Thank you for a great SLVFest 2011 and a very important announcement…

What a magnificent year!!  Attendance was wonderful this year.  Unfortunately, on Saturday, we had some terrible weather that damaged some tents and some vendor’s wares.  Nevertheless, several vendors said that this was one of their best shows of the year so far.  We had fewer vendors but overall the quality was delightfully high and customers raved about the product and service all provided. "We'd rather have fewer vendors with higher quality than many vendors with commercial items for sale!" 

Hannah Doney of Colorado Springs won the Sid Sharples Raffle Spinning Wheel this year.  She’s sent us some pictures that we’ll post on the blog later today. 

Without help, this year’s festival would not have happened.  Here’s a small note of appreciation.  KRZA radio sponsored us with radio spots throughout the weeks leading up to the festival.  The City of Monte Vista Parks and Rec Dept. provided the park, the stage, and the garbage cans that were packed full by the end of the weekend.  Monte Vista Coop sponsored us with tables and chairs under the big tent that were especially important for our musical performance and pancake breakfasts.  Laura Murphy of Wildethyme Art helped with marketing efforts getting our press release to hundreds of media organizations over the web and in print.  Valley Publishing put our press release on the front page of the Lifestyles magazine the week before the festival.  Denny Wallace of Gypsy's Rest put up the big tent (with several people helping) for the third year in a row.  Amber, Christie, and Melissa helped immeasurably with the Information Booth.  There are many more people that belong on this list, especially each and every person who helped hold the big tent or a vendor tent or chased after retail products rolling through the park during Saturday's storm. 

We’re very pleased to announce that beginning SLVFest 2012, Laura Murphy and Steph Lenzini of Wildethyme Art will be taking over administration of the festival.  We’ll be working together to achieve a smooth transfer over the next couple months.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.  Laura and I started the festival together five years (and a lifetime) ago.  I’m confident that the festival is in good hands with these two at the reigns.  It will be a joy to have the opportunity to be a vendor at SLVFest 2012 as Wonderland Fiber.  I look forward to seeing you all there!

Thanks again,

Crys Mascarenas

NEWS RELEASE

The SLV Folk Arts and Fiber Festival, aka the SLVFest, spins into its fifth year on July 8, in Monte Vista, with a day of vendors in Marsh Park and a launch party under the "big tent" in the evening. The festivities continue in Marsh Park on Saturday and Sunday, July 9th & 10th for two more days of food, arts, crafts, demonstrations, retail, music and contests—including the visitor favorite—spinning contests. The SLVFest is a celebration of the handmade and traditional arts.

The pancake breakfast is planned for all three days brought to you by the Girl Scouts of Colorado - Antonito and La Jara Daisies. Serving Pancakes/Waffles, sausage links, scrambled eggs and orange juice/coffee for $5.99 per plate (including beverage). This will be Friday through Sunday 8:30a.m. - 10:30a.m. The Daisies will also host a craft booth for children. For a $3.00 fee, children can sit and work on a craft at their table. They will also sell handmade crafts.

Friday is an optional day for vendors. They will begin setting up in the park at roughly 10:30am. Friday evening the kickoff party runs from 6-8pm under the big tent. This is a potluck, craft-in, and drum circle evening! Bring your hand instruments or handwork, some snacks to share, and plan to relax in the beautiful Colorado evening air.

Saturday the festival continues from 9am - 6pm. Vendors from Colorado, New Mexico and Texas show their wares ranging from yarn/fiber to handmade baskets and gourds to glass & ceramics. The Monte Arts Council will offer demonstrations and face painting all day. At 2pm on Saturday, we'll have music under the big tent. Professional percussionist, teacher, and Cajon maker Andy Skellenger will perform the exciting and rare art of North Indian Tabla. Tabla is one of the most advanced and beautiful forms of hand percussion on the planet. He will also give a performance and demonstration of the amazing Peruvian box drum called Cajon. Andy founded the company Nautilus Custom Cajons and will be bringing a variety of Cajons to try out and to purchase. Andy is based in Crestone Colorado. He has learned Tabla for 10 years under the direction of renowned Tabla maestros, Aloke Dutta and Samir Chatterjee.

The festival hours are 9am - 4pm on Sunday. Annual spinning, knitting, and crochet contests with prizes including a new warping board, Namaste knitting bag, Silk and Angelina spinning basket and more start at 11a.m. There will be a drawing for a Sid Sharples Bulky spinning wheel at 1PM. Tickets, $4 each or four for $15, are available at the festival or in advance at http://www.slvfest.com/ .

