Courtesy Photo The Northern Michigan Fiber Festival will feature over 60 vendors this year at the APlex. Vendors will be in both the main ballroom and in the tennis court area. This picture shows some of the vendors and shoppers at the 2023 Northern Michigan Fiber Festival.

ALPENA — Knitters, crocheters, spinners, and anyone interested in the fiber arts will not want to miss the Northern Michigan Fiber Festival, which happens on the last weekend in September at the APlex.

This year’s event will feature classes and over 60 vendors, concessions, giveaways, drawings, demonstrations, and more. Classes start on Friday, Sept. 27 and throughout the weekend. The vendor show will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29.

Festival Vice President Jane Fortner said the festival is “an event for all ages, young and old and in between, to gather with like-minded fiber artists and vendors to share ideas and learn new techniques.”

Fortner encourages people to “do some shopping, watch fiber art demonstrations, take a class, or just relax and enjoy the atmosphere.”

Classes include basket weaving, felting, building a blending board to create and spin art yarns, spinning, wool dyeing, naalbinding, and much more.

“Naalbinding is an ancient technique for constructing hats, socks, and mittens,” a class description on the festival website reads, using “minimal tools, a needle and short pieces of yarn. It is a weaving technique that uses your thumb for tension. Construction can be compared to crochet to increase or decrease. A small bag to carry your supplies will be made.”

Fornter said some of the classes are already full, but there are plenty still available to choose from. She is the chair of classes and vendors.

There will be 61 vendors this year, spread out in both the main ballroom and into the tennis court area at the APlex.

“We are at 61 vendors, versus 39 last year,” Fortner said. “Ninety-one booths, versus 60 booths last year. Because some vendors have two or three booths.”

She said vendors come from all over Michigan, as well as other states.

“Vendors are coming from Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin,” Fortner said. “Our class instructors are coming from Michigan and Arizona. We have students already registered that are coming from Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, and Florida.”

There is no admission charge to get into the show. There is a fee for each class, which varies by topic. For a detailed list of vendors and classes, visit the Northern Michigan Fiber Festival website at fiberfestival.net.

“It’s not just yarns,” Fortner said of the items available at the show. “There are ready-made items, as well.”

She said live demonstrations will be interesting to watch.

“There’s carding and spinning and weaving and knitting and crocheting,” Fortner said. “Those are free demonstrations.”

She is excited that the show is growing each year, and she said they always have something new for people to check out.

“This year, we have a person who’s going to come who will be fixing spinning wheels,” Fortner said, for a fee.

“The board has made felt bags that they will be selling at the festival,” she added.

She talked about the food options that will be available at the festival..

“We have a cafe within the venue which will be serving lamb pasties,” she said. “This is all local, and local turkey sandwiches. And then, we have an outside food truck, Liv Shack.”

Fortner said even if you’ve never been to a fiber festival, it’s a fun event to check out. If you have questions, call 989-916-9284.