Wool and Folk 2023, Vendors Speak Out: What Went Wrong
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
- 1. At Cesium Yarn, we are a wife-and-wife team of scientists turned indie dyers dedicated to using the fiber arts as a force for good. With vibrant colorways in
themes that will make you smile, we know that yarn connects people with each other and every bit of nature that provides the fiber. The Cesium community is full of pro-queer, fat-positive crafters who love gorgeous yarn. Our yarn is the first part of a cascade
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At Cesium, we draw inspiration from the media, culture, and people around us. We believe that the fiber arts are a special way to care for both your adult self
and inner child, and activate that connection with vibrant colorways meant to evoke emotion. Our collections use themes to draw people into more than the color, fostering a deep connection to fiber by bringing memories into the mix. From grandmother’s Pyrex
to favorite films, we strive to translate comfort and happiness into a tangible, craftable form.
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2. Meg's passion is creating vibrant jewel toned colored yarn and spinning fiber that begs to be turned into accessories and garments that will be treasured for generations. Meg believes knitters and crocheters deserve sustainability without sacrificing quality. All of her yarn and fiber is carefully selected to ensure it is not only of the highest quality, but traceable so you know your project will support cruelty free producers that are receiving fair pay for their work. In addition to some of the best wool sourced from around the world, Meg has an expanding line of breed-specific yarns produced in the US and New York State.
Meg is based in Fairport, NY. When she's not dyeing your fiber, you can find her napping in treehouses, wine touring around the Finger Lakes, and chasing after her menagerie of animals.
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3. Terrapin Fiberworks Links
Website: www.terrapinfiberworks.com
Instagram: @terrapinfiberworks
TikTok: @terrapin.fiberworks
Facebook: Terrapin Fiberworks
Terrapin Fiberworks, based in Annapolis, MD, is a one-woman operation focused on hand-dyed plant yarns--cottons, linens, tencels, and blends thereof. I (Lyla) found the indie dyer world early in my knitting & crochet journey, but quickly noticed that there were fewer options for hand-dyed plant fibers than for wools. Since I have a wool sensitivity, I decided to teach myself how to dye plant yarns for my own projects, and it all snowballed from there. These days, we've settled into a style focused on speckles, earth tones, and deep moody jewel colors. We prioritize domestically sourced, organic, and/or low-impact fibers (like tencel and linen) to help our makers craft more sustainably. A lot of our color inspirations come from food, nature, and my travels, though I did make a set based on a Netflix show once!
4. Over the last 7 years we have welcomed the very best independent businesses from across the UK and EU to our thoughtfully curated Vendors’ Gallery Marketplace. Our illustrious tutors and lecturers have included Jeanette Sloan, Françoise Danoy, Andre de Castro, Di Gilpin, and Amy Palko. Each year we put together a fringe programme of social events which have included books signings, gala dinners and fashions shows, and Perthshire gin flights. The level of detail, innovation and passion we craft into each offering is why we are not only an award nominated destination festival, but also the reasons why you join us from - on average - 20 different countries every year.
We also have a companion event in the spring: Founded in 2022 the Scottish Wool Producers Showcase seeks to shine a spotlight on yarns with a distinctly Scottish origin and their makers. Featuring a boutique marketplace celebrating Scotland’s single farm yarns, shepherds, mills, and more, as well as inspiring presentations. Our second Showcase was completely sold out.
Where to find us
@thescottishyarnfestival on Instagram
The Scottish Yarn Festival on Facebook
Our website: The Scottish Yarn Festival - The Scottish Yarn Festival
We also share our vendor interviews and unboxings on our TH-cam channel: The Scottish Yarn Festival - TH-cam
List of vendors by @boymeetsyarn
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Having 3,000+ people in a 500-capacity venue is criminally negligent, and I’m so glad no one got seriously hurt, or worse. Thank you to Irina for making this video, and thank you to the vendors for sharing your experiences. I hope you all recover emotionally and financially as quickly as possible.
Thank you
From a video I watched before this one the catered dinner and preshow shopping that was on Thurs cost $250. They ran out of dessert after 30 people, threw a pile of the gift bags on the ground and they didn't have as many as there were tickets sold. The tables were crammed between the tents and an older lady tripped and fell over a tent stake and broke a bone in her shoulder area. The lady that organized this mess was said to be 5 feet away and did nothing to help. She also shut down shopping 3 hours early so ppl that waited to shop after dinner missed out after paying that crazy ticket price. The lack of empathy. Is disturbing.
This is exactly what I've been thinking whenever people talk about the completely clogged entrances and exits. This could have been a tragedy with hundreds of casualties.
I could hardly believe what I heard about this. If the organizer had a description of the second venue at Stone Ridge and the final venue in Catskill, it should have been totally obvious that they are not the same as what is at the Rhinebeck fairgrounds in terms of indoor and outdoor spaces and parking.
