My favorite place in the world is my home. I don’t think anything will every change that. It’s not about where we live because that has been fluid as long as I have been on this sphere. Home is where I have all of my favorite things— my family, my craft, my toys, my comfort.
With that being said, the season is upon us for travel. We get away from our norm to visit friends and family, run off on adventures to exotic places, take in the beauty of our surrounds, and enjoy the days away.
Most recently, we let a yarny event dictate our travels. I was going with or without the boy but was happy he decided to join me.
June 6 – 9, 2019, Estes Park, Colorado hosted their 29th Annual Estes Park Wool Market. I have said this before: the name does not do justice to the event.
Estes Park Wool Market is so much more.
Estes Park Wool Market events begin Thursday with the start of two days of fiber arts related workshops taught by amazing instructors. Class content features spinning, knitting, weaving, dying, rug hooking and more. I, of course, get lured in by spinning classes. This year, I took advantage of another opportunity to learn from Maggie Casey. We went through a variety of sheep breeds and learned about techniques for getting the right amount of twist for the fiber type and desired end product. I am always surprised at how much I don’t know about spinning.
In addition, the event features all sorts of animal and livestock centered fun. There is fleece and fiber judging and livestock competitions and the chance to visit all sorts of livestock like rabbits, alpaca, goats, llama, taco-vicuna and, of course, all sorts of sheep breeds.
Even though the name “wool market” doesn’t aptly capture the essence of this event, I would characterize the marketplace itself as world class. Staged in the main building of the Estes Park Event Center, the market is home to more than 75 vendors and includes everything from big names like Clemes & Clemes to the regional Rocky Mountain Natural Colored Sheep Breeders Assn. There is a little something for everyone and a whole lot to see. Shockingly, only one skein followed me home this year and it was from Leading Men Fiber Arts.
Let’s talk a minute about how I was able to drag the boy along. He would have nothing to do with the event. It was all about the location. The City of Estes Park, Colorado is skirted by Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a beautiful and enchanting location for all levels of outdoor enthusiasts. We camped in an A-frame trailer for four days in the Aspenglen campground and enjoy every bit of its beauty. The boy hiked and biked while I was doing yarny things and we spent afternoons and evenings together with knit girls and their significant others.
Overall, this trip was a complete success with an A+ location and event. I highly recommend both the park and the Estes Park Wool market if you ever get the opportunity.
