Watch the red socks running for 25 years Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces

In 2015, the Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces is celebrating 25 years. This volunteer-led event relies on the generosity of the local community and businesses each year to provide an authentic rural festival to over 5,000 visitors and locals alike. The highlight of the annual festival, held on the June Long Weekend each year, is the Festival Parade led by a mob of sheep in red socks.

The Festival of the Fleeces Committee Chairperson Cr Deirdre Peebles said “The Festival Committee has lined up many exciting attractions to celebrate the twenty fifth year.”

“Along with the traditional Running of the Sheep, the committee has invited Ray Hadley and the 2GB Continuous Call Team to attend and promote our unique country event. The Australian Wool Industry will be holding a fashion parade of quality woollen garments, as seen at Australian Fashion Week, and visitors will be entertained by Tamworth’s ‘Rockabilly Sweetheart’ Shelly Minson, 2014 Golden Guitar winner along with her 4 time Golden Guitar winning husband Lawrie Minson.” Cr Peebles said.

The Festival is the largest event for the Merriwa district attracting a significant number of tourists from all over the state who come to experience the country hospitality.

Some of the many events held over the weekend include sheep yard dog trials, shearing demonstrations, a Bush Poets breakfast, wool spinning demonstrations, felting exhibitions, educational displays for children including Crocstars reptile show, My Pet Dinosaur, a ‘ROAR’ petting zoo and a spectacular “KaBoom” fireworks display on the Saturday evening.