@@robertawalsh2995 I’m not sure I understand. It wasn’t the ny sheep and wool, which takes place in Rhinebeck’s fairgrounds, it was a different festival at a different venue.
Why am I so invested in this story? I’m a 37 year old man who has never knitted anything but I’m captivated
Haha, the drama!
Through the horror that was this show, to get to hear about the vendors rising to the occasion and supporting each other is great. Thank you for presenting this story.
Well said!
Thank you for doing this. I was a vendor this year and last year; last year was really good-minimal issues; this year has led many of us to feel like we need group therapy to process our emotions. People don’t understand why we are struggling so much with this show. We have tried to put it into words on IG but it’s hard to put it into words . You have to be able to take the good with the bad when you vend, so it’s not as if we weren’t tough enough. I’m still processing it. The organizers abandoned us before the setup process began and honestly, they have yet to re-emerge.
Thanks again, so good to hear from fellow vendors. ❤
Christy-Yarn Café Creations
It must be so frustrating! I offered all the vendors to be a guest of my channel and tell about their business when they feel up to it. I extend this invitation to you as well
The organizer not making an appearance or reconciling with you all is the part that has me the most befuddled. It’s not like this was a one person affected situation. EVERYBODY was affected customer, vendor, food truck folks, security (the rude ones were more than likely just as mad at the chaos). Where is the face that says sorry in public. Not a statement, a verbal, present, very clear FACE of accountability. It’s not fair.
you and both your daughters were vendors I wanted to see...i even brought a project I made with your yarn so you could see but I couldn't find you! needless to say I turned left instead of right to get in the building, went up stairs and then left because I just could not do it. I've worked on a military base, were we practice massive causality drills because of terrorist and this event gave me some pause for cause! so needless to say I'll shop your store and your daughters store over the next few weeks online!
I was one of those who had mobility issues and it was impossible for me to get through the event. The rain was no problem, the problem was way too many people all at one time. I tried to walk though one of the tents and almost fell do to the uneven slope of the ground. Absolutely could not get into the indoor rooms. I paid $110 to just get in and I couldn’t. Also, as my husband and I waited in the long line to get our bracelets, buses of people were being brought in and the event person told them as they exited the bus they didn’t have to wait in our line because they rode on the bus and already got their tickets! So they just walked past us and went on into the event. This was my first time going to Wool and Folk, coming from California. Thank GOD New York Sheep and Wool did not disappoint. I felt sorry for the vendors as they were slammed with people and the tents were just awful! Muddy and if anyone dropped a skein of yarn well it was ruined. I will never attend Wool and Folk again. We were all taken.
I’m so sorry you had to deal with all that!
I have only watched the first segment but wanted to say that I have 100% respect for Cat and Penny in speaking so thoughtfully about their experience at Wool and Folk. The event sounds like it was in fact a disaster in waiting. It sounds like the organization and communication was woefully inadequate and left vendors and customers at risk. Shame on them.
I’ve now seen the entire show and I think that Eva’s comments, as an organizer herself, were very valuable in terms of explaining what should have been done. I am not at all surprised that she does not see the festival come back from this debacle. Thanks, Irina.
I’ve never attended anything so overcrowded
The organizers were consumed by greed this time, they've abandoned not only the vendors but also all those attending. Giving a no apology apology and turning comments off as well as blaming vendors and consumers was also a terrible thing to do shame on them. Thank you Irina for allowing these lovely people to share their stories and I truly hope that everyone can recover financially and emotionally from this dreadful event.
It might take a while
I’m so impressed with each one of these vendors in their professionalism and sincerity of their honest review of this year’s wool and folk.thank you so much for this conversation. I’ve learned a lot.
Me too!
My heart breaks for all the vendors subjected to this situation. I'm a newer knitter and have not attended any fiber festivals as I live in Arizona not a big yarn capital in the lower 48 LOL. I have been to a fair share of quilt festivals as an attendee and vendor. Boy howdy, the organizer of the Wool & Folk should be thankful their attendees are not quilters or they would have had a riot. Quilt ladies don't put up with nothing like what was going on there. The quilt police is very real and those ladies hold the organizers accountable.
Hearing you from Europe, I often dreamed of visiting the event: but now thanks a lot. Dear vendors, you will find your place in your large country. And the nice ones from europe as well. Here in Germany we have a few large, but very good organized yarn events. You make beatiful things, you will find better places and will recover from this. You all have please better times and and a better new year. Thank you fiberchats. Your are one of the best interwievers I know.
Thank you!
Soooo, where did all the $$ the ‘organizers’ collected? Something tells me a financial audit needs to be done ASAP…
Thank you for giving venders a platform (TH-cam ) to speak about their experiences, I have read many from IG but putting a face and hearing in there own words makes this all even more heartbreaking..
