When the kids head back to school and the first hint of autumn is on the air, Almonte starts gearing up for its favourite fall festival: Fibrefest! This year’s event — the 23nd annual celebration of the fibre arts.

Local guilds will demonstrate spinning, knitting, weaving, rug hooking, lacemaking, smocking and quilting. Vendors include spinners, weavers, and fibre artists from across the province, as well as quilt shops and alpaca farms. And at 4pm on September 9, hundreds of felted lambs will be spun in a bingo spinner at the arena, and the owners of the first three lambs to come out of the spinner will win fabulous prizes. Tickets for the spin will be on sale during Fibrefest at the arena.

During the two-day festival the North Market of Almonte will offer their artistic tea room services featuring homemade goodies, beverages and sandwiches at very reasonable prices. At the museum, explore the permanent history exhibit Fabric of a Small Town, which interprets how a piece of wool fibre becomes a piece of finished cloth and includes industrial machines used throughout the process. Also, on display this year is the featured exhibit Those of Use Still Living, works by Jim Arendt. Jim Arendt is an artist who works in denim to create images that explore the lives of working people.