Knitting Festivals are a great way to connect with other creative people, learn new skills or kit up for your new WIP with new yarn, needles, bags and notions. Once upon a time they were mostly attended by locals, knitting festivals have become a yarn tourism phenomena, with knitters making pilgrimages across the globe to attend workshops and book signings with their idols, access rare breed fibres, and spend time knitting with fibre friends old and new.
When you think iconic yarn festivals, you think Rhinebeck, Vogue Knitting Live NYC, and Shetland Wool Week. However, there are some amazing fibre arts events here, right on our doorstep in Australia! Here’s four of my favourites I’m hoping to attend again in 2025:
1. Australian Yarn Show, ACT
The Australian Yarn Show is a three day event held in Australia’s capital, Canberra. It features workshops, a marketplace, talks, social events and even industry workshops! 2024 was the first event and it was very well attended, with visitors, vendors and teachers from all over Australia, and even some international visitors! Local Canberra stores have stalls at the event:
Next event: Fri 7- Sun 9 March 2025 at Hotel Realm, Barton ACT 2600.
For more information and to book: https://www.yarnshow.com.au
2. Fibre Feast, SA
Fibre Feast began as a small event celebrating local indie dyers, but with about 60 vendors and about 5000 visitors in 2024, they are one of the largest yarn festivals in Australia! Local indie dyers are still among the vendors, but there are many interstate yarn businesses that make the trek over. Plus, since 2023 the event has been hosted as part of the Prospect Road Autumn Fair at Blackfriars Priory School, which means there are lots of food vendors, coffee vans, music, gift stalls and more. While local yarn store, Yarn Trader, has a stall at the event, it’s worth visiting the actual shop in historic Port Adelaide while you’re in town.
Next event: Sunday 2 March 2025 at Blackfriars Priory School, Prospect, SA 5082
For more information: https://fibrefeastsa.com
3. Australian Sheep and Wool Show, VIC
Australian Knitters know this is “Spendigo”, because this event has a reputation for making you buy ALL the yarn, yes all of it. There are certainly LOTS of temptations for yarn and fibre lovers, including some unique wool yarns from primary producers such as Aveley Finns and Tarndie, who produce Finnish Landrace and Polwarth wool yarns respectively.
The Australian Sheep and Wool Show also features cooking demonstrations, sheep judging, fashion parades and lots of food trucks! While you’re in town, don’t forget to visit local yarn purveyors House of Cloth and Bendigo Wooden Mills.
Next event: Fri 18-Sun 20 July 2025 at Prince of Wales Showground, Bendigo, Victoria
For more information: https://sheepshow.com
4. Alice Springs Beanie Festival, NT
The Alice Springs Beanie Festival is epic. It’s a four day festival that includes a fibre art exhibition, a marketplace with 6,500 beanies that have been crocheted, knitted or felted and posted in from all corners of the globe. Volunteers also travel from as far afield as New Zealand and Canada to prepare and serve refreshments, welcome people into Beanie Central, unpack and display beanies, and work the POS. It’s in incredibly positive, interactive, community-focused event.
Inspired to get into some fibre arts yourself? A range of workshops are offered during the event at nearby Central Craft.
Next event: Fri 20 – Mon 23 June 2025 at Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, Northern Territory
For more information: https://www.beaniefest.org