The Joy of a Small Fiber Festival
Vendors at the 11th Annual St. Cloud Spinfest, June 6, 2026. Photo by author.
The 11th Annual St. Cloud SpinFest and Fiber Fair at Rocking Horse Farm
—Brandie Yale
As usual, I showed up thinking, “I don’t need anything. I have enough yarn. I have enough wool.” But of course, there is always something at a fiber festival that I just have to have, whether it is that extra special skein of yarn or some unusual handmade buttons.
St. Cloud’s annual fiber festival SpinFest is held by Rocking Horse Farm, a small, local yarn and fiber arts shop that focuses on knitting machines and other tools of the art.
One day a year, the farm becomes home to a small-town fiber festival that showcases local wool and fiber producers and artists. In addition to vendors, demos, and classes, the event includes food trucks and live music. Sometimes you will even get to meet fluffy fiber animals, although this year, I did not see any, likely due to the unusually hot, sunny June day.
One of the things that sets this festival apart is its small size and community atmosphere. Rather than the large, bustling crowds you see at the bigger fiber festivals, SpinFest felt relaxed and open. I was able to linger in the shade talking to vendors as they fanned themselves beneath canopy tents, to ask as many questions as I wanted, to really learn more about why they do this work.
Travel-inspired Yarn
My favorite vendor this year was Alainn Yarns, whose owner, Stephanie, is a truly creative yarn dyer who bases her vibrant colorways on inspiration from her travels around the world. I spent several minutes at the booth just running my hands over skein after skein, trying to decide between two colorways while Stephanie explained the travel inspiration behind them. In the end, I chose colors that reminded me of the fiery glow of a late summer sunset (see image below).
I purchased two skeins of her Nomadic Lux base, which is a 50% silk/50% yak fingering-weight yarn, in the colors Bronze Age and ????. I was immediately drawn to the rich, saturated colors, deep earth tones and luminous jewel shades that felt rooted in landscape, weather, and place.
Another of my favorites this year was Past Times Farm, owned by husband-and-wife team Martin and Lisa Lynn. While Lisa focuses on fiber processing, Martin is a woodworker who creates yarn bowls and other wood items for knitters and crafters. Since I already have one of his yarn bowls, I purchased four wooden coasters with sheep and a spinning wheel laser cut onto them.
My SpinFest haul: drop spindle, wooden sheep coasters, avocado seed buttons, silk/yak blend yarn, silver magnetic shawl pin, mulberry silk top, June 6, 2026. Photo by author.
Sharing Our Creative Energy
I didn’t take a class this year, but at one point I stopped to watch a large group of people learning to use drop spindles. There was a lot of laughter, a lot of tangled fiber, and a lot of patient encouragement. It felt like a perfect reflection of what makes events like SpinFest special. People come not just to buy yarn or tools, but to share knowledge, stories, and creative energy with one another.
In a world increasingly filled with fast production and online transactions, there is something grounding about spending a day surrounded by handmade work and the people who make it. Every skein, tool, and finished object carries the mark of someone’s time, skill, and imagination. You can feel that at SpinFest.
By the time I left Rocking Horse Farm carrying a little more yarn and a few more sheep-themed items than I planned, I also left feeling creatively refreshed and deeply appreciative of the local fiber arts community that continues to thrive here in Central Minnesota. I’m already looking forward to next year’s festival and telling myself once again that I definitely do not need more yarn.