Join our facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_212644485426483&ap=1

For more information about the SLV Folk and Fiber Arts Festival go to http://www.slvfest.com or call 719-588-5638.

What's Happening with SLVFest?

We have New Vendors since my last update:

• "the Felted Dog" from Pueblo, will be joining us this summer!  They carry purses, needle-felted ornaments and decorations, felted soap, nesting cones, and re-purposed wool dog toys.  They also have a selection of handmade, gourmet dog treats, and cotton dog collars too!  This will be their first fiber festival, and we're so very excited to have them join us.
• We're also welcoming  Ron of "The Buffalo Wool Co." from Kennendale Texas.  The Buffalo Wool Company makes yarns and garments from the American bison (Buffalo Gold yarns).  Check them out online before you get to meet them in person:   thebuffalowoolco.com

We have more returning vendors who have confirmed they'll be there to party with us again in 2011:

• Kim, owner of The Yarn Gallery and Cat Mountain Fiber Arts, will be joining us for another great summer event!  If you haven't seen Kim's booth, you're in for a treat!  She carries hand dyed yarn and fiber.  She's also a dealer of Schacht Spindle Company Equipment.  Check out her online offerings and sign up for her monthly newsletter: www.catmtn.com/tyg-online
• Dee Dee will be back with her wonderful Blessed Brews coffee cart.  She makes wonderful hot and cold coffee drinks, shaved ice, teas, and delicious muffins!

We received word back from the Monte Vista Chamber that our Spinning Wheel Raffle is a go for this year!  This is our fourth spinning wheel give away. It's very exciting...

We're giving away a very well preserved Sid Sharples Bulky Spinner. It was built in the mid 70's. This wheel is quite beautiful. It's not a traveling wheel, but the foot print isn't giant either. The wheel is about a foot across and 18" deep. The bobbin (only one) will hold at least a pound of spun yarn. The orifice is at least an inch across. The leather drive band is in great shape. This handmade wheel is quite beautiful. This will be the perfect wheel for novelty and large scale production spinning!  I'll post pictures and links to ticket sales very soon.

We are going to do more give-aways starting mid-May up until the festival.  Stay tuned... ;) and thanks for reading.

Crys

We have a winner!!

Laurinda Pudlo, aka Laurpud on Ravelry is our winner this week. She won a lovely February Batt of the Month from Fancy Fibers as well as a $15 gift certificate towards anything in the Fancy Fibers shop online.

We'll post our new contest early next week. Thank you to all who entered.

One more week...

We're extending last weeks contest for one more week. I'll pull the winner on Monday the 28th.

Tell your friends and multiply your chances to win!!

Our next contest!! Win a Fancy Fibers Batt of the Month

This week we're highlighting a new vendor at SLVFest! Fancy Fibers carries spinning fiber, dye supplies, yarn, hand knits, and spinning wheels!

Go to her shop at: Fancy Fibers find something that you love, and come back here and comment about what you found. Read the fine print below to learn how to get MULTIPLE ENTRIES!

The prize she's generously donated is 4 ounces of Febrary Batt of the Month in colorway "Carnival Season" pictured below... as well as a surprise gift from SLVFest!

$24 value

Fiber content:
Carded mohair from Fancy Fibers Farm animals
Polwarth wool, hand-dyed in a beautiful gold by Mary
Silk noile, hand-dyed by Mary in blue and purple
Throwster silk, hand-dyed by Mary in red and green


Fine Print:
Here's how this weeks giveaway works. Go to the featured shop, find something that you just *love* and come back here to leave a comment about the item you found.

This is required for your first entry into the contest... after that, you can receive additional entries for:

*any single purchase you make in the featured shop for 2 extra entries
*Facebook posts about the giveaway for 1 extra entry
*twitter posts about the giveaway for 1 extra entry
*Blog entries announcing the giveaway for 1 extra entry

Just come back here and comment with a link to fulfill the requirement for additional entries.

I'll do a random drawing on Friday at 3pm with all eligible entries.

Don't forget to give me a way to contact you on every entry.

All members of our Google group will receive one additional entry (after the first required entry for each contest), if you're not a member, join us here:

Subscribe to SLVFest

Email:

Visit this group

This is a once a week announcements only group to help you keep in touch with what's happening with the SLVFest.

Once Again, we have a winner :)

This week Kara aka MrsCollinHobbs on Ravelry won 4 oz. of hand painted bamboo roving and 1/2 oz of gorgeous sparkling Anglina!!

Thank you all who entered!

I'll post this weeks giveaway soon...