Community Corner

Fleece Fest at the Prospect Park Zoo

Five sheep and two alpacas lose their winter coats, plus live music arts and crafts demonstrations and more all weekend.

Five sheep and a pair of alpacas will get their annual haircuts this weekend at the Prospect Park Zoo’s annual Fleece Fest.

Now in its 17th year, the annual festival is one of the zoo’s most popular, according to a zoo official, who added that since the sheep need to be sheared for summer anyway, it made sense to turn the event into a festival.

The event, which takes place all weekend and includes events at Lefferts Historic House also includes a demonstrations of felt making, finger knitting, a shearing and how wool is made into yarn as well as the sheep shearing itself, done by shearing expert Don Kading and accompanied by ample explanation and a chance to ask questions.

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Duggan, Wallace, Bonnie and the zoo’s two other sheep will be sheared, along with .

In addition, the Otter Brothers will play music and the chance to make sheep-themed crafts.

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Here’s the full schedule for both today and tomorrow:

11 a.m. - 4 p.m.: Sheep-themed arts and crafts in Animals in Art area

12 – 4 p.m.: Wooly Wonders at the barn --  Weaving, felt making, and finger knitting demonstrations

1 - 4 p.m.: Lefferts Historic House -- Watch sheared wool become yarn.

2 - 5 p.m.: Barnyard Hoe-Down -- Get your toes tapping to live country music by the Otter Brothers

1:30 and 3:30 p.m.: Sheep Shearing at the Barn

2:30, 1, 2:30, and 3 p.m.: Live Animal Encounters at the Animals in Our Lives Theater

11:30 a.m., 2, and 4 p.m.: Sea Lion Feedings


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