What a sham that 1000's of artist, fiber enthusiasts, makers and lovers of handmade items were so not only let down by such a main event, But utterly dismissed....
I hope that they can recover and keep being able to share there art with all of us...
That’s just it! Bad things happen, unforeseen circumstances happen, weather conditions happen, but to dismiss it all, or worse, blame it on vendors, that was just heartbreaking
What a horrible situation....Eva from The Scottish Yarn Festival was right when she said..."There will be no more Wool & Folk. How unfortunate!
It really didn’t feel safe to be there
From all the first hand reports of: unsafe conditions and chronic disorder at every level this show under its current branding would be unlikely to come back from this year. I don't know if its just me or what but this situation smacks of a situation that got out of hand for the organizer so they just pivoted to a money grab so at least they didn't loose their shirts.
It would be disrespectful to host another without compensation to the vendors. I see a class action lawsuit here.
This was a very reasonable respectful conversation. How refreshing.
Thank you
Thank you for your informative video. It doesn't repair all the damage the vendors suffered, but you brought their voice to the wider fiber community. I appreciate it
Thank you
Making sure the shows are wheel chair accessible is so very important.
I was able to walk on my own and then needed a cane. Now, Long walks outdoors is very hard, especially in uneven grounds. I usually take a walker. People like myself still
Like to go to events and see all to be able to purchase items liked.
Be able to get into safe places is a must.
Dangerous structures are a very bad impression given. Not caring about others!
It was good to hear the vendors say that the customers are providing a lot of support and also good to hear of the cooperation between vendors. What ever happened to those managing the event, it seems they owe refunds and free booth rental for next year, but they need to hire professional event managers! High school craft fairs are better organized - it's as though the adults quit and stuck absolute amateurs with the job. Good for you for helping get the word out. I've seen a lot of other podcasters doing what they can to help the community understand that it is NOT the vendors fault. It really is an amazing community.
Thank you so much for hosting this episode! Thank you for having the courage and the energy to give us the opportunity to hear the vendors experience.
Absolutely!! They deserve to be heard
Irina obviously I wasn’t there but it sounds like my worst nightmare. I really don’t like big crowds and feeling confined. Had I been there I think I would have turned around and left. Awful for the poor vendors.
It was just overwhelmingly packed and I don’t often feel overwhelmed
This is like a master class to organize an event. Wow! Wealth of knowledge on what NOT to do in organizing an event.
Thank you so much for doing this and being so clear and distinct in your questions: was it the rain? No. It was the organizers.
I was trying to respond to all the negative or downplaying comments I’ve seen on social media
I want to thank you so much for this wonderful podcast. All the vendors were so very kind! I for one am so very sorry them!
It’s hard not to feel sorry for their experience after hearing their stories. Thank you for watching!
I really appreciate this video. You asked great questions, and hearing straight from some vendors really illustrates what a chaotic event this was. Very impressed with the vendors' thoughtful responses to the questions you asked as well.
Thank you
Thank you so much Irina for giving some vendors a platform to speak in person to us regarding the disastrous Wool & Folk event! I attended for the first time in 2022 and like you, LOVED it! This year was such a horrible experience…I couldn’t find vendors I wanted to see…I couldn’t move in some areas due to the massive congestion of people. I attended Indieuntangled first that morning and then Cakepalooza. Both events experienced the same weather but were wonderful events. I arrived at Wool & Folk around 2:15pm and left a little over an hour after I arrived. I went with 4 fiber buddies and we all were so disappointed. The response from Wool & Folk has been pitiful…😣
I also couldn’t get out of there fast enough
So sad and heartbreaking that the experience for vendors and customers was so bad, I am in Scotland and know the Scottish yarn festival well, go twice a year and always well run with my disabled daughter we always love coming to the show, Eva and Katie are always so amazing. And knowledgable , the new branded yarn is amazing I love it. it’s such a shame for everyone.
The highlight of that festival for me was meeting them
I met the ladies of cesium at the Blueridge fiber festival in Sparta hope they plan on being there in 2024😊
Im just a viewer,( i ran across these videos by accident bcos i couldn't sleep)but i just wanted to say that my heart goes out to all. all these trauma victims , your feelings are valid. You are being heard.there is no justification this.the local fire department and city/ state officials should take some accountability and these people(especially vendors)should be compensated and trauma treatment should be available for anyone involved. Continued prayers 🙏🏽
Thank you for your work on bringing visibility to the issues with this event.
Thank you for giving the vendors a voice. So sad that this happened.
I had only heard that the festival was a disaster, didn't know why because I don't have/want Instagram.....
But listening, especially to Eva (she came so far to be treated so poorly), I wanted to cry FOR them...
