UK yarn festivals
This blog post is the annual update to my calendar of yarn and fibre festivals in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). I have included dates and venues as well as links to websites. There are so many yarn festivals nowadays that a single blog post would be too long to be practical. If you want to know about yarn festivals in the rest of Europe then please read this blog post: 2021 dates for European yarn festivals.
Of course, this year is a bit different. Some shows are postponed because of the pandemic, some will be online and others are still being planned. I shall l do my best to update this blog post, but you will appreciate that this is not easy because the restrictions due to the pandemic are continuously changing. As usual, I have included links to a website for each yarn festival, so you can check with the organisers of any event before you plan a visit.
A day out at a yarn show is good for your sense of well-being since you’ll return brimming with inspiration and wanting to create things immediately. However, what I have missed this year, more than the yarn is seeing my knitting friends in real life and meeting yarn dyers, designers and artists at the shows I visit.
Let’s hope that we shall be able to meet again soon in real life!
January 2021
Waltham Abbey Wool Show at Home
17 January 2021
Online event
Website: Waltham Abbey Wool Show.
Virtual Yorkshire Yarn Festival
30 January 2021
Online event
Website: Yorkshire Yarn Festival. February 2021
February 2021
Unravel – postponed to 21–23 May 2021
12–14 February 2021
Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7QR, England
Website: Unravel.
Textiles East Fair – cancelled because of Covid-19
19–20 February 2021
Swavesey Village College, Cambridgeshire, CB24 4RS, England
Website: Textiles East Fair.
The Stitch Festival – cancelled because of Covid-19
25–28 February 2021
The Business Design Centre, London, N1 0QH, England
Website: The Stitch Festival.
Virtual Yorkshire Yarn Festival
27 February 2021
Online event
Website: Yorkshire Yarn Festival.
March 2021
Virtual Yorkshire Yarn Festival
27 March 2021
Online event
Website: Yorkshire Yarn Festival.
Edinburgh Yarn Festival
returning in 2021 – date to be confirmed
Edinburgh Corn Exchange, 11 New Market Road, Edinburgh, EH14 1RJ, Scotland
Website: Edinburgh Yarn Festival.
April 2021
Spring into Wool – now The Online Wool Show
10–11 April 2021
Online event
Website: The Online Wool Show.
Virtual Yorkshire Yarn Festival
24 April 2021
Online event
Website: Yorkshire Yarn Festival.
Wonderwool Wales – cancelled because of Covid-19
24–25 April 2021
Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells, Powys, LD2 3SY, Wales
Website: Wonderwool Wales.
May 2021
Buxton Wool Gathering – cancelled because of Covid-19
2021 dates to be confirmed
Buxton Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6BE, England
Website: Buxton Wool Gathering.
Cornish Fibre Festival – cancelled because of Covid-19
2021 dates to be confirmed
Royal Cornwall Showground Exhibition Centre, Whitecross, Wadebridge, PL27 7JE, England
Website: Cornish Fibre Festival.
Unravel – a hybrid in-person and virtual event
21–23 May 2021 – moved from February 2021
Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7QR, England
Website: Unravel.
Wild About Wool pop-up yarn market
2021 dates to be confirmed
The WaterShed, Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, HD7 5JN
Website: Wild About Wool.
Woolly Weekend and Shipston Wool Fair – cancelled because of Covid-19
29–31 May 2021
Sheep Street, Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire, CV36 4AB, England
Website: Shipston Wool Fair.
Festiwool pop-up at The Hertfordshire County Show
2021 dates to be confirmed
The Showground, Redbourn, Hertfordshire, AL3 7PT, England
Website: Festiwool pop-up.
Virtual Yorkshire Yarn Festival
29 May 2021
Online event
Website: Yorkshire Yarn Festival.
June 2021
Leeds Wool Festival – cancelled because of Covid-19
2021 dates to be confirmedLeeds Industrial Museum, Armley Mills, Canal Road, Armley, Leeds, LS12 2QF, England
Website: Leeds Wool Festival.
Fibre Rocks – cancelled because of Covid-19
5–6 June 2021
Bexhill-on-Sea, England
Website: Fibre Rocks.
The Wool Monty – cancelled because of Covid-19
13–14 June 2021
FlyDSA Arena, Sheffield, S9 2DF, England
Website: The Wool Monty.
Woolly Weekend – cancelled because of Covid-19
19–29 June 2021
The Weavers’ Workshop, Dilham, Norfolk, NR28 9PT.
Website: Woolly Weekend.
Woolfest online
25–26 June 2021
Online event.
Website: Woolfest.
July 2021
Yarningham – online event
10–11 July 2021
Online event.
