Fiber Arts Festival Begins Today at The Powerhouse

Yarn from Skyloom Weavers. The Annual Fiber Arts Festival starts Thursday.

The 10th Annual Oxford Fiber Arts Festival begins today at The Powerhouse Community Arts Center with a preview market at 3 p.m. and opening reception at 5:30 p.m.

More than 20 classes are being offered over three days including courses in weaving, felting, knitting, crochet, quilting, rug hooking, dyeing, tatting and more.

Featured on the walls of the Powerhouse during the festival will be the exhibition “Spinning a Tale: The Story of Oxford Fiber Fest 2019” featuring photos by Renee Wofford of Studio 1825.

Other fun activities include the Fiber/Yarn Swap on Friday from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. at The Powerhouse and a reception at The Oxford Treehouse Gallery on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.

The market hours will continue on Friday from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with children’s activities until 3 p.m.

There is no market on Sunday; however, a special class is being offered by Diane Williams.

Admission is $2 a day to get in the festival. Class registration is separate and all course descriptions and schedules can be found at: http://oxfordarts.com/events/fiberfest.

In its ninth year, the festival strives to bring cutting edge contemporary and traditional fiber arts to the Powerhouse for a multi-day event that includes lectures, demonstrations, classes by experienced teachers and children’s activities.

In 2011, the University Museum working with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council hoped to create coordinated exhibits that would reach beyond the museum walls and into the community. The partnership focused on an upcoming exhibit of Gees Bend Quilts, identifying community partners in the local quilters’ guild and Oxford’s curated fiber shop, Knit1.

This coordinated effort launched the Oxford Fiber Arts Festival showcasing exhibits by local fiber artists, a fiber market, workshops, and demonstrations. An immediate success and a welcome addition driving out the winter doldrums with an energetic gathering of fiber fans.

In 2016, Patsy Englehart and Lynn Wells of Knit 1 passed the baton to local fiber artist and regular vendor in the fest, Andi Bedsworth, who is now coordinating the festival through YAC.

This year’s festival is sponsored by National Endowment for the Arts, Mississippi Arts Commission, Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, Newk’s Eatery, University Museum and Oxford Treehouse Gallery.

For information contact Festival Coordinator, Andi Bedsworth at 662-380-1940 or oxfordfiberfest.com.