It almost sounds like the organizers were just in it for the money.. especially with the half-a**ed apology they gave.... You don't blame vendors, people who pay to be there, for your own mistakes..😢
That’s the feeling I was getting
I love that you provided this format and platform for us to learn more about vendors that we didn’t get to connect with at Wool & Folk, despite buying tickets and attending (briefly) and to hear about their experiences directly. Our group left within 90 minutes because the event was clearly unsafe. I have no mobility issues but found it exceedingly difficult to get out of an inside first floor space because of the crush of people coming in and not allowing egress. I really hope that vendors are able to secure reimbursement for their fees, whether or not they lost substantial money, because nobody should profit from fraudulent inducement to vend or from flagrantly endangering the safety of vendors and attendees alike. The organizer should not profit from her actions. I am very suspicious about the change of venue, which did not provide what was claimed. It seems more likely it offered a way to circumvent fire marshall restrictions. Would the owner of the property, who had serious liability, allowed this event if they had accurate numbers of vendors signed up and attendee tickets sold? As a commercial property owner who leases space, I really doubt it.
Yes, I’m very curious about how that was allowed.
Thank you for sharing these horrific stories. I am so sorry this event turned out this way.
I felt really bad for the vendors. Working so hard to prepare for this event and to be let down like this
@@Fiberchats I do, too. And for everyone who was frightened and uncomfortable
This was very informative. My heart breaks for the emotional and financial toll this festival has had on the vendors. Thank you for sharing their stories.
Thank you
this was a well done informative video Thank you so much
Thank you for helping vendors at this disasterous festival tell their story in a calm organized way. It's sad that a festival that was so highly spoken of for the past two years suddenly failed. I bought some yarn to support these vendors.
thank you!
My heart goes out to all vendors, customers, family and friends of all those acted as well as local community for having their town so negatively impacted. Thank you for allowing these vendors to speak. Their obvious concern is clear. Their stories very similar. They all show such restraint in their telling and such ongoing care for their customers and staff, as well as each other. Hugs to all.
Thank you
Irina, I love your objectivity, your clear, factual questions and the chance you offer to the persons you interview to plainly share their experience. Wool and Folk 2023 didn't seem great, I hope they didn't kill this event, but I wonder ... They might have ...
I wonder the same thing
It seems to me like since Wool & Folk is owned by someone who is clearly not responding to these issues in a reasonable way, their ship has sailed, and sunk. It's a very likely end to the "Wool&Folk" brand and event.
But, if someone else was willing to step up to the plate there would be an opportunity to start something new in it's wake. As long as they can assure future vendors that they won't be running it the way Wool&Folk was run this year. Seems like Vendors still want to be a part of the Rhinebeck experience, shoppers and festival goers still want that experience... And there's so much potential. Just not for Felicia Stenhouse.
@@susannahkoch it’s very likely.
As a partially sighted fiber user i am really glad that they are thinking about access for those with accessibility issues. Shame that the organiser didn't do the same and the event ended up pretty dangerous.
I’m an abled bodied person and I felt unsafe in those buildings
Thank you Irina for highlighting these wonderful vendors - I do hope they find legal representation as a group -
I hope so too!
I saw that an attorney (no surprise she’s a knitter ) offered to advise the vendor gratis .
@@karenmattingly362 that’s great news
Thank you for a most interesting and informative podcast. All your guests provided thoughtful and detailed descriptions of their experiences. I have learned a lot about what it takes to organise and contribute to an event like this. I am so sorry about how many people were affected. I hope they will recover their losses. Best wishes from Melbourne, Australia.
These interviewees are amazing - and your interviewing is too. How calm and articulate you all were despite having been at an event that would traumatize most. As a former event planner (many years past, and I planned very few conferences, I mainly did media events), I am shocked that this could have ever occurred. What's more shocking is that there will likely be little remediation. Knitting vendors are not known for their unlimited resources and I am saddened that so many vendors have been hit so hard financially - and also that those who planned (perhaps for years) to attend the event were unable to find the vendors from whom they planned to purchase. Thank you for this contribution to our community.
Yes, vendors got hit the most
Thanks for these thoughtful interviews. I did not attend but have been saddened hearing vendor experiences from this event, then knitphen posted a picture in his podcast taken in one of the buildings and it was truly horrifying, the amount of people packed so closely into that space that it was impossible to even move. So lucky that this event did not end in tragedy from the overcrowding. The rain was not the problem. I think many of us have been to events on rainy, muddy days that were still safe and successful.
I came to wool&folk from indie untangled. Same area, same weather, the world of difference
Such misery. Really really sorry. Listened to it all; would love to support these vendors as best I can (and will).
Thank you 🙏
Heart breaking.
I've said it once and i'll say it again, if some kind of fire or something was to happen we would've been injured or dead. it was too crowded, and organized horribly and she should be ashamed of herself! her silence is evident that she's wrong and she knows she's wrong! thank you for this video and all the other videos that are coming out. Some people don't want to speak about it because that's not what their channel is about! you have a platform to draw attention to the world you live in and they chicken out because "others" are talking about it. so why not them!! i love your videos by the way and it was nice seeing you!
