The Wyoming Wool Growers Association is pleased to announce that the first annual Wyoming Sheep & Wool Festival will be held June 30-July 2, in Kemmerer, Wyoming. Make plans to bring your family to enjoy arts, educational and cultural events celebrating Wyoming’s sheep and wool industry, meet the animals, feast on some great lamb, browse through vendor booths, and then dance to live music at an after-dinner party on Saturday night.
Events will begin on Friday afternoon June 30 with an educational session about range management before we gather for the art and woolcraft show and reception, along with a panel discussion about the area’s sheep and wool heritage provided from multi-generational perspectives.
During the festival, domestic sheep flocks will be moving along their migration trails, leaving the desert sagebrush rangelands and headed to the high country of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Festival attendees can go on a self-guided tour to see the flocks on the move, or sign up for a commercial tour and join in moving the sheep wagons and providing other support activities for the local shepherds. It’s a great chance to see the animals and people who live alongside them in action.
Saturday’s events include an all-day vendor fair, and programming for all ages, followed by the “Sheepherders Come Bye” lamb feast. During dinner, some folks will be honored with awards, and then the band will start up, so bring your dancing boots! And bring your checkbook because the works entered in the art and woolcraft shows will be up for auction!
The Festival Committee is happy to consider ideas for demos, workshops or other activities that might enhance the festival, so if you’ve got a great idea, tell us about it. Any organization or business that wants to get involved in the fun is also encouraged to contact us – we’ve got some great ideas and we’d love to have partnerships to make them happen.
Donations and sponsorships for the festival help to make most festival events free to the public, although there will be a few ticketed events at this first of what will be an annual gathering near a domestic sheep trail in Wyoming.
Craft and food vendors are encouraged to set up shop at the festival’s vendor fair on Saturday, and booth space can be reserved for as little as $25. Educational vendors are most welcome, and we encourage activities for the public to participate in and enjoy at these booths.
The City of Kemmerer has signed on as a festival sponsor and has allocated use of the beautiful South Lincoln Training & Event Center for most activities, along with Triangle Park in the heart of downtown for the Saturday vendor fair.
For more information, please contact Alison at 307-265-5250 and be sure to check out the new website for all the details: wyomingsheepandwoolfestival.
