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A record 70-plus artisans, coupled with more hands-on demonstrations than ever, highlight the 3rd-annual Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival Sept. 21-22 at Macungie Memorial Park, 50 Poplar St., Macungie. Appealing to both serious artists and new hobbyists, there’s something for everyone at this annual free event celebrating all things yarn.
One of the amazing artists joining the festival this year is BitsyKnits, run by Bitsy Cohen, a local artist with an international reputation. Bitsy has been knitting and designing for more than 45 years and is a pioneer in the fiber field. Her lace knitting has been showcased in The Knitting Guild of America’s annual fashion show, Yarn Magazine and regularly featured at some of the nation’s most renowned fiber festivals including the NY Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, N.Y.
Also attending the event this year is Freedom High School alum Louis Boria of Brooklyn Boy Knits. Boria gained national attention after American Idol contestant Frenchie Davis photographed him knitting on the subway. Smashing all stereotypes of what a fiber artist should be, Boria and his hats, scarves, baby clothes and outerwear have been featured in CBS News, Telemundo, New York Daily News and more.
Among the more than 70 other vendors, attendees will find artists specializing in hand spun yarn, dyed fabric, needle felting and woven threads, as well as turned wooden tools, ceramics, hand-milled soaps and woven-wire jewelry. Many artisans will be demonstrating their techniques throughout the weekend including spinning, knitting, crocheting, paper quilling, wheat weaving, rug hooking and more.
The festival’s “From Farm to Finish” theme is highlighted by sheep herding demonstrations and live animals from Noah’s Animal Adventures, as well as locally produced and sourced wools, fibers and natural materials that can be transformed into beautiful wearables. Set in beautiful Macungie Memorial Park, the event is spread across acres of greens, pavilions and indoor spaces, providing numerous options for those who like to play and create with fiber.
Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival annually supports a community fiber project and this year is no exception as it partners with The Kindness Project, an organization dedicated to gathering resources to ease the difficult transition of children entering the foster care system. Handmade scarves, mittens, hats, cowls and headbands will be collected for children of all ages at the festival’s Community Area, staffed by Girl Scout Troop 6030, which will happily accept donations.
Children can also get in on the fiber fun this year with the new Fun Fiber FAQs scavenger hunt. Families can stop by the Information Booth for a passport, search for answers throughout the festival site and bring back completed passports for an artisan-designed prize.
Musical entertainment has been expanded to include folk favorite Dave Fry and bluegrass/Celtic group 99 Strings, as well as classic folk/rock singer Andrew Lobby and ’60s-70s family musician Matt Miskie. A delicious array of food will keep the energy flowing throughout the festival, including High Step Coffee, Fud Truck, Bull & Bear, The Sticky Pig and Bananarama; vegetarian and gluten-free options are also available.
The 2019 Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival is sponsored in part by The Knitter’s Edge of Bethlehem, which will have samples of yarns, needles and notions available. Festival hours are Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, visit http://lvfiberfest.com.
Activities List:
- Demonstrations:
o Spinning
o Knitting
o Crocheting
o Wheat weaving
o Felting
o Paper folding
- Food Trucks:
o High Step Coffee
o Fud Truck
o Bull & Bear
o Bananarama
o The Sticky Pig
Information and image provided to TVL by:
Mark Demko, ArtsQuest
http://www.artsquest.org/
On behalf of Allison Mackenzie, Co-founder, Ah-Ha! Arts Management