Yeah, many prefer to stay away from controversy, but I felt these vendors deserved to be heard
@@Fiberchats yes they did!!
Why be in an area that you think is too crowded and dangerous? Personal responsibility?
@@figskater3382 because everyone paid $50 to get in. There weren’t any areas that weren’t crowded there. The venue was designed for 500 people, instead there were over 3 k
@@Fiberchats yes, the women who put this together did something wrong - but to say that $50- I’m going in even though I know it’s dangerous and I could lose my life is just stupid
Thank you for giving the vendors an oppurtunity to present their experiences in such a factual and unemotional way. I believe that, though it will not have solved many of the problems, proper communication from the organizers would have made the situation more bearable.
There is so much hype around Rhinebeck that there are fiber lovers from all around the the world who have a dream of one day going to the festival. I am sure many people will be revising their bucket lists.
New York wool and folk was stellar as usual, as well as other “pregame” festivals, in spite of weather.
Thank you for giving the vendors a voice and platform to tell their experience. I hope it has not ruined festivals for many of them to vend at. I knew I would hear the real story on your channel.
I do hope that was not a typical experience in their vending career and all other festivals will bring them joy
This is the first time, I have listened to your podcast. It was very informative. I feel very sorry for the vendors who were treated so badly and the costs were prohibitive. The lack of planning by the event organisers was criminal and I believe legal action should be taken by the vendors. I don’t understand why risk assessment was not done. The Scottish lady clearly explained how events should be organised. I am Australian, we have to do risk assessments to hold a sausage sizzle (bbq) fundraiser for scouts at our local hardware stores. Your podcast was educational in how not to organise large events with expected crowds of over 3000 people. Not being inclusive was to people with disabilities in this situation was against government policy in my Country- Australia. Fibre Art is a hobby or a way of making a living for may people with a disability as they can work from home.
I was very surprised that this venue allowed so many people.
I have been drawn to this event and the aftermath. I am not involved in fibre arts. But I am so impressed with the measured, thoughtful commentary of the vendors. The Stricklins have especially touched me. I will be buying from these vendors and gifting to all the knitters and crocheters in my life. May all the vendors affected by Wool and Folk recover emotionally and financially.
Thank you
Wow. This sucks. These seem like some very nice intelligent people who got taken advantage of. Hopefully this will never happen again.
And p.s. i adore scottish accent ❤
Thank you for having people on to talk about the W&F show. I am in California and have waited for the youtubers to come out after these wonderful shows to share their experiences, yarns and new friendships. I have never gone so it allows me to armchair experience being there. I heard early on about the problems thru Instagram and since have been watching many vendors, shoppers and podcasters speak about their time or work at W&F. When I saw your interviews, what kept coming back to me over and over, is the distress and emotion that was in each speaker's faces and voices. Restrained anger, restrained disapppointment, restrained-might I say panic left over from the event that was days before this interview. I honestly felt like crying after Eve, from Scottish Yarn Festival spoke, she had put everying into making the decision to fly to the US to help out her own community of knitters and dyers and business owners. And it sounds like she lost everything, very little if anything she made to help her country, lost due to the mess at this festival. But mostly I felt she seemed to be beaten down, actually traumatized by the whole experience. I really don't see how people who were so greatly affected can recover financially. Sorry so long, but I was so much moved by their stories. One point Eve made as also an event organizer. She was very much interested in how many vendors were attending. Since she was selling, this point was very important to her. She stated at the last minute, she heard that number had changed and greatly increased!!! Thus increasing the competition for sales and views and also, probably an important factor as to why there wasn't enough room for all the vendors to sell. Appreciate the podcast, thank you.
Thank you! I thought it was very important to allow the vendors to share their side.
Thank you for sharing your story
This was incredibly informative for anybody who was not there. Now I much better understand the outcries all over the place. Thank you for putting this out, - I am impressed by your professional way of interviewing and as well as the guests matter of fact way of answering. No name-calling, no outburts- simply professional! I won't be able to financially support all of them, but will certainly look them up and spread the word! I am sorry that the vendors had to deal with all that! Best wishes to all!
I made an episode about ways to support fiber artists when you don’t have a budget to buy from them. How You Can Support Creators Without Spending A Dime | Fibrchats
th-cam.com/video/wNkLRi1dpPg/w-d-xo.html
Irina, Thank you so much, once again, for providing such thoughtful questions and discourse regarding this event. ❤
Thank you for sharing these conversations. Listening to these people calmly explain what they were trying to accomplish in such a difficult situation brought a sense of just how difficult it was. I am so grateful you gave them a platform to speak about their experiences.
