabric, and crafting,” she says.
Everything Fibre and Fabric in One Festival
This year’s festival has a little bit of everything, from friendly alpacas and sheep to spinning, knitting, crocheting, weaving, sewing, and even basket weaving demonstrations as well as exciting vendor booths. Some of the workshop highlights include:
- Felting with Dawn Allard from Willow Creek
- Natural fibre dyeing with Elizabeth Creith
- Work bee with Miranda Bouchard from Thinking Rock Community Arts
- Spinning with a drop spindle with Mireille Gagnon Moes from Fleur de Fibre
"From the earliest days, the world of ‘fibre and fabric’ has served as a means of clothing provision, offering opportunities to earn extra income, fostering unity in times of adversity, and serving as a catalyst for fundraising for community initiatives,” explains Edith Orr, Johnson Farmers' Market Manager.
“A small and successful Fibre to Fabric event was held back in 2013. The event was a celebration about the journey from the animal fibre to fabric and the many skills, talents, and creative works along the way.”
Festival Still Accepting Vendors and Sponsors
There are many opportunities for fibre and/or fabric producer, maker, and artists to participate. Vendors who provide a demonstration at their booth receive a $15 discount on their tables. There are also free tables available for participants who only want to do demonstrations. Interested vendors should fill out the registration form is here.
“We are still accepting vendors who work with fibre and fabric. Vendors will benefit from helping to build a strong and sustainable annual event and support our local fibre to fabric community! It will be an opportunity to showcase and sell their products and services,” says Ashleigh.
She continues, “There are sponsorship opportunities to help with marketing efforts and sustaining the festival, whether financially or through in-kind contributions, to promote local talent, attract visitors, and showcase our vibrant local fibre industry, and make the festival an annual success.”
Supporting local Agriculture
The Sault Ste Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) and RAIN, along with a group of dedicated volunteers are behind the festival. SSMIC brings together experts in business development, agriculture, IT, science and technology to help businesses find solutions. RAIN, one of SSMIC’s initiatives, specifically supports farmers and the agricultural sector.
“Events like this are important for the local agriculture community since it draws in a crowd and increases public awareness around farms doing great work outside of the food sphere – we have quite a few places in Algoma raising animals for their fibre who even mill it and turn them into finished products on site, which is really impressive and they deserve recognition for it,” says Lauren Moran, RAIN Horticulture Research Assistant.
To learn more about the Algoma Fibre to Fabric Festival 2023, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram. Find out more about SSMIC online.