Everything You Need to Know About New York Sheep & Wool
What to expect and how to maximize your weekend in Rhinebeck, New York
By Fiona Nugent
The biggest weekend for fiber artists in the Northeast is coming up! New York Sheep & Wool, colloquially known as “Rhinebeck” by its attendees, is on October 17-18, 2026. The festival sees tens of thousands of attendees every year. Knitters, crocheters, spinners, felters, fiber artists, dyers, and lovers of apple cider donuts all descend on Rhinebeck for a weekend of fiber fun and fall vibes. This will be my third year attending Rhinebeck, so I have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve for navigating this fiber-filled weekend. Consider this a guide book for everything you need to know about New York Sheep & Wool, covering all of your most frequently asked questions.
View this post on Instagram
Logistics & Expectations
New York Sheep & Wool (for brevity’s sake, I will be referring to it as Rhinebeck for the remainder of the article) takes place at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in mid-October. This is by far the biggest event in the area every year, so if you haven’t booked an Air BnB by now, you’ll probably be driving over an hour from your lodging to the fairgrounds. A bridge crosses the Hudson River to get from Kingston (on the West side) to Rhinebeck, and it is often jammed with traffic getting in and out of the area. Most of the roads are one lane country roads, so just be patient and you’ll get there eventually!
It is important to keep the size of the event in mind when setting your expectations for the weekend. Saturday is far busier than Sunday, so if crowds really aren’t your thing, consider planning your trip for Sunday at the fairgrounds. I promise there will be enough yarn!
The fairgrounds are huge, and the day is simply too short to take in everything. I recommend going into the weekend with a few goals—not limited to the projects you’d like yarn for—to optimize the experience. If shopping is your priority, there are 13 vendor barns with multiple stalls to weave through. Bring a couple large tote bags, especially if you’re planning to buy a sweater’s quantity (or two!) of wool, but avoid wearing a backpack because it is TIGHT in the barns. A large bag is wieldy enough in the crowds.
The majority of the vendors reserve the same booths year after year, so you won’t discover new vendors on subsequent visits. For me—and my absurd yarn stash—this frees me from the shopping frenzy to appreciate the other unique aspects of New York Sheep & Wool.
A number of food trucks park along the midway where you can grab a bite. As previously mentioned, the crowds result in long lines for food as well. Be sure to bring snacks in your bag if necessary, or if you don’t like fried fair food. The apple cider donut vendor in particular usually has a line that trails down the midway—expect to wait at least an hour for donuts, and be limited to less than a half dozen as the weekend progresses. Last year I got an empanada at an empanada truck, so the food isn’t all fried dough and candy apples, but it’s certainly an option!
In addition to the vendor barns, there are 5 livestock barns at the fairgrounds! There are live sheep shearing demos, and stalls with sheep and alpaca in them to pet. One year, I even got to pet an angora rabbit! Although I live in New York City now, I’m originally from Upstate New York (an hour and a half north of Rhinebeck), and grew up working on farms. It’s a really sweet way to reconnect with my rural roots,spend time around barn critters, and enjoy the agricultural heritage of the fiber crafts we love. I think this year I will be prioritizing the animal barns over shopping.
Finally, the schedule is packed with demonstrations, fiber talks, and hilarious fiber-related competitions. There are competitions for speed knitting, spinning, and crochet, and even a “knitting with chopsticks” race! While entries are limited, I did stumble across a drop spindle competition which was a hoot. The exact schedule of events for 2026 isn’t released yet, but assign someone in your group to keep an eye on the time to make sure that you don’t miss anything! The day can pass quickly, and you may find yourself in a conversation in a vendor barn across the fairgrounds before you know it.
