hangtown YARNIVAL!

 colorful, wild, vibrant, friendly and exuberant...there's nothing better than a downhome small town carnival...or in this case, YARNIVAL!

 

it all started when local gal Lexi Boeger of Pluckyfluff handspun yarns (who is famous for creating the world's largest skein of handspun yarn which was displayed in norway until recently and now it has moved back home) decided to create a studio and workshop space for her amazing and unique fiber arts. soooo the Yarnival began, marking the grand opening of this new studio workshop, remodeled from a historic wooden barn on the property of Lexi's parents' winery, Boeger, which i have written about before. below on the left is jenny kerr, lexi's right-hand-woman who planned all these crazy festivities: from the ruffly pink bigtop tent, to lights, animals, face painting, music, vendors, crafts.

here is a look inside the new pluckyfluff studio:

 

these were taken during a quiet moment later in the night.

earlier in the eve, this place had been bustling with little kids spinning and racing around and picking their favorites and making their own skeins.

lexi and jenny made the downstairs backside of the old barn into the bar for the night, opening up to the festivities and vendors. inside were antique hanging lamps, velvet couches, wine barrels for tables, and our jubilant friend adam sanchez as the frisky bartender in a pink vest and tophat. he was making the most delicious and refreshing wine spritzers, and they also had a nice crisp hard cider from neighboring bumgarner winery on tap.

and miss lexi herself in full circus regalia.

 we had so much fun hanging out with all our friends. emily and i set up a little space to sell vintage clothes. it was so crowded that people were getting bussed in from parking at the school down the road. we were right next to zack again, and all our friends, some with kids and babes in tow, some in colorful outfits, and all with that festive summer-night spirit, showed up to make the night a dazzling success. (and i do mean success of the experiential kind and not the financial kind but that is way better in my book!)

 

it was SO HOT! i wanted to dress up all flouncy and ruffly, but my constitution is not made to wear many clothes when i'm sweaty. after running around and setting up,  i went home and put on one of my oldest tried-and-true sundress that is light as air and pulled every bit of hair off my face. 

i was in a dither all eve, let me tell you. sometimes i get so worked up i feel like energy is shooting out of me in little lightning bolts. when i am surrounded by that much fun stuff and all the people i love, i just run around talking and hugging and dancing and drinking till my own head spins! 

this poor guy, my ever-lovin hub. by the end of the night, he had to do all the work packing up my booth. i was spent.

 

 friends, friends, more friends.

 

would you look at chelsea's dress! dreamgirl!

of course, all the babies were out in full cuteness.

zillion:

 

river:

oliver getting passed around:

 

 and even my dear old friend mary came with her little one, yarrow. so good to see them out on a break from their very busy farmer life!

 

 there were all kinds of family fun events. here's sylvan going in for the kill at the apple-bobbing station. actually it was pears, and he got quite a few of them!

 

there was even a petting zoo! wondrous creatures that provide the sweetest softest fibers.check out the gorgeous fluff of mr angora rabbit.

and, the stars of the show: all the lovely yarns themselves. it was so rad to see these carefully and lovingly rendered batches of fine handspun wool and projects and crafts all around. everyone appreciating the old ways, the slower times, the true art of fiberwork and the love that goes into carding and spinning and creating with one's own hands.

and especially great to see so many kids into it! hey next generation, can you turn this whole thing around?! we love you. you are shooting stars. maybe you see that this earth needs attention and care and patience and love. look at this girl....she was rad, a real yarn whiz.

our friends' band Flannel played. they are amazing and their songs are epic sea shanties, americana dirges that lapse into wildly bounding bluegrass jangles. everyone was quietly sitting back a little ways. i was a couple spritzers in...came rushing over from our booth and jorden and i hit the dance floor immediately in a twirling tizzy. joined by our respective partners and baby oliver for the end of the set. jamie grabbed my camera and looking at the photos later, i totally crack up...what a dork i am! (but how much do becky's pants rule?!)

aaragon showed up with a brand new kitten in tow: mayhem monkey. in a tiny harness!

we stayed late. the little white lights were shining. ashley came down from the tasting room with more wine. the moon rose over our little town, campers sleeping, cider pouring. and i was glad, glad, glad...to live here, to know the people i know and to get to be in the whirlwinds of fun that erupt in these golden hills.