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Alpacas convene in Doswell to compete in Virginia Alpaca and Fiber Festival

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Every year, hundreds of alpacas and alpaca enthusiasts, as well as fiber artists, gather from along the entire east coast for the Virginia Alpaca and Fiber Festival. This year’s show promises to be bigger and better than ever!

alpacaThe 2017 Virginia Alpaca and Fiber Festival will be held November 18-19 at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell.

Alpacas have coexisted with humankind for thousands of years.  The Incan civilization of the Andes Mountains in Peru elevated the alpaca to a central place in their society.  The imperial Incas clothed themselves in garments made from alpaca and many religious ceremonies involved the animal.

Alpacas are, however, relatively new to the United States when compared to other livestock. First commercially imported in 1984, there are now more than 250,000 registered alpacas in North America.

This event offers the perfect opportunity to learn more about the alpaca industry, and it’s FREE!

Show hours are:

Saturday        8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday          8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The show will be comprised of classes judging conformation and fleece quality in many categories for both Suri and Huacaya alpacas.

Throughout the weekend, experienced alpaca breeders will be available to answer all of your questions. Come meet these beautiful animals face to face and feel their soft fleece yourself!

Artisans will showcase alpaca fiber and examples of felting, fiber arts and more. Dozens of vendors and farm displays will sell the latest alpaca fashions and hand-crafted items just in time for holiday gift shopping!

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