Community
One of my favorite aspects of crafting is how rooted in community it is. Ravelry wouldn’t exist if fiber artists weren’t looking for an outlet to discuss their creations and experiences with different yarns, or learn new techniques! In this way, Rhinebeck is a giant fiber arts convention, and an opportunity to connect in person. I wouldn’t be writing for Stitchcraft if I weren’t already a chronically online knitter, so for me it’s the one time a year I get to meet all of my “Knistagram” and “Knittok” mutuals in real life.
In the months leading up to Rhinebeck, online knitting and crochet spaces are dominated with crafters discussing what they’re planning on making to wear to Rhinebeck. You may have heard of the eponymous Rhinebeck Sweater—which is best defined as the sweater you make to wear to New York Sheep and Wool. The concept of the Rhinebeck Sweater is simple; if you’re going to a place full of people who do the same crafts as you, you might as well wear your favorite handknit sweater! There is nowhere else in the world where your work will be so universally appreciated. For me, it’s been the opportunity to make an extra-creative sweater— last year I tackled my “white whale” project, and a year later I’m still reveling in the accomplishment.
There is no official Rhinebeck Sweater pattern, but established designers schedule sweater design releases in anticipation of the largest fiber festival on the East Coast. Andrea Mowry hosts an annual Knit-A-Long (KAL) for her Rhinebeck Sweater design, this years’ being Antipodes. There are currently 1,167 projects listed on Ravelry, so you can anticipate seeing this pattern knit up in every color as you stroll the fairgrounds. It’s not a requirement to participate in this KAL or wear this sweater to participate in the “Rhinebeck Sweater” phenomenon, but Andrea Mowry has done an impressive job of positioning her knitwear design business as a part of the larger event.
View this post on Instagram
Another Rhinebeck tradition is meeting up on “The Hill” at Rhinebeck. Although The Hill isn’t labeled on the map, it’s pretty hard to miss. On the map attached above, it’s right where the “2×2 Animal Haven” tag is located, and in person it’s right above a large stretch of food trucks. Just look for the people sitting and working on their projects. Various fiber community leaders—ranging from Andrea Mowry hosting her KAL meetup and annual Rhinebeck Sweater group photo to knitfluencers calling for their friends to gather—will meet here. If you see a post calling for a Hill Meetup, now you know where it is!
Making a Weekend of it!
If you’re traveling in for Sheep & Wool, it may be worth it to extend your stay. Luckily, smaller fiber festivals have popped up in the surrounding area. A Woolen Affair will take place Thursday and Friday, October 15-16, at the Hutton Brickyards just across the river from Rhinebeck. I attended A Woolen Affair last year, and was excited to check out the yarn selections from over 60 vendors who don’t have booths at Rhinebeck.
Indie Untangled is another smaller fiber festival taking place on Friday, October 16, at HITS on the Hudson in Saugerties, NY. This festival includes a selection of indie yarn dyers, spinning wool, project bags, and notions, and of course plenty of food trucks and opportunities to enjoy the fairgrounds. (Side note: as a horse girl who grew up in Upstate New York, I actually went to an annual horse show at this venue!). I haven’t had time to visit Indie Untangled myself, so please feel free to reach out and share your experience!
Local dyer Jill Draper’s studio also resides in nearby Kingston. Jill will be hosting an open air studio party and shopping event on October 18, which may be one more fun event to swing by on your way home. The event is free to attend, but an RSVP is required.
The Hudson Valley is picturesque this time of year, so be sure to take some time to enjoy the fall foliage and the great outdoors. The Olana State Historic Site is situated atop an escarpment a little bit north of Rhinebeck. The estate was the home of Frederic Edwin Church, one of the prominent figures in the Hudson River School of landscape painting. You can wander the grounds or book a tour of the ornate estate home. Further in the town of Hudson, NY, is the 40,000-square foot Hudson Antique Warehouse, if you haven’t had enough shopping.
The small towns of the Hudson Valley are very picturesque and fun day trips to add on to your fiber-filled weekend. Many of these towns are home to artisan shops, art museums, and plenty of antiquing! The foliage is at its peak in mid-October, so there’s no shame in taking plenty of Instagram pictures in your hand knits.
