NEWS RELEASE: Sheep to Shawl Event at Sheep Hill on May 5

Submitted by: Juliana Haubrich, WRLF Events & Programming
413-458-9576 julianav7@gmail.com

The Fourth Annual Williamstown "Sheep to Shawl Festival" at Sheep Hill,

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- The Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation will host
the fourth annual "Sheep to Shawl Festival," at Sheep Hill farm in
Williamstown on Saturday, May 5, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

The festival is a celebration of spring and New England heritage, with old
fashioned crafts and artisans, unique animals, and outdoor fun on the farm.
This year, the legendary Fred DePaul will be shearing a new variety of sheep:
Southdown Babydoll Miniatures. And as a special treat, Our Boys Farm will
be bringing their amazing Water Buffalo to Sheep Hill. Also, the Northeast
Border Collie Association President, Denise Leonard, will amaze visitors
with her lively herding dog demonstrations. There will be Llamas, Standard
Sheep, and ducks playing in our brand new pond.

For the hungry visitor, Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation will have a
delicious bake sale and an old fashioned Soup Kitchen in our new Chicken
Coop Cafe, hosted by the House of Local History. They'll be bringing their
trunk of period costumes for kids to try on. There will be hands-on felting
crafts, with artist Julia Morgan-Leamon, and an "en plein aire" painting
demonstration by artist David Lane. Also displaying their works, local
photography artists Jennifer Mulcahy and Jean King, Ancient Threads Fiber
Mill from Grafton, NY, and the wonderful local Spinners & Weavers Guild.

The festival is a "pay what you can" family-oriented event, with all
proceeds going to support the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation
(www.wrlf.org) and it's public programming.

The Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation is a land conservation trust working
to preserve the rural New England character of the north Berkshire region.
It offers programs in natural and cultural history year-round at its Sheep
Hill farm headquarters, located on Route 7, just south of the center of
Williamstown, on the west side. Look for the yellow oval sign just after
the 3rd bridge. Free parking will be available at the Antiques Warehouse
and Jae's Inn, just south of the Sheep Hill entrance! For more information,
visit our website at www.wrlf.org or call Sheep Hill at 413-458-2494.

Submitted by: Juliana Haubrich, WRLF Events & Programming
413-458-9576 julianav7@gmail.com