June is the sweet spot for fiber festivals. The weather's perfect for browsing vendor tents without the scorching heat of July, and festival organizers across the globe know it. Whether you're planning a quick weekend trip to a local fairground event or dreaming of a full-blown international fiber retreat, June 2026 delivers options for every schedule and budget.
This guide breaks down the best fiber festivals June 2026 has to offer, organized chronologically so you can plan your calendar (and your budget) accordingly. From free admission events in the Pacific Northwest to destination retreats in Portugal, we've got you covered.
Key takeaways
- June 2026 features over 15 major fiber festivals across the USA, UK, and Europe
- Several festivals offer completely free admission and parking, making them budget-friendly options
- Early registration is crucial for popular retreats like Jimmy Beans Wool Biggest Little Getaway
- International festivals in Finland, Portugal, and the UK offer unique destination experiences
- Pack lighter layers for June festivals—temperature swings in vendor tents can surprise you
Early June fiber festivals (June 1-10)
The month kicks off strong with a cluster of festivals during the first weekend. If you're the type who likes to hit multiple events, this is your moment to shine.
Johnson County Fairgrounds Fiber Event
When: June 5-6, 2026
Where: Franklin, Indiana
Website: johnsoncountyfair.com
This Indiana celebration brings together Midwest fiber artists for a classic fairground experience. Expect vendor booths featuring local dyers and fiber artists, plus demonstrations throughout both days. The fairground setting means plenty of parking and accessible facilities—a bonus if you're bringing family members who might need breaks from the fiber frenzy.
The Johnson County event tends to attract vendors from Ohio, Illinois, and throughout Indiana, so you'll find regional specialties you won't see at coastal festivals. Think alpaca from Indiana farms and wool from heritage breeds raised in the heartland.
Blue Ridge Fiber Fest
When: June 5-6, 2026
Where: Blue Ridge area
Hours: Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-4:30pm
Admission: Free
Free admission festivals are increasingly rare, making Blue Ridge Fiber Fest a standout. The mountain setting provides natural air conditioning even on warmer June days, and the two-day format gives you flexibility if you can't commit to a full weekend.
Friday tends to be less crowded if you prefer a more relaxed shopping experience. Saturday brings bigger crowds but also more energy and often additional demonstrations. Plan to arrive early on Saturday if you're hunting for specific colorways or limited-edition items from popular vendors.
Fiber Fusion Northwest
When: June 5-7 (classes), June 6-7 (main event), 2026
Where: Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe, Washington
Website: fiberfusion.net
Admission: Free, including parking
Now in its 14th year, Fiber Fusion Northwest has become a Pacific Northwest institution. The fairground location provides ample space for fiber animal exhibits—a huge draw if you're curious about where your wool comes from. The fleece show is particularly impressive, showcasing raw fleeces from sheep, alpacas, and even angora rabbits.
The class schedule runs Thursday through Saturday, while the main vendor marketplace operates Friday and Saturday. This structure lets you dive deep into a specific technique (dyeing, spinning, weaving) before hitting the marketplace with newfound knowledge. Registration for classes typically opens in February, so mark your calendar early.
Free parking at a fiber festival might not sound exciting until you've paid $20 to park at other events. It's these little details that make Fiber Fusion Northwest exceptionally accessible for beginners exploring their first major festival.
CNY Fiber Arts Festival
When: June 6-7, 2026
Where: Herkimer County Fairgrounds, Frankfort, New York
Website: cnyfiberarts.org
Hours: 10am-4pm both days
Central New York's fiber community turns out in force for this festival. The workshop lineup typically includes everything from beginner spinning to advanced colorwork knitting. The 10am start time is civilized—no need to wake at dawn to catch the best vendors.
The fairground setting means covered areas if June weather turns unpredictable. Upstate New York can surprise you with sudden showers, so the infrastructure here provides peace of mind. Demonstrations run continuously both days, giving you chances to watch techniques you might not be ready to commit to learning formally.
Leeds Wool Festival
When: June 6, 2026
Where: Leeds Industrial Museum, Armley Mills, Leeds, UK
Website: leedswool.com
Held in a historic wool mill, Leeds Wool Festival offers something most modern festivals can't: authentic industrial heritage. The museum setting means you're literally shopping where wool was once processed on a massive scale. The building's architecture alone is worth the visit.
