Annual Harvest+ Fiber Festival at Wildlife West Nature Park

Annual Harvest+ Fiber Festival at Wildlife West Nature Park

Join us for the family-friendly Annual Harvest & Fiber Festival and the last Family Music Festival over the 3-day Labor Day holiday on September 3-5, 2022 at Wildlife West Nature Park in Edgewood. The Festival starts on Saturday at 10 a.m. with the 7th Annual Heart of New Mexico Fiber and Arts Gathering, showcasing 22 artists from around the region who will demonstrate yarn spinning, knitting and lace making. Visitors can feel the coats of Cashgora goats, llamas, alpacas, and two types of sheep: Debouillet and Ramouillet. Students from the local 4-H Club will also showcase their livestock. Learn about yarn spinning to the finished product and take a class on drop spindle, hand-weaving and needle felting. Connect with artists selling beautiful jewelry, paintings, Mexican tin art, totems made with natural materials, and others. More entailed workshops will be held on Monday, September 5th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on rug making on a peg loom with raw fleece, how to hand paint yarn, and needle felting.

The “Harvest” part of the Festival includes experiencing an old west atmosphere throughout the Park and the Pinto Bean Museum with displays of antique bean processing equipment, farming artifacts and historic local photos, and exploring a replica of the western town of Venus (original name of Edgewood). A variety of fresh produce will be available for sale.

Then visit the native wildlife zoo to observe Koshari, Wildlife West’s 500-pound black bear, get eye to eye with sister cougars True and Zia, find all 4 tree-climbing grey foxes and see the Park’s newest arrival – a magnificent Bald Eagle from Alaska, along with 20 species of other wildlife and raptors. The Knights of Columbus volunteers will serve up fresh sweet corn from Schwebach Farms, and hamburgers and hot dogs throughout the weekend along with other food vendors.

Stay for last Family Music Festival of the season on Saturday, September 3rd beginning at 4:30 p.m. with the energetic Watermelon Mountain Jug Band playing their unique instruments including the five time State Champion Fiddle player. Watch a free-flight raptor show by expert Falconer, Tom Smylie, before the next performance at 7 p.m. by Squash Blossom Boys who have played on southwestern stages for over ten years. With beginnings as a garage band, they explored a variety of musical genres including rock, jazz, reggae and more to find the hard driving, high lonesome sound of Bluegrass music. Both music performances are held in an all-weather covered amphitheater. Tickets are just $20 per person and youth 17 years and younger are free.

Date: September 3-5, 2022

Location: Wildlife West Nature Park in Edgewood, 87 N Frontage Rd, Edgewood, NM 87015

Cost: All activities throughout the weekend, except for the Family Music Festival, are included with regular admission to Wildlife West: $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 students and children 4 and younger are free. Plus free dry camping and parking.