Fiber Festival Features Far More Than Yarn And String

Cielo Giandomenico | Writer

On September 11 and 12, Macungie Memorial Park hosted the fourth Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival where the creators featured more than just yarn.

The Fiber Festival is an event that showcases local artists from the tri-state area. This event was created by jeweler Allison Mackenzie and soap-maker Hedge Sefcovic who have participated in craft festivals as vendors.

They felt a lack of Lehigh Valley shows with varied hobbies and wanted their festival to be more than just yarn.

The event featured vendors with jewelry, wood carvings, dream catchers, wine tasting, plus clothing made from alpaca and rabbit wool.

Mackenzie says that the goal is “giving [a festival where] anyone could come here, have a good time and relax, have fun and feel welcome.”

Mackenzie and Sefcovic meet COVID-19 safety guidelines by providing hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and insisting that everyone wear face masks.

To give back to the community, they do a Stash Bash where all leftover yarn is given to artists to make blankets for homeless veterans, children in foster care, and domestic violence shelters.

This year's festival had many newcomers including Emily Gargiulo from Kunkletown, Pennsylvania.

Her company, High Point Homestead, features hand spun yarn, crochet goods, and pottery pieces.

The hand-spun yarn is made from the wool of her own angora rabbits, the other materials come from Merino sheep or alpacas.

“It’s great when people come up because they see me spinning my yarn and they’re asking questions,” Gargiulo said.

Jewelry, ceramics, woodworks and more filled the Fiber Festival this year.

Even with the coronavirus, the event was a safe and welcoming environment for both crafters and non-crafters alike.