Website: Yarningham.
Fibre East – cancelled because of Covid-19
31 July – 1 August 2021
Redborne Upper School and Community College, Ampthill, Bedford, MK45 2NU, England
Website: Fibre East.
September 2021
Southern Wool Show
4–5 September 2021
Newbury Racecourse, Berkshire, RG14 7PN, England
Website: Southern Wool Show.
Perth Festival of Yarn – in person and online
11–12 September 2021
Dewars Centre, Glover Street, Perth, PH2 0TH, Scotland
13–19 September 2021
Online event.
Website: Perth Festival of Yarn.
The Handmade Fair, Hampton Court
11–13 September 2020 – 2021 dates to be confirmed
Battersea Park, London, SW8 4NW, England
Website: Handmade Fair, Hampton Court.
Llandovery Sheep Festival – cancelled because of Covid-19
19–20 September 2020 – 2021 dates to be confirmed
Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Website: Llandovery Sheep Festival.
Yarndale
25–26 September 2021
Skipton Auction Mart, Gargrave Road, Skipton, Yorkshire, BD23 1UD, England
Website: Yarndale.
Masham Sheep Fair – cancelled because of Covid-19
26–27 September 2020 – 2021 dates to be confirmed
Masham, North Yorkshire, HG4 4DZ, England
Website: Masham Sheep Fair.
Shetland Wool Week – cancelled because of Covid-19
26 September – 4 October 2020 – 2021 dates to be confirmed
various venues, Shetland, Scotland
Website: Shetland Wool Week.
October 2021
The West Wales Wool Show
2 October 2021
The Queen’s Hall and Play Hyfryd Hotel, Narberth, Pembrokeshire, DE45 1AH, Wales
Website: West Wales Wool Show.
The Knitting and Stitching Show
7–10 October 2021
Alexandra Palace, Wood Green, London, N22 7AY, England
Website: Knitting and Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace.
YarnFolk Wool Festival
10 October 2020 – no dates for 2021
Whitehead, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Website: YarnFolk Wool Festival.
The Bakewell Wool Gathering
9–10 October 2021
Bakewell Agricultural Centre, Agricultural Way, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1AH, England
Website: Bakewell Wool Gathering.
The Big Textile Show – cancelled because of Covid-19
30–31 October 2021
The KUBE, Leicester Racecourse, Oadby, Leicester LE2 4AL, England
Website: The Big Textile Show.
The Kendal Wool Gathering – online
30–31 October 2021
Online event.
Website: Kendal Wool Gathering
Three Bags Full Wool Market
2 October 2021 – back next year
The Public Hall, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 6BW, England
Website: Three Bags Full Wool Market.
November 2021
Hitchin Festiwool
6 November 2021 – to be confirmed
The Priory School, Hitchen, Hertfordshire, SG5 2UR, England
Website: Festiwool.
The Knitting and Stitching Show
18–21 November 2021
Harrogate International Centre, Kings Road, Harrogate, HG1 5LA, England
Website: Knitting and Stitching Show, Harrogate.
Nottingham Yarn Expo
2021 date to be confirmed
Nottingham Conference Centre, Burton St, Nottingham NG1 4BU, UK, England
Website: Nottingham Yarn Expo.
Stitch Fest South West
6–7 November 2021
Newton Abbot Racecourse, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 3AF, England
Website: Stitch Fest South West.
Wool @ Junction 13
13–14 November 2021
Lower Drayton Farm, Penkridge, Staffordshire, ST19 5RE, England
Website: Wool @ Junction 13.
Wild About Wool Pop-up Yarn Market
2021 date to be confirmed
Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD7 5JN, England
Website: Wild About Wool.
Winter Woollies
2021 date to be confirmed
Home Farm, Nanpantan, Leicestershire, LE11 3YG, England
Website: Winter Woollies.
Please let me know if I have missed out your festival. You can do this via the ‘contact me’ tab at the bottom of the page or leave details in the comments below.
This is a great list, thank you for compiling it! May I offer a couple of extras? 6th October 2018 will be West Wales Wool Show in Narberth, Pembrokeshire (www.westwaleswoolshow.weebly.com). I am co-hosting a knitting retreat in Cardiff on the 20th-21st October 2018 and there will be a yarn market on the Sunday 21st- http://theknittearetreat.wordpress.com.
Thankyou Jennie. I’ve added the West Wales Wool Show to the list. What a wonderful area to have a festival!
There’s also the Buckfastleigh Wool Gathering on the 18th March
Thank you Christine, please could you send me the website for this yarn festival.
