SHELBURNE — An afternoon featuring local crafters, artisans and musicians, along with children’s activities and dancing, is on tap for this weekend.
On Saturday, Oct. 10, Shelburne-based nonprofit Fabric of Life will host its 12th annual Barnfest at 80 Bassett Road. The event, which starts at noon and wraps up late in the night at around 11 or 11:30 p.m., serves as the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser of the year, with the 2025 iteration raising roughly $7,000.
Admission to Barnfest is by donation, with a suggested donation of $10, though organizers say no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Similarly, a meal catered by Stone Soup Cafe will be served at 5 p.m., with meal tickets offered on a sliding scale of $10 to $25.
“It’s a community event, and so our focus is on building connections between people and the local community,” said Sara Davis, marketing and programs agent at Fabric of Life. “It’s not so much a selling show, [though] there will be some things for sale. It’s really getting to know artisans and crafters and farmers and makers in the local area. … There’s a lot of interactive demonstrations.”
Fabric of Life’s mission is to preserve traditional skills like music, agriculture, construction, crafting and more. As it has in past years, Barnfest will feature a multitude of demonstrations, including a working oxen information session, a demonstration by Blue Dog Forestry, needle felting with Cozie Nook Homestead, and goat milking and soap making with Oak Hollow Livestock.
“We’ll have looms set up where people can try out weaving, we’ll have a bobbin lace demonstration from the New England Lace Guild,” Davis continued, “and then we’ll have a spinning circle. So if people have a spinning wheel and want to come spin, they can bring a spinning wheel. If they don’t have a spinning wheel, they can use one of ours and learn how to do it.”
Davis also highlighted the tool-sharpening workshop where attendees will learn how to sharpen their own tools. The workshop aims to teach “a skill they can take home, not just something they can pay someone else to do,” Davis said.
“They’re real-life things that hopefully will be useful to people,” Davis said of the workshops.
Davis noted that although this is the 12th rendition of the Barnfest fundraiser, as Fabric of Life was formed in 2014, the nonprofit’s founder, Becky Ashenden, had been hosting barn dances and gatherings for decades beforehand.
Barnfest normally attracts around 400 to 500 attendees each year, with Davis noting that the weather forecast this weekend looks perfect for Barnfest.
Throughout the duration of the event, Davis said there will be “music just everywhere.” She added that there will be several opportunities to try out instruments, including a doumbek drum. At 4 p.m., there will be a Scandinavian Music Jam, where people can pick up fiddles or other folk-style instruments and join in.
“If people have an instrument that they play that fits into those genres of music, they’re welcome to come and play with the group that’s playing,” Davis said.
Following the catered dinner at 5 p.m., patrons can participate in a Beatles sing-along, with more sing-alongs and a contra dance coming afterward.
Davis said that while Barnfest is a fundraiser for Fabric of Life, the main goal of the event is to bring the community together and impart traditional skills that are fading from the collective consciousness.
“Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your kids, bring your grandfather,” Davis said. “It’s an event where you can really get together and enjoy a beautiful fall day. … We’re really putting this event on for the community.”
For more information, a full event schedule or to pre-order a meal ticket, visit fabric-of-life.org/barnfest-2026.