FAQs
Did I miss one of your burning questions? I got you!
Is New York Sheep & Wool only for knitters or crocheters?
New York Sheep & Wool is for everyone who is interested in fiber, agriculture, delicious local artisan foods and products, and fall vibes! In addition to the food trucks, there is also a large food barn filled with products from local and small manufacturers in the tristate area: think maple syrup, hot sauce, candles, spice mixes, pickles, jams, etc. Your Rhinebeck Sweater can absolutely be crocheted, and there are crochet demonstrations. Last year Toni Lipsey held a book signing! There is a lot to find for spinners, felters, and fiber artists as well, and many booths sell batting.
What should I wear/bring?
I tell everyone to wear their favorite handmade sweater. It might be hot, so wear a tee shirt underneath just in case! Bring some large tote bags for shopping, but avoid wearing a backpack, because the barns can be crowded. Wear comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting dusty or muddy (depending on the weather) or risking getting a little bit of manure on—you’ll be spending most of the day on your feet. There are few seated areas—most of them surround the food truck zones. I also suggest bringing a water bottle; there are fountains by the bathrooms.
What should I expect from parking?
The parking lot is a grass field. You’ll probably have to walk a ways from your car to the gate and back. It’s a bit of a traffic jam getting out of the fairgrounds at the end of the day, so be patient! The earlier you arrive at the fairgrounds, the closer you’ll be able to park—but the deeper into the fairgrounds you’ll be. If you’re the last to leave, expect to wait to exit.
What tips do you have for first time attendees?
Purchase your tickets online before you arrive—tickets are slightly cheaper online, even with the service fee, than they are at the gate. Plan out the patterns you’d like to shop for ahead of time. The yarn selection is pretty standard—wool ranges from fingering to bulky weight and roving, and there is plenty of mohair, alpaca, and even angora rabbit and vicuña! The selection can be overwhelming, and cell service is spotty at best. Write down your project plans, yardage, and gauge so you don’t find yourself waiting for Ravelry to load so you can make your purchasing decision.
Be prepared for the crowds. There are a lot of people, and they’re from all over the country. Be polite. If someone is standing in front of the yarn you’d like to see, just ask if you can scoot around. More likely than not, you’ll find yourself in a conversation about the yarn, what you’re planning to make, what pattern your sweater is. Everyone is here for the same reason, and Rhinebeck is, at its core, a community event.
What’s the deal with the apple cider donuts?
My first year, everyone was excited about the apple cider donuts and trepidacious about the line. My advice? Save your time, get donuts at a local grocery store. I’ve been spoiled with apple cider donuts growing up, so I’ve historically dragged my friends to the Capital Region (shoutout Indian Ladder Farms!), but you can get just as good (although not as fresh) donuts without waiting in line during your precious hours on the fairground.
What brings you back year after year?
This will be my third year at Rhinebeck, and it’s starting to feel more like an annual reunion than a shopping event. My first year, I jumped on the bus organized by Cleo’s Yarn Shop in Brooklyn with one friend, and left the weekend with a group chat. That same group of girls has organized for year three, and I’m looking forward to seeing my friends, who I only know online, and being excited to see their completed sweaters that I’ve been following for the past few months. I can only imagine that for attendees with much longer tenure than myself, those roots go even deeper. I love being an absolute nerd about knitting, and this is THE place to do it. I left Rhinebeck even more excited about knitting than I was when I went in. It’s a really special weekend.
New York Sheep & Wool is a highlight of my fall, and I’m excited to attend this year! I’ll be wearing my self-drafted gingham pullover, and doing some coverage for Stitchcraft. Come say hi, tell me about your sweater, and let me know if this article was helpful! In the meantime, feel free to reach out with additional questions about what to expect to Stitchcraft or to me at @byyy.fiona on Instagram directly.
Looking forward to seeing you on The Hill!
