Wonderwool Wales 2025 has once again spun its magic, attracting thousands of visitors to the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells for a weekend packed with creativity, community and colour.
Held over 26 and 27 April, the award-winning wool and natural fibre festival saw over 6,000 people through its doors, boosted by advance ticket sales that were ahead of previous years. Blessed with glorious weather, with temperatures hitting a delightful 20 degrees on Sunday, visitors enjoyed a festival that truly celebrates the art and craft of wool.
This year’s event featured more than 220 exhibitors, bringing together a vibrant mix of local Welsh producers and international artisans.
One of the standout attractions was a special VE Day installation, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Created by a group of enthusiastic knitters from across the world, the stunning display in Hall 3 grew to an impressive 10 metres in length and could even become larger as it embarks on a UK-wide tour.
Speaking ahead of the event, Chrissie Menzies, director of Wonderwool Wales, praised the project, saying: “It’s amazing to see how people from around the world have contributed. It’s become so much bigger than we ever imagined.” The installation follows in the footsteps of the famous D-Day ‘Longest Yarn’ project and was spearheaded once again by Tansy Forster and her fellow global knitters.
Adding an international flavour to this year’s festival was Kimberly Perkins from Cat Mountain Fibre Arts in Colorado, the first exhibitor ever to fly in from America for Wonderwool. Showcasing her hand-dyed, multi-textured yarns and vibrant patterns, she highlighted the growing global appeal of the event.
Visitors also had the opportunity to discover more than 15 exciting new exhibitors, including Paint-Box Threads from near Leominster, offering hand-dyed threads in curated colour boxes that were almost too beautiful to use, and Cold Harbour Mill from Devon, specialising in 100% British wool yarns spun using traditional heritage machinery.
One of the real joys of Wonderwool Wales is how it captures the entire creative journey. From seeing sheep on site, courtesy of the British Coloured Sheep Breeders’ Association, to browsing raw and hand-dyed fibres, yarns, embellishments, equipment, dyes and even finished garments and homewares. The Sheep Walk fashion shows, hands-on demonstrations and Woolschool workshops provided opportunities for both seasoned crafters and newcomers to hone their skills.
This year, visitors were also encouraged to explore more of the region’s rich textile heritage with the Newtown Textile Museum, run entirely by volunteers, opening early for the festival weekend. The museum remains open until 4pm tomorrow (Monday) for those who haven’t yet had the chance to visit.
Having attended the event a few times ourselves, Wonderwool never fails to impress. It’s fascinating to see the provenance of so many products, where the wool comes from, how it’s spun, and how it ultimately becomes the beautiful pieces on display. Each year brings new faces, new techniques and new inspirations, whether you’re a hobbyist, professional or just someone with a passion for craftsmanship.
Wonderwool Wales always manages to strike a perfect balance between being a large-scale event while maintaining a warm, community feel. The Royal Welsh Showground, set amidst the beautiful Mid Wales countryside, provides a wonderful backdrop. With the main summer shows just around the corner, there was a real sense of excitement in the air for the season ahead.
For more information about Wonderwool Wales and to find out how you can get involved next year, visit www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk.
