Go Baaaack in Time at Historical Society's Sheep to Shawl Festival

On the one hand you have a sheep. On the other, you have a shawl.

At their annual Spring Farm Festival this Saturday, the Smithtown Historical Society will teach visitors how people in colonial times took the wool from their sheep and made clothes from it in a centuries old process.

“A Sheep to Shawl is a fascinating and fun way to offer visitors a glimpse into what colonial life was like in Smithtown,” said Smithtown Historical Society Executive Director Kiernan Lannon in a statement announcing the Sheep to Shawl festival. “This event is a great opportunity for the community to rediscover local history, learn about traditional crafts, and introduce themselves to our farm’s new spring lambs. It is a great day for family fun.”

Demonstrations and interactive stations will show how it was done back in the day.

Sheep to Shawl: Spring Farm Festival will also feature sheep herding, colonial style shearing, milking, fleece hand washing, carding, spinning and weaving on the society’s historic grounds. There will also be a natural dye exhibit and demonstration as well as cheese making from the society's own sheep’s milk. Children’s games and activities, a veggie and plant sale, live folk music and a tag sale to benefit the farm and its animals will be a part of the day's events as well. Inside the Franklin O. Arthur Farmhouse, colonial costumed educators will share the history behind these traditional crafts and answer visitors’ questions. 

Admission to the Sheep to Shawl: Spring Farm Festival on June 1 is $5 for adults and $3 for children. For more information call the Smithtown Historical Society at (631) 265-6768.

Did you ever go to a Sheep to Shawl event? Tell us what to expect on Saturday in Smithtown in the comments below or share your pictures from the event on Patch.