TRAVERSE CITY — Often, knitting, crochet and other yarn and fiber-based art is done alone, in the comfort of home.
But that leaves one massive aspect missing — the community of people doing the same.
Enter the inaugural Fresh Coast Fiber Festival May 30-31 in Howe Arena.
The two-day festival will feature a coffee bar run by Spinning Mug and catering by Stigg’s Brewery & Kitchen and Hangry’s. Vendors will be present, from small farmers selling fibers from their animals to tallow-based skincare and yarn trucks, and even a unique ceramic buttonmaker from New Jersey and llamas from local farms, truly showcasing a little something for every attendee.
Jamie Lewis, a Metro Detroit resident, is the artist behind this festival. After years of attending festivals and retreats as a knitter, as well as the owner of her own hand-dyed yarn company, M1, she’s thrilled to be starting her own event.
“There used to be an event held annually in Petoskey that was very similar, and that ended last year. It just felt like the perfect time to implement what I had been dreaming of, and really create something amazing for the community of folks in the fiber arts,” Lewis said.
“To showcase the pure Michigan vibes, Traverse City and what a great place it is, whether you are someone who loves the up north feel or someone who maybe is from a bigger city and wanting a little bit of a getaway without sacrificing your comforts.”
She noted that she chose Traverse City as its destination for its outdoorsy parallels to her home state of Colorado, as well as for its desire as a destination. This festival might give people a new opportunity (or a new excuse!) to visit the area, especially coming from nearby larger cities, such as Detroit or Chicago. The low ticket prices — $5 for a day, or $8 for both days — keep it financially accessible, emphasizing her effort to build community over profit.
“My logo has an Adirondack chair shaped like Michigan in it, and I’ve been leaning into that idea of sitting around the campfire with your friends and making memories together. I’m actually going to have Adirondack chairs in this space, so you can come for the shopping, but you can stay for time to sit down and drink some coffee together,” Lewis said.
The event will start with a sold out kickoff on Friday night. Hosted at Mammoth Distilling on Front Street, it will feature world famous crochet designer and author Toni Lipsey.
Lipsey will also be attending the festival from 12-2 p.m. May 30, for a signing of her book, “The Tunisian Crochet Handbook.”
“She has over half a million subscribers on her YouTube channel where she does instructional videos that help people learn crochet, and she travels the world teaching at various fiber events. It’s a real honor to have her as a part of this inaugural year,” Lewis said.
While this is the first festival Lewis has organized, she’s nothing short of thrilled for what’s to come, having already set a tentative date for the 2027 installment of the event.
“I have found so much community within fiber arts. Whether it’s getting together at a coffee shop with friends who also are makers, or traveling with friends to similar events. There are so many retreats and other yarn shops that are supporting that community,” she said. “While most people are spending the majority of their time doing the art solo, I think these opportunities when we do come together are so critical, and I think social media has also played into the ability to connect organically over a shared thread.”
Details at https://www.freshcoastfiberfestival.com/