This single-day event packs in UK indie dyers and fiber artists. If you're visiting from abroad, Leeds offers excellent rail connections and makes a perfect jumping-off point for exploring Yorkshire. The festival tends to sell out early, so book tickets as soon as they're released (typically March).
John Arbon Textiles Open Days
When: June 6-7, 2026
Where: South Molton, North Devon, UK
Website: jarbon.com
This isn't technically a festival—it's something better. John Arbon Textiles opens its working mill to visitors, letting you see exactly how yarn goes from raw fleece to finished skein. You'll watch carding, spinning, and dyeing in action, then shop the mill shop for exclusive colorways.
North Devon is stunning in June, making this worth the trip even if you weren't already obsessed with fiber. The open days format means smaller crowds than major festivals, giving you actual face time with the people who create the yarn. If you've ever wondered about the technical side of yarn production, this is your chance to ask questions directly.
Book accommodation early—South Molton is a small town, and nearby options fill quickly when the mill announces open days.
Mid-June fiber festivals (June 11-20)
The middle of June brings a shift from day festivals to multi-day retreats and conferences. This is when serious fiber enthusiasts block out entire weeks for immersive experiences.
Montana Association of Weavers and Spinners Conference
When: June 17-21, 2026
Where: Missoula, Montana
Theme: A Thread Runs Through It
Website: mawsconference.org
The "A Thread Runs Through It" theme plays on Montana's famous fly-fishing culture while celebrating textile arts. This five-day conference format differs from typical festivals—expect intensive workshops, guild meetings, and serious skill-building rather than primarily shopping.
Missoula in June is spectacular. The university town offers excellent restaurants and breweries for evening downtime, and the surrounding mountains provide stunning backdrops for your Instagram photos of your latest project. The conference typically includes a juried show of members' work, offering inspiration and a chance to see what's possible with dedication.
This event suits intermediate to advanced fiber artists more than absolute beginners. The workshop intensity assumes some baseline knowledge, though beginner-specific sessions are usually offered.
Jimmy Beans Wool Biggest Little Getaway
When: June 17-21, 2026
Where: Reno, Nevada
Website: jimmybeanswool.com
If you've shopped Jimmy Beans Wool online (and who hasn't?), attending their flagship retreat is like visiting yarn Disneyland. The Biggest Little Getaway brings together celebrity designers, exclusive yarn releases, and the entire Jimmy Beans Wool team for four days of fiber immersion.
Reno might seem like an odd fiber destination until you realize the logistics genius: casino hotels mean affordable room rates, excellent conference facilities, and restaurants for every budget. The retreat typically includes daily classes, evening social events, and a massive marketplace featuring brands you know from Jimmy Beans' online catalog.
Registration opens early in the year and sells out quickly. The all-inclusive packages simplify planning—you'll know your total cost upfront, including classes, meals, and special events. This is one of those splurge-worthy experiences that justifies itself through the connections you'll make and skills you'll gain.
Big Sky Knitting Retreat (Session 1)
When: June 18-23, 2026
Where: Big Sky, Montana
Website: bigskyknittingretreat.com
Big Sky runs two separate sessions in June, each limited to around 60 participants. This intimate format creates genuine community rather than the anonymous crowds of larger festivals. You'll actually remember people's names by day three.
The Montana mountain setting provides natural motivation to finish projects—imagine knitting on a deck overlooking mountain peaks. Classes run morning and afternoon, with free time built in for hiking, exploring the resort, or simply knitting in companionable silence with new friends.
The retreat includes accommodations, meals, and classes in one package price. This all-inclusive approach eliminates the nickel-and-diming that can inflate festival costs. You'll know exactly what you're spending before you arrive.
Cumbrian Wool Gathering
When: June 20-21, 2026
Where: J36 Rural Auction Centre, Milnthorpe, Cumbria, UK
Website: cumbrianwoolgathering.co.uk
The Lake District setting makes this festival special even before you consider the vendor lineup. Cumbrian Wool Gathering celebrates local wool heritage—this is Herdwick sheep country, and you'll find yarns from breeds you won't see at American festivals.
The auction centre location provides authentic agricultural atmosphere. This isn't a sanitized festival experience; it's the real deal, held where farmers actually bring livestock to market. The two-day format gives you time to explore the Lake District between shopping sessions.
June timing means you might catch lambs still in the fields surrounding the venue. If you've never connected your yarn to actual sheep, this festival makes that connection visceral and real. UK indie dyers bring their A-game to this event, often releasing special Lake District-inspired colorways.
