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AlpacaFest Is Free, Wild, Wooly Event (and there are others...)

© Diane Stresing

Editor's note: When I was just a little Buckeye, I spent a lot of fall weekends in the backseat of my parents' car, listening to the OSU football game on the radio (I didn't even know about SUNDAY football!) as we drove to some festival or event. Not much for crowds, we typically headed for the smaller venues...and oh, what fun. I hope the items listed here will inspire you to put down your rake, pack up the car, and forget your worries as you enjoy the season, somewhere in Ohio.~ DS

This ought to make you feel warm and fuzzy all over...
The Ohio Alpaca Breeders are a busy bunch. You can find out what they're up to at the Fourth Annual AlpacaFest this weekend, October 13-14th, at Rolling Acres Farm and Stables (4297 US Route 42) a few miles north of Delaware.

The show and sale is free and will be open to the public on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and again on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 125 Ohio alpaca farms will be represented, and at least 350 alpacas will be there too. A fashion show will be held (is that for us, or for the alpacas? I'm not sure!) and there will also be fiber spinning, weaving and felting demonstrations.

What's the big, hairy deal with alpacas?
Many moons ago, I visited Peru with my high school Spanish class (WHAT a field trip! but that's another story...). Before we left, our teachers ran through a list of the best items to buy--things that would be useful, priced right, and be longtime reminders of our trip. Clothing woven from alpaca wool was on the top of the list. The secret? Alpaca wool contains natural oils that make it quite water-repellent. Of course, it's wool, so it's also warm. In each of the villages we visited, I noticed the children wearing colorful hats made from the alpaca wool yarn. Had I had any idea about the future, I'd have brought back a few dozen. Those hats would be such practical, special gifts for mothers of winter-born babies. Well, perhaps I'll go back someday. Until then--it's the AlpacaFest for me. See you there?

What's that? Not feeling wild and wooly enough? If you want a different perspective on the weekend, consider the 6th Annual Autumn Lighthouse Festival in Marblehead, instead. Held on Saturday October 13, 2001 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00p.m., there will be an arts & crafts show, delicious homemade food, lighthouse tours, and tours of the Wolcott House, the First Lighthouse Keeper's Home. Admission and parking are free. Visit virtually at http://www.marbleheadpeninsula.com/ or call (800) 441-1271 for more information.