Hi there
I assist in the organisation of Wild About Wool and we are hosting our 3rd Pop up Yarn Market. Can you add to your list please
Event – Yarn Pop up Market
The aim of Wild About Wool is to celebrate everything woolly: we bring you local artisan wools, designer patterns & kits, mini woolly activities, stash bash and knit & natter area.
When:
04/11/2018
Time:
Sunday 10:30-16:00
Where:
The WaterShed, 22 Bridge Street, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD7 5JN
Hi Sandra,
I’ve added the Wild About Wool pop-up yarn market to the ever-growing list of woolly events!
Afternoon Nikki
This is a great resource. But we have signed up to a new show in 2019, which you might wish to add. This is the Buxton Wool Gathering, run by the same team who look after the Bakewell WG later in the year. It is held on 11-12 May 2019 at Buxton Pavilion Gardens, St. John’s Road, Buxton, SK17 6BE
Hi Alan, thank you for letting me know about the Buxton Wool Gathering. I’ve added it to the blog post.
Hi there, what a super list! Rheged in Penrith, Cumbria usually have a knit and stitch show in April. I don’t think the 2019 dates are released yet, but it might be worth an add?
Thank you for letting me know about this event. I’ve added it to my list.
I think there is Aberdeen in June and Angelsey in August
Grace, thank you for reminding me to update this blog post. There seems to be a lot of new shows in 2019. I’ve added Aberdeen, Angelsey and Sheffield. I’m sure there’s also one in Newcastle: hoping someone knows the name!
Sadly, EWEfest and Internationalwool are not happening this year. I’ve been in contact with both organizers as I’ve applied for these shows.
Thank you for letting me know, Tine!
Hi Nikki. Textiles East Fair. Swavesby Village College, Cambs. Fri-Sat 22/23 Feb
Wool, Yarn and all things textiles, including Beads, Silks, Felting, Embroidery, Jewellery, Guilds.
Vanessa of The Spinners Stash will be there with her treasures including some Spinolution Wheels.
Dear Nicki, a very tardy « Thank You » for including us in your listing. We were thrilled with the success of our first event last year, and are delighted to have filled every vendor spot, and have a waiting list for this year’s event, which promises to be even bigger and better! We’re just working on workshops and Social events now, and will be updating our website and social media regularly.
Thanks again for your support, we greatly appreciate it.
Ps: if Aberdeen is a bit far away for a day trip, we urge you to check out http://www.visitabdn.com and see for yourself what a great weekend or holiday destination it is!
beautiful colors of threads
They are indeed! It’s a shame you have to choose just one or two.
Hi We re hosting The Wild About Wool 4th Pop up Yarn Market on the 9th June 2019 in Slaithwaite, Huddersfield- more info here – http://www.thefemininetouchdesigns.co.uk/events_242908.html
Thank you Sandra, I’ve added it to the blog post!
St Abbs Wool Festival takes place in Eyemouth, Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders twice a year. Most recent was yesterday (6th April). Next one is on November 2nd.
Thank you for letting me know about the St Abbs Wool Festival. I’ve added both dates to my list.
Hi, this is a fantastic list. It has helped me plan my weekends away! Can I ask you to add “The Woolly Weekend” 15th &16th June, 2019, hosted by The Worstead Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers. @ the Weavers’ Workshop, Dilham, Norfolk, NR28 9PT. http://www.worsteadweavers.org.uk
Hi Linda,
I’m glad you find this blog post useful! I’ve added The Woolly Weekend. Have a great time!
Nicki
Hi
Can you please add the Wild About Wool Pop up Yarn Market to your list
3rd November 2019
Slaithwaite, Huddersfield , West Yorkshire
https://www.thefemininetouchdesigns.co.uk/events_242908.html
Sandra, thank you for letting me know about this date. I’ve added it to the list.
No Aberdeen Yarn Feat in 2020, I just had the email from Ethiom Events
York Yarnfest has moved, at least for March, now at: Poppleton Centre, Main St, Nether Poppleton, York YO26 6JT.
Thank you for letting me know, I’ve changed the address.
Stitch Fest South West
31st October 1st November , Newton Abbot Racecourse.
https://www.facebook.com/1593496214279574/posts/2227891877506668/
Loch Ness Knit Fest has just been cancelled for 2020
Thankyou Tine, for keeping me updated!
Woolness and British Wool Show are cancelled, too, btw.
I want to attend UK festival what are the requirements
Alice, I’m not quite sure what you mean. However, due to the Covid restrictions in the UK, yarn shows are not running at the moment.
semoga tahun 2021 semua kembali normal dan lebih baik
I hope that in 2021 everything will return to normal and get better