Grown Here at Home: Greatest of All Time Sheep and Goat Festival returns

DUBLIN, Va. (WDBJ) - The Greatest of All Time Sheep and Goat Festival is back. In 2021 when the festival started, no one could have predicted the turnout, but thousands showed up to support and now it’s an annual event.

“We just got an award for Outstanding One Day Event of the Year for 2022. I’m really excited about that and we’re going to do it bigger and better this year,” said Jennifer McClellan, president of the New River Valley Sheep and Goat Club.

The New River Valley Sheep and Goat Club puts the event on simply to give back. No matter how old you are, they’ve got something for everyone. They promise you’ll have fun, and learn a lot, too. Plus, you’ll get to check out over 30 breeds of sheep and goats.

McClellan who cares for sheep on her farm, Nolley Wood Farm, in Riner, explained, “Sheep are raised and bred for different reasons. There’s those that are wool producers, there’s meat producers, there’s milk producers for cheese.”

From milking to shearing, there will be several demonstrations to watch.

“In addition to the modern sheering that we have, we’ll have a person that’s coming to do hand sheers, so they’ll show you the old-time hand-shearing methods,” McClellan said.

Got kids? It’s the place for them to be.

“Once again, we’re going to have our storytelling, and it’ll be in the children’s maze. We’ll have “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” story. We’ll have a live enactment. You’ll have your billy goats and the troll’s going to show up.,” McClellan said.

Plus, they’ll have a livestock auction, plenty of vendors, and lots of good food. The 3rd Annual Greatest of All Time Sheep and Goat Festival is Saturday, September 23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the New River Valley Fairgrounds in Dublin. Parking and admission are free.

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