Late June fiber festivals (June 21-30)
The final third of June brings the most diverse lineup, from quirky themed events to international destination festivals that require passport planning.
Zombie Knitpocalypse
When: June 24, 2026
Where: Rochester, Minnesota
Website: zombieknitpocalypse.com
The name tells you everything about the vibe. Zombie Knitpocalypse embraces the weird side of fiber arts with costume contests, zombie-themed colorways, and an atmosphere that's part horror convention, part yarn festival. Vendors lean into the theme with names like "Apocalypse Yarns" and colorways called things like "Walker Blood" and "Safe Room Grey."
This single-day event won't satisfy your needs if you're looking for serious skill-building workshops. But if you want to remember why fiber arts are supposed to be fun, Zombie Knitpocalypse delivers. The costume contest alone is worth the price of admission—think knitted zombie makeup and crocheted brain hats.
Rochester's proximity to the Mayo Clinic means excellent hotels and restaurants for a small city. You can easily combine this festival with a weekend getaway, though explaining to non-fiber-friends why you're attending a zombie knitting event might prove challenging.
Big Sky Knitting Retreat (Session 2)
When: June 25-30, 2026
Where: Big Sky, Montana
Website: bigskyknittingretreat.com
The second Big Sky session typically features different instructors than the first, so if you're truly dedicated (and have the vacation time), you could theoretically attend both. Most people choose one based on the instructor lineup announced several months in advance.
Late June in Montana means longer daylight hours—you'll have light until nearly 10pm for evening knitting sessions on the deck. The slightly later dates also mean warmer weather if you're planning to incorporate hiking or outdoor activities between classes.
Jyvaskyla Knit Festival
When: June 25-28, 2026
Where: Toivolan Vanha Piha, Jyvaskyla, Finland
Website: jyvaskylaknits.fi
Nordic knitting traditions meet contemporary design at Finland's premier knitting festival. Jyvaskyla brings together Scandinavian designers and fiber artists you won't encounter at American festivals. If you're interested in stranded colorwork, this festival offers masterclasses from designers who grew up with these techniques as cultural heritage rather than learned skills.
The venue, Toivolan Vanha Piha, is a historic farmstead that's been converted into a cultural center. The setting provides quintessential Finnish summer atmosphere—think long twilight evenings and traditional wooden buildings. June in Finland means midnight sun conditions; you'll have daylight nearly round the clock.
Language isn't typically a barrier—most vendors and instructors speak English, and the international fiber community transcends language anyway. You can communicate a surprising amount through yarn and gestures. This festival works well as an anchor for a broader Scandinavian trip if you've been dreaming of Nordic travel.
Knit with Friends Festival
When: June 25-28, 2026
Where: Seminario de Vilar, Porto, Portugal
Website: knitwithfriends.pt
Porto's food, wine, and architecture would make this worth the trip even without the knitting. Add a four-day fiber retreat in a converted seminary, and you've got one of Europe's most appealing destination fiber events. The historic building provides atmospheric spaces for classes and social knitting, while Porto's city center is a short trip away for evening exploration.
The festival brings together European indie dyers and designers you won't find at American events. Portuguese wool traditions differ from what you might know—expect to discover new-to-you breeds and techniques. The intimate retreat format (limited to around 100 participants) means you'll actually get to know fellow attendees rather than just passing them in vendor aisles.
June timing means perfect Porto weather—warm but not the scorching heat of July and August. The festival typically includes a group dinner featuring Portuguese cuisine, giving you a built-in introduction to local food culture. Book flights early; Porto's growing popularity as a destination means summer flights can be pricey if you wait.
Houston Fiber Fest
When: June 26-27, 2026
Where: The KBC Houston, 6011 W Orem Dr, Houston, Texas
Website: houstonfiberfest.com
The new venue for 2026 brings Houston Fiber Fest into a dedicated event space with better climate control—crucial for a Texas summer festival. The late June timing means you'll appreciate that air conditioning between vendor booths.
Houston's fiber community is surprisingly robust for a city not typically associated with wool crafts. The festival attracts vendors from across Texas and the broader Southwest, bringing regional specialties like Texas-raised mohair and colorways inspired by Hill Country wildflowers. The two-day weekend format makes this accessible even if you can't commit to longer retreats.
If you're visiting from out of state, Houston offers excellent food (the Vietnamese and Mexican food scenes alone justify the trip) and museums for non-fiber-obsessed travel companions. The festival's location near major highways makes it easy to reach from anywhere in the sprawling metro area.
