Join us for our next Rural Creative Connections session with co-hosts Jill Knuckles and Lise Poulsen from the 2026 Mountain and Valley Fiber Arts Festival (MVFAF).

For over 40 years, this festival called Taos, NM home. This year marks its first time in Durango, Colorado! Jill and Lise will share what’s ahead for the festival’s Durango debut, happening October 3 & 4, 2026 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds & Event Center (free admission, free parking).

The festival brings together fiber artists, animals, and makers from across the region, including a juried natural fiber market featuring yarns, finished goods, and fiber arts tools; fiber animals like sheep, alpacas, goats, llamas, and yaks; hands-on workshops led by expert instructors; live demonstrations of spinning, dyeing, sheep shearing, and more; and a brand-new Yarn Bombing initiative, where acrylic-yarn scarves, shawls, mittens, mukluks, and blankets will be hung around Durango to announce the festival, then collected, washed, and donated to local assistance programs.

During this virtual session, Jill and Lise will talk about what makes MVFAF special, what to expect at this first Durango event, and how rural creatives can get involved, whether as vendors, volunteers, or attendees. Rural creatives are encouraged to attend and explore how this festival could be a source of connection, inspiration, or opportunity for their own creative work.

We’ll also open up space for conversation, connection, and resource-sharing among rural creatives across Colorado.

Join us for this Rural Creative Collective‘s call to learn more about the Mountain and Valley Fiber Arts Festival, connect with fellow creatives, and celebrate this exciting new chapter for a beloved regional tradition.