Thanks for listening
Thank you for giving vendors a platform and for the very respectful discussion and insightful questions asked to give perspective. I hope the organisers take note of this and make changes for next year.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was so insightful and informative. The vendors you have mentioned along w others on the site, I will be patronizing bc of the struggles they have endured and the kindness they exhibited for one another.
Thank you!
Thanks Irina I am happy you have given the vendors a voice.
Thank you
Oh Irina! What a disaster, and it could have been so much worse. I learned so much about the planning and work it takes to be a vendor at a show that I never had awareness of. Thank you for interviewing a cross section of business owners, each with a different perspective - but unanimous in their having such a horrendous experience at this event. I came away with appreciation for what is involved. Having a small business is very hard work and so many aren’t able to make a success of it. When people suffer losses due to poor organization of such an event, it makes me feel sad. When obvious things like fire codes and toilet facilities aren’t followed, people are put at risk. Add thousands of attendees, and this event should never have taken place, under the circumstances. I doubt that Wool & Folk will happen next year or maybe ever.
Exactly! It’s hard enough to become successful, but to have event organizers sabotage your chances makes it worse
I went to W&F last year and made the decision not to attend this year. There were red flags for me. For one I live very close to the Stone Ridge orchard and my first thought was that there was no way the area could possibly handle the traffic, I think that’s probably why they couldn’t get the permit. I also felt the tickets were just too expensive, even with early bird pricing. But my main reason for not attending was that even last year, I found it overwhelming. I watched one of her Instagram lives where she was talking about transportation to the orchard and she was giving out wrong information which I corrected in the comments.
The venue change came about so suddenly and at the last minute and was so I’ll suited, that I have to wonder if Felicia even went to see Foreland in person.
@@barbaram4372 I was wondering the same thing. I actually asked Felicia last year when I interviewed her why the entrance fee was so expensive in comparison to every other festival in the area.
@@Fiberchats I missed that interview, I’ll have to go back and look for it.
Thank you for having the vendors on and talking about the experience, as a very small vendor at small shows in my area , I know how much time and money I invest. I can only imagine the investment in a big show.
I can’t even imagine all the preparation that goes into this type of event
Was Felicia Stenhouse Eve the Wool and Folk organizer as well last year? I applaud you for giving time to hear the stories from three vendors who acted very professionally while the organizer ditched them all. Very sad times for lovely people whose products provide so much peace to us.
She was one of the two main organizers last year. This year the other organizer didn’t participate
If it were me, hearing the various accounts, I'd not be embarrassed but angry at being put in a potentially dangerous situation.
I think there was a whole range of emotions going through everyone’s mind
It’s interesting. I felt anger on behalf of the 3 American vendors and utter embarrassment that someone came from Scotland to witness this clownshow.
Excellent video, really eye opening!
Thank you
Thank you for doing these interviews.
I can’t even imagine how the venders must feel. You were treated terribly. Your fees should be returned plus the money for your other expenses. Even if that happened you were out your time and loss of sales. This was not only a disaster it was a crime. 😢
2:10:24
I hear the vendors talking about contracts. If there is a signed contract, has the organizer not breached the contract and is now libel and in danger of a lawsuit? I can see so many ways this organizer could be in trouble legally.
I’ve heard some of the vendors are looking into it
Thank you for giving vendors a chance to speak with this style of interview that provided a calmer sense of what went wrong. I would imagine that the organizers are going to need to make substantive changes in order to attract vendors to future events.
That’s for sure
Thank you Irina for providing a forum in which we could get the facts, meet the vendors, and make up our own minds about the situation. I am appalled that the organizers did this to the vendors, it was a money grab by the organizers who clearly did not take into account even the most simple of safety standards. Sadly it is happening more often ever since,TNNA got away with it back in 2020, that was the kick off of the rampant fraud and grabs by other event planners, even Stitches got in on the scamming of vendors. Until they are held accountable, event planners will keep running this sort of scam.
I’m hoping the vendors will get together and take some legal action
Thank you for putting this episode together. I appreciate the honest critique of these vendors, and that you have brought them to my attention. If nothing else, I will be following them on Instagram.
Thank you
You are doing such an important work to create understanding in a positive way and insight about the yarn-business and the people involved. Well done!
Thank you
Thank you for this very informative episode. ❤❤❤
My heart hurts for both vendors and all the people who went expecting to enjoy their hobbies involving yarn. I have not heard anything to make me to ever want to go to anything involving Wool and Folk.
Thanks. I watched the whole video. Very insightful.
So sad, I feel for everyone affected this year!
What a shamozzle! 😮Thank you ,Irina and the vendors for highlighting these important and concerning issues.Seems lessons learnt on both sides.I know second chances are needed but if I was a vendor,I would be hesitant to sign up next year.So much work involved and travel for visitors too .back to the drawing board on this one,I say.Very interesting and informative,as always.🙏👋👏🐨🌏xx
Thank you for watching!
