Since 1988, the Fall Fiber Festival and Montpelier Sheep Dog Trials have provided a venue for agriculturalists and crafters alike to share their knowledge, sell their wares and connect with others in the fiber community.

This year’s fiber festival, held Oct. 7 – 8 in Montpelier Station, Va., included classes and demonstrations, raw material and craft vendors, a fiber arts competition and the popular sheep dog trials. Throughout the weekend, attendees learned about everything from sheep shearing to spinning, felting and foraging for natural dyes.

However, the artisans and farmers weren’t the only honored guests at the festival. Visitors also had the opportunity to meet in person with the sheep, goats, llamas and rabbits that make the fiber industry possible. Watch the video above to catch a glimpse of the action at the 2023 Fall Fiber Festival and Montpelier Sheep Dog Trials.

For more information, visit www.fallfiberfestival.org.

Scores of visitors took a trip off the beaten path Saturday, Sept. 2, to Chateau MerrillAnne for a one-of-a-kind event. The quaint winery, tucked away on Marquis Road on the outskirts of Orange, was the host of Goatapalooza, a fun-filled tribute to all things goat.

At the tiki bar, attendees enjoyed the vineyard’s award-winning wine selection and a number of craft cocktails developed especially for the event, such as the popular frozen Goat-A-Rita. Local vendors, including 854 Treats, Lahore Flower Co., Duck Ridge Farm and FaithView Farm, offered products ranging from goat milk soap to cheese and goat-themed décor, and Whitley and Co. Barbecue was on site to feed the hungry crowd.

However, the true stars of the show were the goats themselves, provided by Unionville-based Happy Meadow Farm. After enjoying the animals’ playful antics in the petting zoo, visitors had the opportunity to join Pumpkin, an adorable four-day-old kid, in the photo booth.

To get a glimpse of the highlights of Goatapalooza 2023, check out the video above.

For more information about Chateau MerrillAnne, including events and hours of operation, visit www.chateaumerrillanne.com. To learn more about Happy Meadow Farm, go to www.happymeadowfarm.net.

Oakland Heights Farm is back with its popular summer rodeo series, and The OC Bulletin was there to catch the action.

The OC Bulletin travels to Liberty Mills Farm for this year's Strawberry Fest, an annual celebration of food, farming and fun in Somerset, Va.

The OC Bulletin heads downtown to see the Artmobile, brought to Orange by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) in collaboration with community nonprofit The Arts Center In Orange.

The OC Bulletin's man about town, Adam Belmar, offers a glimpse of what you may have missed lately in Orange County, Virginia. This time, he stops by the Orange County Airport to chat with skydivers from Skydive Orange and the owner of local hotdog stand Just Dogs and Catering.