Whispering Pines Fiber Festival - Vendor Information
A fiber festival designed to connect producers with makers
Join us for the first Whispering Pines Fiber Festival on June 12–13, 2027, at the Orleans County Fairgrounds in western New York, between Buffalo and Rochester.
I'm building this festival around a simple idea: bring the people who produce fiber together with the people who turn it into something wonderful. If you offer fiber, yarn, tools, equipment, or other products for fiber artists and makers, I'd love for you to consider being part of our first year.
The essentials for vendors
- Festival dates: June 12–13, 2027
- Public hours: Saturday, 10 am–5 pm; Sunday, 10 am–3 pm
- Setup: Friday, before the two-day festival
- Venue: Orleans County Fairgrounds in Knowlesville, New York
- Introductory first-year booth fee: $60
- Vendor spaces: Indoors on hard flooring
I'm keeping the first-year booth fee affordable while we establish the festival and build its audience.
Complete the Vendor Interest Form
More than a marketplace
Alongside the vendor marketplace, an indoor Hall of Breeds will give producers a place to introduce their sheep breeds, other fiber-producing animals, plants, farms, and products.
The goal is to help makers discover where their materials come from and give producers opportunities to connect directly with the people who value their work. I want this to be a place to share knowledge, make connections, and inspire one another.
Who's organizing the festival?
I'm Jennifer Johnson, owner of Whispering Pines Shetland Sheep and a spinning-wheel dealership specializing in Majacraft equipment. I've been vending at fiber festivals for 20 years, so I understand the investment of time and money involved, along with the practical details that can make or break a vending experience.
I also raise Shetland sheep specifically for their wool. I've worked hard to build a wool business that connects the quality of my product with my customers' needs while helping sustain the farm. I'd like to share what I've learned and create more opportunities for other producers to reach their markets.
I'm organizing and operating the festival independently. The fairgrounds provides the venue; the vision and organization come from my experience as both a vendor and a producer.
A thoughtful, vendor-friendly setting
I'm making deliberate choices to create a comfortable, well-organized environment where vendors can focus on their products and their customers.
- Hard flooring: Vendor booths will be on hard floors, rather than in the fairgrounds' dirt-floor barns.
- Smoke-free grounds: Smoking will not be permitted anywhere on the fairgrounds.
- Room for conversation: There will be no background music, making it easier to talk with customers.
- Quieter staff transportation: I plan to arrange bicycles for staff transportation rather than noisy, dusty golf carts.
- A focus on new products and equipment: There will be no used-equipment sales.
- A focus on fiber and making: This is not intended to be a general family fair. There will be no dedicated children's activity area, and children will be subject to the regular festival admission policy.
The venue: room to gather and grow
The Orleans County Fairgrounds offers a countryside setting between Buffalo and Rochester, with plenty of room for the festival to grow.
- A large parking area for visitors and vendors
- Multiple buildings, including exhibition space for the vendor marketplace and Hall of Breeds
- Friday setup ahead of the two-day festival
- Buildings locked and entrance gates closed at the end of each festival day
Medina is about a 10-minute drive away, with hotels, restaurants, shops, historic architecture, and the Erie Canal to explore.
Vendor requirements and promotion
Vendors will need a Certificate of Insurance (COI) and the appropriate New York State sales tax documentation. If you're unfamiliar with obtaining either document, I'll offer guidance to help you understand the process.
I'll promote the festival through Facebook, Instagram, Ravelry, Google, and a dedicated festival webpage. I'll also ask participating vendors to help spread the word through our festival Facebook page. Those who have participated in the WAFA Virtual Festival may recognize the value of vendors working together to introduce an event to their audiences.
A big vision, built one step at a time
My goal is to build an event that returns every second weekend in June and grows with the fiber community. Down the road, I'd love to add a fleece show and sale, classes, and breed talks, giving visitors even more ways to learn, connect, and celebrate fiber from its source.
But I believe in walking before I run. For 2027, my focus is on building a strong foundation with a well-organized vendor marketplace and Hall of Breeds. The fleece show and sale, classes, and breed talks are part of my longer-term vision, not confirmed offerings for the first festival.
I'd rather start with a focused event and do it well, then add new elements thoughtfully as the festival develops. Our first vendors and exhibitors will be part of that beginning.
Interested in vending? Let's connect.
Please complete the vendor interest form to tell me about your business and what you'd like to bring.
Submitting the form helps me understand who's interested and plan the layout. It does not confirm a booth. Once I have a clearer picture of the vendors and space requirements, I'll contact you to confirm availability and arrange payment of the booth fee.
Complete the Vendor Interest Form
I hope you'll join me in building something lasting for our fiber community.