Wish I could say " Always a pleasure,Irina" but in this instance it was just saddening to hear that in 2023 such an event could go so wrong for so many. You,on the other hand are a shining beacon of light ,asking the hard questions too .👏👌❤️👋🐨🌏xx
Has anyone reached out to the city and Foreland with their concerns?
Surely when you have life and safety issues it’s paramount to address them with the organizer, venue management and city management.
I’m so very sad and appalled to hear the stories and first hand accounts. I hope all of you are able to weather the adversity.
In my mind, it’s imperative to bring your concerns up the chain of command, to Wool and Folk, to the actual venue and to the City. In this way there can be a clear process to eliminate this from happening at other events. If the entire fault is Wool and Folk, then vendors and patrons can make informed decisions going forward. If the venue or City have gaps in management they will need to form better life safety management practices.
Thanks for giving us a genuine insight on what went so wrong, unfortunately. I'm still curious as to why the venue was switched "last minute" as that seemed to have started the downhill disaster. What a shame....
I’m not sure.
Is 5 weeks last minute?
@@figskater3382 it is for the magnitude of this festival
Thank you for doing these interviews. This was the classiest way to do it and give the vendors their say without it turning into a total bitch session. Well done!
Thank you!
Good interviews. Thanks.
Thank you for using your platform to show the problem was with the organizer and not with the vendors or attendees. At a minimum the organizer should be refunding her vender fees. Instead she is offering a discount for next year. How awful and irresponsible. Hopefully the venders aren't stupid enough to trust this woman to manage a future event.
I agree, it feels like an insult to the vendors
My heart just grieves for all the multitudes of things upon things that went so wrong with this event. Do we remember the fema guy after Katrina that made an awful horrible event so much worse? This (these) organizers cannot possibly be qualified for this level of event planning. Also, who approved the permits? Endangering so many lives is a criminal offense. Not just poor planning, but stupidity. They could’ve killed someone. Could emergency services even gotten through to someone in medical distress in a timely manner if their life was on the line deep inside an over full building w barely any exits? Scares me to over think the could’ve been’s.
I’m really curious about the permits and how the city approved over 3000 people for 500 capacity venue
Such a horrible and utterly preventable experience. I think Wool and Folk is over..for good. Who in their right mind would ever return?
It was preventable and to be honest I’m not sure why local police didn’t shut down the event. They were there
@@Fiberchats it was a great interview. I am surprised the police did not shut this down from what I have heard. I wasn’t there this year, but I feel for those who were. I would have left as soon as I realized there was no easy exit- mass shootings, fires, etc. I was at a fiber festival in Maryland yesterday and some of the vendors that were at W&F were also there. People flocked to support them. They literally looked shell shocked and were thankful for the support and concern and kindness shown to them.
@@Fiberchatsmy thoughts exactly
So sorry that things were not great, for the event.
Oh how I wish there had beef a forum like this for a many of the shows we set up with our hands made jewelry over 25 years. The abuse of vendors is rarely made public .
This was an interesting episode. I am not a vendor and have not been to a yarn festival yet, but this raised more questions. I have heard that some vendors paid $1,800, some paid $900, some paid $450 for a booth and some attendees paid $35, some paid $65 and some paid over $100. That difference in prices sounds ridiculous. Why is there such a variance in pricing. How much did a booth at Cake or Indie cost and how much were their tickets? I heard the ticket to enter Rhinebeck was $15. I also heard that some sponsors paid $5000 and some paid $2500. How many sponsors were there and who were they? Should they also issue an apology for the event? Do they not also have some accountability for the event, if not why not? What about the podcasters? They advertised their presence at the event and were the reason some went to wool and folk, should they also issue an apology?
I also heard that one building had vendors on the first floor and fifth floor and nothing in between. Why were there no vendors in the middle floors? Were they unsafe or without power? What was their reason for not allowing vendors on those floors?
Some of these vendors admit that they were some of the lucky ones, but that they will not return to the event ever. So if they had made double the amount of money they were hoping for, would they have still spoken up about the red flags and dangers of the event? Was there a vendor that saw the danger and did walk away? It sounds like everyone saw red flags and still went through with the event. I hope more vendors and sponsors and podcasters take you up on your offer to tell their side.
Do I think Wool and Folk will return next year? I say yes if they sell to a bigger brand name and set lower prices for booths and tickets. It would have to be a known name like Vogue or Lion Brand or Jimmy Beans Wool. If someone else took ownership and proved that the event was well planned, I think it could continue. Should it continue? I think that there is always something new and exciting happening and that people will move on to the new shinning fad that pops up. First was Rhinebeck, then Indie Untangled, then Cakeapalooza, and there was another one that I am forgetting about, and then came Wool and Folk. This might lead to another event to replace Wool and Folk all together. There was a new event this year that not a lot of people have talked about. I think it was a Friday night event only. I don't remember what it was called. Does there need to be another event to attend on the Friday before Rhinebeck?
