Guide to UK Yarn Shows 2020
COVID19 UPDATE
I will try to keep this list as current as possible in the light of changes due to COVID19. Many event organisers and vendors are hosting virtual / online events, so please check social media (especially Instagram) for the details. Please do check out the websites of the vendors who were scheduled for the cancelled events, as many of us (myself included) rely heavily on shows and events for a significant proportion of our income, and consider purchasing online.
Hello and welcome to 2020!
I hope you've got your diaries and planners out, because here is my annual list of yarn and wool shows and festivals that are happening around the UK this year.
As usual, I've included events that have yarn or wool as their main emphasis (eg I haven't included general craft or textile shows) except for the Knitting and Stitching Shows. I know that their focus on yarn relative to other crafts has decreased over recent years, but they are such large events, and they still have "knitting" in their name, so they're staying on the list for now! If you're looking for the Spring Knitting and Stitching Show at Olympia, it's been renamed to The Stitch Festival, and it's moved to a new venue at The Business Design Centre in Islington.
Some dates for events have not yet been confirmed by organisers (noted with "TBC"), and it's always possible that some dates will change, and some events may not go ahead. I'll keep this list updated throughout the year, but please do check directly with the event before confirming any travel plans.
As for where I'll be vending this year - I'm not sure yet. Sadly I've had to pull out of Waltham Abbey Wool Show later this month due to my health, but I'll let my subscribers and followers know if I'm scheduling other events later in the year.
If you'd like a fabulous 2020 wallplanner that comes with a whole load of yarn shows already listed, then I can recommend one from the wonderful Tillyflop Designs. It might be just what your wall needs!
I hope to see you at a yarn festival soon.
| 19 Jan | Waltham Abbey Wool Show Waltham Abbey, Essex |
| 21-23 Feb | Unravel Farnham, Surrey |
| 27 Feb-1 Mar | The Stitch Festival (formerly Spring Knitting), London |
| 29 Feb | Darlington Yarn Festival Darlington, Co Durham (new) |
| 15 March | Cornwoolly Pool, Cornwall |
| 21 March |
(cancelled due to CV. Now online only) |
| St Abbs Wool Festival Eyemouth, Scotland (cancelled) | |
| 18-19 April |
Spring into Wool Leeds (cancelled due to CV. Now 10-11 April 2021) |
| 25-26 April |
Wonderwool Wales Builth Wells, Wales (cancelled due to CV, now 24-25 April 2021) |
| 9-10 May |
Buxton Wool Gathering Buxton, Derbyshire (cancelled due to CV) |
| 9-10 May |
Cornish Fibre Festival Wadebridge, Cornwall (new) (cancelled due to CV, now 8-9 May 2021) |
| Now TBC |
Wool@J13 Penkridge, Staffordshire (postponed due to CV until later in the year) |
| 16-17 May |
Sip. Stitch. Shop. Apex Hotel, Bath (cancelled due to CV) |
| 23 May |
Highland Wool and Textiles Fair Dingwall, Scotland (cancelled due to CV) |
| 23-25 May |
Shipston Wool Fair Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire (cancelled due to CV. Now May 2021) |
| 24 May |
Rugby Yarn and Craft Festival Rugby (new) (cancelled due to CV) |
| 6 June |
Leeds Wool Festival Armley Mills, Leeds (cancelled due to CV) |
| 6-7 June |
Fibre Rocks Bexhill-on-Sea (new) (cancelled due to CV) |
| 13-14 June |
The Wool Monty Sheffield (cancelled due to 2021 due to CV. Now online only). |
| 20-21 June |
Woolly Weekend Dilham, Norfolk (cancelled due to CV. Now 19-20 June 2021) |
| 26-27 June |
Woolfest Cockermouth, Cumbria (cancelled due to CV. Now 25-26 June 2021) |
| 11-12 July |
Yarningham Uffculme Centre, Birmingham (cancelled due to CV. Now 10-11July 2021) |
| 25-26 July |
Fibre-East Ampthill, Bedfordshire (cancelled due to CV. Now online. Next show 31 July - 1 Aug 2021) |
| 1-2 Aug | Woolness Newcastle upon Tyne (cancelled) |
| British Wool Show York, Yorkshire (cancelled) | |
| 8-9 Aug | Sew Much Yarn York Auction Centre, York (new / cancelled) |
| 22 Aug | Popup Wool Show Port Sunlight, Wirral |
| 29 Aug |
Wool@Portsoy Portsoy Scotland (Cancelled due to CV. Now 4 Sept 2021) |
| 5-6 Sept | Southern Wool Show Newbury, Berkshire |
| 12-13 Sept |
Perth Festival of Yarn Perth, Scotland (cancelled due to CV. Now online only) |
| 5-6 Sept |
Cornish Yarn Festival Penzance, Cornwall (cancelled due to CV) |
| 26 Sept-4 Oct |
Shetland Wool Week Shetland, Scotland (cancelled due to CV until Sept 2021) |
| 26-27 Sept |
Yarndale Skipton, Yorkshire (cancelled due to CV. Will return 2021, dates tbc) |
| 3 Oct |
West Wales Wool Show Pembrokeshire, Wales (cancelled due to CV) |
| 8-11 Oct |
Knitting and Stitching Show Alexandra Palace, London (will now have timed entry etc) |
|
10 Oct |
Yarnfolk Whitehead, Northern Ireland |
|
10-11 Oct |
Bakewell Wool Gathering Bakewell, Derbyshire |
| 17 Oct |
3 Bags Full Wool Market Liskeard, Cornwall (cancelled due to CV. Will be online only) |
| 22-24 Oct |
Glasgow School of Yarn Trades Hall, Glasgow (returns!) (cancelled due to CV) |
| 23-25 Oct | Loch Ness Knit Fest Inverness, Scotland (cancelled) |
| 24-25 Oct |
Kendal Wool Gathering Kendal, Cumbria (cancelled due to CV. Next dates 30-31 Oct 2021) |
| 7 Nov | Highland Wool and Textiles Fair Strathpeffer, Scotland |
| 31 Oct-1 Nov | Stitch Fest South West Totnes, Devon |
| 7 Nov | Festiwool Hitchin, Hertfordshire |
| 17 Nov | Nottingham Yarn Expo Nottingham |
| 26-29 Nov | Knitting and Stitching Show Harrogate, Yorkshire |
(last updated 25.07.2020)