8th Annual Fiber Arts & Folk Life Festival, Feb. 18

Posted: January 3, 2017

The 8th Annual Fiber Arts & Folk Life Festival, previously known as the Fiber Arts Festival, will take place on Saturday, February 18, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire's Carson Park. Open to all ages and experience levels, this family-friendly event allows visitors to explore live-action carving, painting, toy-building, weaving, braiding, quilting, fabric dyeing, cordage making, rug hooking, spinning, felting, and more. Attendees are invited to participate in hands-on projects throughout the day, with many free activities available and some that carry an extra charge for materials.

The festival also recognizes the importance of retaining knowledge of a diversity of folk traditions, both old and new. Native American, European, and Asian heritages will be represented. Over 30 regional artists ranging from enthusiast to professional, along with several local groups and guilds, will offer educational displays, information, mini-lessons, and artwork for sale.

New in 2017: With the establishment of the festival as an important annual occasion for sharing ideas and a social scene for people engaged in the fiber arts, incorporation of other folk art and folk life traditions will be a bigger part of this year's festival and beyond. Ukrainian Pysanky, rosemaling, and lefse-making demonstrations will now be featured. In addition, fiber art production and its connection to agricultural heritage and environmental stewardship, traditional food, music and performance will also have a larger presence.

The festival will occur throughout the entire museum, with many existing exhibits highlighting examples of fiber arts and folk life, particularly in the short-term exhibit Always Beading in the Post-Script Gallery. The museum's historic ice cream parlor will be open for customers wanting to purchase hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and other refreshments. Soup and sandwiches will be available to buy during lunchtime. Proceeds will benefit summer programming for children.

Admission is $7 for adults, $4 for ages 5-17, and free for ages 4 and under and Chippewa Valley Museum members. Contact Karen Jacobson at 715-834-7871 or k.jacobson@cvmuseum.com for more information or an up-to-date list of artists and groups attending. No registration required for this event.

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