The difference in cost for vendors was based on the size of the booths they were renting from $450 for shared booth, $900 for standard booth to more for double triple booths. The ticket prices were cheaper for early bird, then went up as the event got closer to the date. The cost at the gate on the day of the festival was $55. There was also a special dinner and preview shopping event on Thursday and those tickets were $250 for visitors and I believe $130 for helpers of vendors. I don’t know anything about sponsors except that there were different levels of sponsorship
They charged different prices based on race! 😮
@@goldwest53 I already replied to that. They offered a scholarship for BIPOC emerging artists, which BIPOC vendors could apply for.
As a convention vendor, this sounds like an absolute nightmare. My God.
Cat and penny questions for organisers. Were 100% right. Basic health and safety should be followed by anyone. Public liability covers this.
There’s a line between health and safety and common sense.
Why are there no refunds being given to the vendors and buyers?
Good question. The organizer does not reply to the vendors
Lola Bean Yarn Co (one of the sponsors) put out a video on their channel and they stated that the sponsors were not involved in the organization and were also left in the dark.
Many of the reports I have seen and heard, it was NOT the weather. It was that persons with disabilities were not inclusive in the venue. Many of the patrons and venders were as prepared as they could be given the information they received to show their wares. May this come to be a learning experience and all calm down and get ready for next year. 💚💚💚 I appreciate all the venders who dye and create yarn bundles to help we the knitters and fibre artists to have what we need to continue on with our craft.
It was definitely not the weather. There were other festivals in the area dealing with the same weather very successfully
Talking /telling about all of this is great, but if you are a responsible business owner and all of this did happen, you have to get together and sue those responsible for your losses. That is the only way to let these people know that this is not acceptable - especially in these difficult times when people are struggling financially to put food on the table for their families. They HAVE a case.
I know that most dyers from that festival are members of a group, so I’m sure that conversation is happening there
Why are the organizers not returning money to vendors for this bungled event?
Have they said?
Lawyer up.
I think some of the vendors are seeking legal advice
Festivals are very labor intensive. It requires a team that has the knowledge to make it happen. So did the partner really hold this together and it wasn’t obvious until F. was by herself? My city has a huge festival every year that has 50k attendees over 3 days. Clubs, churches, nonprofits all volunteer throughout. The profit is then distributed after the event to the volunteer organizations. It’s just intense for 1-3 days that takes months of preparation.
I’m interviewing Catherine today, not sure if she’d be interested in sharing her side
That's why, I would not bother to go to the Sheep and Wool Festival. I live on the border of NYC, and I would have to pay for Amtrak to Rheinbeck there and back. Then there is no shuttle bus from the train station to the fair grounds. Plus some of the yarn was way to expensive for my budget. I went on the NYC Yarn Crawl, going to two yarn stores in Brooklyn. At Argyle I bought Hedgehog Fiber from Ireland hand dyed yarn $35 a skein, I bought three skeins, they offered 10% off. I also went to the Brooklyn General store, and bought two skeins of hand dyed wool silk yarn from California, they offered 20% off. On the last day of the crawl, Knitty City on upper west side. They had the Artist who makes the yarn, Yarn Over New York. I'm also and Artist, and we had a really nice conversation. She had a knitted sample of two of the fingering weight colors, which was really nice. I bought one skein of her fingering weight yarn to double strand to make Purls Simple Pleasures Hat. I've watch some of the videos of the Sheep and Wool show, and noticed signs in booths that said 58 dollars a skein. Just would be to expensive and hard for me to go to that festival, which is sad. Seems to be more focus for people who can drive there, and stay in an hotel. I make my handmade jewelry and hand knit designs. Used to have a web site to sell them, not anymore. I did a craft show one time, and was a total waist of my time and money. Poor location, no one came, I sold two pins.
It was probably some rare blend, most hand dyed merino at Rhinebeck was around 28-35$
I am surprised there are not lawsuits in order with the said public safety hazards and broken contracts? 🤨
It’s only been a week. There still might be legal actions
I feel so bad for the vender of this event. Sounds like a class action law suit would be reasonable for venders to pursue.
It would definitely be reasonable
Also, replying to @TheScottishYarnFestival, yes, the health and safety regulations are always met with rigour in the UK, not to mention to insurances that I’ve had to buy in the past. How has this organiser not been charged with an illegal and dangerous gathering of people?
Surprised no one has taken the organisers to court for breach of contract and other issues.
So sad! No accountability from the organizers.
Wow Irina, just wow. How unfortunate .
Did no one report this to their banks? I would have disputed the charge so fast just for failing to complete the contract.