Come join the family-friendly Heart of New Mexico Fiber & Art gathering at Wildlife West Nature Park in Edgewood. The event brings more than 20 artists from around the region who will demonstrate yarn spinning, knitting, lace making, crocheting and fine art vendors. Visitors can feel the coats of Cashgora goats, llamas, alpacas, and three types of sheep: Debouillet, Valias Blacknose and Wensleydale sheep. Connect with fiber vendors selling everything from raw fleeces, beautiful yarns, fiber equipment, finished fiber products as well as jewelry, paintings, Mexican tin art, totems made with natural materials, and fine art vendors. Check out the competitions for handspun yarn, garments, home accessories and raw fleeces featuring wool, mohair and alpaca. Workshops will be given by the area’s top fiber artists, watch the art of sheep shearing and more.

Stop by the kid’s booth which will feature lots of hands-on projects, the fiber educational booth, t-shirt sales booth, and enter the raffle contest. Enjoy live music and yummy things to eat.

Then visit the native wildlife zoo at Wildlife West to get eye to eye with sister cougars True and Zia, find all 4 tree-climbing grey foxes, interact with the Park’s magnificent Bald Eagle who likes to “talk” to visits, and experience up close the 20 other species of wildlife and raptors.

All activities throughout the weekend are included in the regular admission to Wildlife West: $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for students and children 4 and younger are free. Plus, free parking. Watch for the fall Heart of NM Fiber & Art Gathering on August 31 and September 1, 2024. Wildlife West is located just 25 minutes east of Albuquerque, off Interstate-40 and legendary Route 66 in Edgewood. For more information visit www.wildlifewest.org or call 505-281-7655.