Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

If your kids have never seen a sheep get a haircut, this is the place to fix that. The Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival brings hundreds of sheep, goats, alpacas, and llamas to the Howard County Fairgrounds for a weekend of shearing demonstrations, spinning and weaving workshops, and good old fashioned farm fun. Kids can pet the animals, watch border collies herd sheep in real time, and try their hand at spinning wool into yarn. There are also vendors selling handmade fiber goods, local farm products, and plenty of food. It is a genuinely unique experience that city kids especially love because they rarely get this close to farm animals.

Parent Tips 💡

• ✓The sheep shearing demos run on a schedule. Check the program when you arrive and plan your visit around them. Kids are mesmerized.
• ✓The border collie herding show is the highlight for most families. Get there early for a good viewing spot.
• ✓Bring a wagon or stroller. The fairgrounds are big and spread out, with a lot of walking on grass and gravel.
• ✓Wear layers. The barns are cool in the morning and the fields get warm by afternoon.
• ✓Let your kids try spinning yarn. Several booths offer free hands-on demos and kids love seeing how wool turns into something you can knit with.