Black Sheep Gathering
When: June 26-28, 2026
Where: Linn County Expo Center, Albany, Oregon
Website: @blacksheepgathering on Instagram
Admission: Free, including parking
One of the Pacific Northwest's most beloved fiber festivals, Black Sheep Gathering has been bringing together growers, spinners, and fiber enthusiasts since 1974. The festival takes place at the Linn County Expo Center, offering ample space for the impressive lineup of vendor booths, breed shows, and fleece competitions.
The focus here is on connecting fiber lovers with the animals and producers behind their yarn. You'll find fleece shows and sales where you can purchase raw fleeces directly from regional farms, plus breed shows that let you meet sheep, alpacas, and other fiber animals up close. Workshops cover everything from spinning to felting to fiber preparation.
Free admission and parking make this one of the most accessible major fiber festivals in the country. The late June timing means pleasant Oregon weather—warm enough to enjoy the outdoor portions but not the scorching heat that hits later in summer. Albany's location in the Willamette Valley makes it an easy drive from Portland, Eugene, or anywhere in western Oregon.
Planning your June fiber festival experience
With so many options, strategic planning separates a good festival experience from a great one. Here's what you need to know beyond just picking dates.
Summer fiber festival packing essentials
June weather creates unique packing challenges. Vendor tents can be surprisingly cool even when it's warm outside, while walking between outdoor booths means sun exposure. Pack layers you can add and remove easily—a lightweight cardigan or shawl (that you're currently working on, naturally) serves double duty as project and temperature regulation.
Sunscreen is non-negotiable for outdoor festivals. You'll be so focused on yarn that you won't notice the sunburn developing until it's too late. A refillable water bottle keeps you hydrated without the expense of buying drinks all day. Comfortable shoes matter more than you think—you'll walk miles between vendor booths.
Bring a wheeled bag or cart if the festival allows it. Your arms will thank you after hauling around several skeins of yarn plus impulse purchases. Many festivals sell branded bags, but bringing your own means you can start shopping immediately without hunting down the festival booth first.
Retreat vs festival: Which fits your style?
Festivals and retreats serve different needs. Festivals emphasize shopping and browsing with some classes and demonstrations mixed in. You'll encounter hundreds or thousands of other attendees, creating energetic but sometimes overwhelming atmosphere. Festivals work well for building your stash, discovering new vendors, and getting quick exposure to many techniques.
Retreats prioritize learning and community. You'll take intensive classes, eat meals with the same group of people, and develop actual friendships rather than just brief vendor interactions. Retreats cost more upfront but include accommodations and meals, making the total cost more comparable to festivals than it initially appears.
Your personality matters here. Introverts might find large festivals exhausting but thrive in the structured environment of retreats. Extroverts might feel constrained by retreat schedules but love the chaos and variety of major festivals. There's no wrong answer—just different preferences.
International festival travel planning
International fiber festivals require more planning than domestic trips, but the payoff is worth it. Start with passport verification—make sure yours won't expire within six months of your travel dates. Many countries require this buffer even if your passport is technically valid.
Book flights and accommodations as soon as you commit to a festival. Popular events like Leeds Wool Festival and Jyvaskyla Knit Festival fill nearby hotels quickly. Consider vacation rentals if you're traveling with friends—splitting a flat in Porto or an apartment in Leeds can be more economical and comfortable than separate hotel rooms.
Research customs regulations for bringing yarn home. Most countries allow reasonable amounts of yarn for personal use, but knowing the rules prevents surprises at customs. Keep receipts for expensive purchases in case customs questions your declarations. If you're exploring color combinations from international dyers, you'll want to budget for shipping items home rather than cramming everything into checked luggage.
Travel insurance makes sense for international festival trips. If you need to cancel due to illness or emergency, you'll lose less money on non-refundable deposits. Some credit cards include travel insurance, so check your benefits before purchasing separate coverage.
Late registration strategies
Sometimes you can't commit to festivals months in advance. Life happens, schedules shift, and suddenly it's May and you're wondering if you can still attend June festivals. Late registration is often possible, but requires different strategies.
Check festival social media accounts and email lists for last-minute announcements. Retreats occasionally have cancellations that open spots weeks before the event. Following festivals on Instagram or Facebook means you'll see these announcements when they happen rather than weeks later.
