Fiber Arts Festival Returns with Global Showcase and Workshops

The Fiber Arts Festival is set to return next weekend, offering an engaging experience for textile enthusiasts at the Veterans Memorial Arena in Fargo, North Dakota. Scheduled for August 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and August 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., this annual event celebrates the art of fiber through vendor booths, live demonstrations, and a global textile showcase led by renowned fiber artist Aying Zhang, owner of Joy Studio.

This year’s festival is designed to appeal to individuals of all ages interested in fiber arts, including knitting, quilting, garment making, and weaving. According to longtime festival organizer Kim Baird, the new venue enhances the visitor experience with a spacious layout featuring activity zones and vendor booths. “The new space is great,” Baird noted. “We’ve got one big arena and activities in the middle, booths spread around the edges. It’ll feel alive.”

The festival will feature 26 vendors, many of which are small, independent, or women-owned businesses. Among the unique offerings, attendees will find hand-dyed yarns and bags crafted from fish skin by Fiskur Leather. “It’s pretty intriguing,” Baird remarked about the innovative materials. “It’s always amazing to learn what else you can make into fiber.”

Hands-on opportunities abound, with activities such as felting, beading, and braiding available for festival-goers. The central theme this year, “World Traditions in Textile and Fiber,” will highlight discussions and demonstrations focused on global fabrics, fashion, and sustainability. “There’s a whole world out there where textiles are extremely important and made out of the strangest things,” Baird emphasized.

The showcase will also include Native American artifacts on loan from the Hjemkomst Center and the culturally significant star quilts created by Crystal Two Hearts, who will share the stories behind her work. Baird will present her collection of bark cloth, further illustrating the diversity of textile traditions represented at the festival.

Aying Zhang, a recent arrival to the Fargo-Moorhead area, will showcase her unique approach to textile arts. Originally from the Zhejiang region of China, Zhang combines traditional Han Chinese hand-weaving and indigo dyeing techniques with contemporary designs in her clothing line. “We get to share the story of our handcrafted, sustainable clothing,” Zhang said, emphasizing her commitment to traditional craftsmanship and sustainability.

Zhang’s Joy Studio, located at 910 Main Avenue, features clothing and accessories made from vintage handwoven fabrics from the 1960s. She sources materials from her grandmother’s era, transforming all-natural cotton and silk into durable garments. “Textiles from the 1960s are irreplaceable,” Zhang explained. “They were handwoven, often from cotton or silk that was handspun after being grown locally in the fields.”

With a background in Textile Engineering, Zhang is dedicated to preserving techniques and materials that have become increasingly rare. “The weaving techniques, dye recipes, and material quality I use are no longer as common today,” she added, highlighting the honor of creating clothing that respects both the environment and traditional artisanship.

The Fiber Arts Festival also aims to inspire newcomers to the craft. Classes for those interested in learning new skills will be offered throughout the weekend at no cost. Participants can explore basics such as rug hooking, making lamb wall hangings, or crafting Dorset buttons. Online registration is available, with in-person registration offered at the event, subject to space availability.

The festival is actively seeking volunteers to assist with hands-on activities, welcoming anyone with skills in sewing, knitting, crocheting, or even knot tying. “We are always in need of demonstrators to help with the hands-on activities, and with a range of difficulties in the activities anyone can help out, and we will even teach you how,” the festival’s website states.

For more information about the Fiber Arts Festival, visit fiberartsfest.com. This event is supported by The Arts Partnership, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the arts in Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo. For additional details about The Arts Partnership, visit theartspartnership.net.