Woolfest will not return, organisers have confirmed.
The Wool Clip co-operative, which has run the annual event since 2005, said it was time to move on.
Woolfest was first held at Mitchell’s Lakeland Livestock Centre near Cockermouth in late June in 2005 and continued as an annual event until 2019. An online event was created under lockdown in 2020 and was repeated in 2021.
Plans were under discussion for a ‘different’ sort of show, but Ruth Strong, co-operative chair, said it was a complex situation.
She added: “We’ve been giving the future of the event considerable thought for well over a year now.
“It’s a complex situation and we’ve listened to lots of feedback from Woolfest regulars. What we have learned is that, regardless of our new ideas for a different sort of show, Woolfest had such a huge personality and style of its own that expectations would always be high. It feels like the end of an era but we need to retire it for us to be able to move on.”
Member of the Wool Clip, Jean Wildish added: “Look at what Woolfest started! There are now so many wool events across the UK, including several that are organised by professional event companies.
“We have achieved every one of our original aims but feel that our volunteer-led approach is not really sustainable in the long term. We would rather stop now, leaving our loyal friends and followers with great memories of Woolfest, the first and the original festival of wool – and we can’t help but continue to discuss and develop new ideas for the future.”
Ruth added: “We are certainly keen to celebrate our original ethos by supporting and attending other events. We know that many of our stallholders and visitors – as well as the community in Cockermouth and the huge team of volunteers who have been so supportive over the years – will be disappointed, but we hope that our renewed focus on The Wool Clip, its Caldbeck shop and other activities will carry on our tradition of celebrating wool for many years to come.”
