Thermopolis to host Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival in July

The Wyoming Wool Growers Association is pleased to announce the schedule is getting packed for the Wyoming Sheep & Wool Festival to be held July 12-14 at the Hot Springs County Fairgrounds in Thermopolis.

Make plans to bring your family to enjoy arts, educational and cultural events celebrating Wyoming’s sheep and wool industry, meet the animals, feast on some great lamb, browse through vendor and educational booths, watch the stock dog trials, go on a tour, and then dance to live music at an after-dinner party on Saturday night.

Educational sessions, farm tours, and the art show reception will be held on Friday. Saturday’s events include an all-day vendor fair, and programming for all ages, followed by the “Sheepherders Come Bye” lamb feast. During dinner, some sheep folks will be honored with awards, and then the band will start up, so bring your dancing boots as Kellen Smith and the Nate Champion Band turn on the sound at the free concert.

The Festival Committee is happy to consider ideas for demos, workshops or other activities that might enhance the festival, so if you’ve got a great idea, tell us about it. Any organization or business that wants to get involved in the fun is also encouraged to contact us – we’ve got some great ideas and we’d love to have partnerships to make them happen.

Donations and sponsorships for the festival help to make most festival events free to the public (only the lamb dinner is a ticketed event).

Craft and food vendors are encouraged to set up shop at the festival’s vendor fair, and booth space can be reserved for as little as $25. Educational vendors are most welcome, and we encourage activities for the public to participate in and enjoy at these booths. Entries for the art show are currently being accepted.

The festival is a project of the WWGA and Wyoming SHEEP Foundation and is supported in part by a grant from the the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.

For more information about the festival, please contact WWGA’s Alison Crane at (307) 265-5250, or Heather Jones in Thermopolis at (307) 864-4058. Be sure to check out the festival website where all the details will be posted as they become available: wyomingsheepandwoolfestival.com.