2019 Toodyay Fibre Festival

The Toodyay Fibre Festival is an annual event held in the historic town of Toodyay, east of Perth. The festival celebrates natural fibres of all kinds and the artists and craftspeople who use these fibres as the media for the creations. Our aim is to promote and showcase fibre interests and to foster engagement with traditional, contemporary and experimental fibre related arts, for all ages and abilities in Toodyay and the Wheatbelt.

Excitement is building after the yarn bombers took to Toodyay’s streets recently. Yarn bombing also known as guerrilla knitting or kniffiti, is a type of street art that covers objects or structures in public places with decorative knitted or crocheted yarn or fibre. The team of fifteen volunteers, led by Yarn Bombing Coordinator Glynne Bartlett, create unique, vibrant and colourful pieces that symbolise local businesses.

“The Yarn Bombing is immensely popular with Toodyay locals who stop me in the street to chat about what has been created by the team and when it will be installed,” says Glynne. Held in conjunction with International Yarn Bombing Day, the Festival promotes all things fibre related, including the animals, the fibre process and the arts and crafts.

The Toodyay CWA Hall will be transformed into an exhibition space with WA’s leading fibre and textile association – WAFTA, showcasing a variety of artists and interactive demonstrations. Toodyay Locals Care will host the Mad Hatters Tea Party in the CRC Courtyard along with activities for children like the giant French knitting, grassy heads and face painting.

Children can visit the Mad Hat Making Workshop and create their own fun, whimsical and totally over the top mad hat for a gold coin donation. Children 13 years and under are encouraged to enter the Mad Hat Parade at 11.30am in the Toodyay Memorial Hall with fantastic prizes to be won. A delightful display of quilts and other crafts will be on show at St Stephens Church Hall from members of the local quilting group, Rag Bags. You could go home with a beautiful handmade quilt – the Rag Bags raffle prize with all proceeds going to the Anglican Church restoration and maintenance project.
Outdoor artisan markets, food trucks, live music and roving street characters from the Toodyay Theatre Group will entertain visitors along the main street—Stirling Terrace, all day.

Festival goers should flock to the Official Opening at the first Fashion Parade located at the Toodyay Memorial Hall at 10:30am. The festival is proudly sponsored by Lotterywest, Shire of Toodyay, Healthways, Toodyay Op Shop, Road Safety Community Grants Program, Christmas 360, Toodyay Bakery and Toodyay Bendigo Bank.

To find out more about the Festival along with a complete program of all events—find us on Facebook at The Toodyay Fibre Festival.