The sixth annual 100 Mile Fleece & Fibre Fair is this Sunday at the Bradley Centre (975 Shearme Rd.) in Coombs.
Admission for the fair is by free or by donation and each vendor in donating a door prize.
This year, co-coordinator Linda Rehlinger said the spinning group had to turn down vendors due to limited space at the Bradley Centre.
“We are getting known and we sold out (on vendors) and we have a waiting list,” Rehlinger said.
There are about 30 vendors this year, Rehlinger said, and they are coming from all over the Island such as Sayward and Victoria. Rehlinger said there will be felted animals, clothing, felted hats, knitting patterns and bags of fleece for sale at the fair.
The annual fair is put on by the Bradley Thursday Spinners which meets every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bradley Centre.
Co-coordinator JoAnne Moger said the group comes every week faithfully because they love it.
“As some of the ladies say, this is our therapy group. It’s cheaper than a psychiatrist,” Moger said. “We weather each other through life’s ups and downs over coffee, spinning and chit chat.”
In the group’s mission statement, the 100 Mile Fleece & Fibre Fair’s primary purpose is to support the production and processing of local — within a 100-mile radius of the Bradley Centre — natural fibres and also to help local vendors by selling natural fibres and fibre-related products by connecting them with the buying public.
“Some of the spinners and the fibre people, thought it was a good idea to bring local farmers, who raise sheep or alpacas or mohair goats, together with people who actually use it,” Moger said. She added all of the money raised from table rentals goes to support the Bradley Centre.
Rehlinger said if some farmers can’t get rid of their fleece, they end up burning it. She added that some lovely fleeces were going to waste.
The 100 Mile Fleece & Fibre Fair is this Sunday, May 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Along with the vendors, there will be a spinning circle and demonstrations and the 4-H Woolcrafters Club. AJ’s Island Grill will also be serving food at the event.
For more information, email nicknlinda@telus.net or visit www.bradleycentrefibrefair.alwyz.com.
