Canberra’s award-winning Old Bus Depot Markets will host its first ever two-day event focused on wool.
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‘A Celebration of Wool’, previously a single day event, will this year take place over a weekend and highlight more than 45 wool producers, makers and creators from the region and interstate.
“We know the people who visit our Markets love wool,” said market director Anthony Niravong.
“We see it at our wool-themed event each year, which is why this year we’ve decided to celebrate this most favourite of natural fibres over two huge days.
“This will be the weekend when many craftspeople from far and wide come to create, demonstrate and sell their wool.”
Mr Niravong said this year’s event would have four producers coming to the Markets from Victoria.
In another first, visitors could take part in special wool workshops, which would run throughout the Saturday.
“Visitors can come along and learn something new with workshops in crochet, felting, macrame and knitting on offer,” he said.
“Families will also love it as they can see live sheep shearing demonstrations from award-winning shearer, Ian Elkins, on both the Saturday and Sunday.”
Ian Elkins is from Elkins Alpaca shearing and has more than 35 years’ shearing experience.
Passionate about Australian sheep and alpaca, Elkins is well known for success in shearing competitions nationwide and internationally.
Throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, he won 120-plus competitions.
Visitors will be able to browse and buy hand felted garments and accessories, designer knitwear, weaving supplies, funky beanies and hats, shawls and scarves, gloves and socks, thermals and underwear, contemporary hand spun art and farm label knitwear.
The event will also feature a vast array of luxury and specialist yarns including hand spun and hand dyed yarns in merino wool, alpaca, mohair, silk, cashmere, cotton and possum, as well as knitting, spinning and felting tools and accessories.
Sheep shearing demonstrations will take place at 10am and 1pm on the Saturday and 11am and 2pm on the Sunday.
‘A Celebration of Wool’ is at Canberra’s Old Bus Depot Markets, on Saturday, May 20 (open 9am to 3pm) and Sunday, May 21 (10am to 4pm ). Entry is free.
Buses are welcome and anyone wishing to coordinate a bus visit is asked to please call the Markets’ office on 6295 3331.
- All workshops in crochet, felting, macrame and knitting on the Saturday must be pre-booked via obdm.eventbrite.com. More information available at obdm.com.au