Flag Wool & Fiber Festival (Flag Wool & Fiber Festival)
Introduction
The Flag Wool & Fiber Festival is an annual celebration that connects the public to the rich cultural history of regional fiber arts. The largest festival of its kind in Arizona, the Flag Wool & Fiber Festival attracts over 3,500 people from across the Southwest and United States to participate in cross-cultural connections and fiber arts immersion. The festival is free to the public and plays a vital role in supporting Northern Arizona’s creative economy.
?Attendees are given the opportunity to participate in the full spectrum of the fiber arts process, leaving the festival with an immersive farm to fiber experience. Livestock exhibits present a variety of animals that are raised for their fiber, including endangered heritage breeds like the Navajo-Churro sheep. Attendees have the opportunity to meet these animals, observe shearing of local flocks, and learn about the process of producing fiber. Demonstrators present an opportunity to see how fiber is turned into items ranging from yarn to tapestries, and can be seen spinning wool, weaving fiber into fabric, and creating celebrated regional-specific fiber art such as Navajo rugs. Make and take projects and paid workshops allow participants to learn a craft on an intimate level. From spending thirty minutes dyeing a shibori scarf to three days studying weaving, hands-on educational opportunities are available for all ages and skill levels. Distinguished guest lecturers present on a variety of topics, a juried fiber arts competition highlights the creativity of regional artists, and a bustling vendor marketplace allows attendees to support small businesses run by artists and wool producers through the purchase of items ranging from raw wool to intricate garments. From historical context to finished objects, the festival is an opportunity to learn, celebrate, and connect with fiber arts.