For sold-out events, consider waitlists. Many festivals maintain official waitlists that give you first crack at cancelled registrations. Even if there's no formal waitlist, emailing organizers to express interest can work—they'll remember you when someone cancels.
Be flexible about accommodations if you're registering late. The hotel blocks might be full, but nearby options usually exist. Vacation rentals, Airbnb, and even camping (for festivals at fairgrounds) can work when traditional hotels are booked. The slightly longer commute to the festival beats missing it entirely.
Some festivals offer day passes even when full weekend registrations are sold out. This compromise lets you experience the festival even if you can't attend the entire event. Day passes work particularly well for festivals close to home—you're not trying to justify expensive travel for a single day.
Combining fiber festivals with family vacations
Not everyone in your family shares your fiber obsession (shocking, but true). Strategic planning lets you attend festivals while keeping non-fiber family members happy. Many of these June festivals are located in destinations with broader appeal.
Montana's Big Sky area offers world-class hiking, mountain biking, and wildlife viewing. Your family can explore Yellowstone National Park (less than an hour away) while you're in classes, then you can join them for evening activities. Similarly, Porto provides incredible sightseeing, food tours, and river cruises that appeal to people who think "roving" is something boats do rather than a fiber preparation stage.
Look for festivals near major cities with attractions for various interests. Houston Fiber Fest's location near Space Center Houston and the city's museum district means you can split days between festival and family activities. Rochester, Minnesota (home of Zombie Knitpocalypse) offers the Mayo Clinic historical exhibits and nearby state parks for hiking.
Consider bringing family members to festivals for limited time slots rather than entire days. A few hours browsing vendor booths might be tolerable for a patient partner, especially if you agree to their choice of restaurant afterward. Many festivals have food trucks or nearby restaurants where non-fiber family members can hang out while you finish shopping.
The UK's Lake District (Cumbrian Wool Gathering) ranks among England's most beautiful regions. Even people who couldn't care less about yarn will appreciate hiking in the fells and visiting charming villages. This makes it easy to justify the trip as a family vacation that happens to include a fiber festival rather than a fiber festival that happens to include family.
Making the most of free admission festivals
Several June festivals offer free admission—Blue Ridge Fiber Fest and Fiber Fusion Northwest both eliminate entry fees. This dramatically changes your festival economics, making them especially appealing for beginners unsure how much they'll enjoy festival environments.
Free admission doesn't mean you'll spend less overall (that yarn won't buy itself), but it removes the pressure to "get your money's worth" from the entry fee. You can arrive late, leave early, or pop in for just an hour without feeling like you wasted the ticket price. This flexibility particularly benefits people with unpredictable schedules or those testing whether festivals suit their style.
Free festivals often rely more heavily on vendor booth fees and sponsorships for funding. This can mean fewer included workshops or demonstrations compared to paid festivals, but the vendor marketplace quality remains high. You're primarily there to shop and browse rather than take intensive classes.
The free admission model makes these festivals more accessible for people on tight budgets. You can attend, browse for inspiration, pet the fiber animals, watch demonstrations, and leave without spending anything if necessary. This matters for students, people early in their fiber journey, or anyone who loves the festival atmosphere but doesn't need more yarn right now (does anyone truly not need more yarn?).
Regional specialties to look for
Different regions develop distinct fiber specialties based on local agriculture, climate, and craft traditions. Knowing what to hunt for at regional festivals helps you make the most of your shopping time.
Pacific Northwest festivals (like Fiber Fusion Northwest) feature abundant alpaca and llama fiber from the region's thriving camelid farms. You'll also find wool from regional sheep breeds and lots of plant-dyed yarns—the Northwest's environmental consciousness extends to fiber arts. Local dyers often create colorways inspired by the region's evergreen forests, ocean views, and frequent rain.
Texas festivals showcase mohair from the Hill Country's angora goat ranches. Texas produces most of America's mohair, making this a regional specialty you won't find as readily elsewhere. Look for blends combining mohair's shine with wool's warmth, and colorways inspired by Texas wildflowers and desert sunsets.
UK festivals, particularly in wool-producing regions like Yorkshire and Cumbria, feature British breeds you rarely see in American festivals. Herdwick, Wensleydale, Bluefaced Leicester, and other heritage breeds each have distinct characteristics. If you're interested in exploring wool breeds beyond merino, UK festivals provide unmatched variety.
Montana and Mountain West festivals often feature bison fiber—warmer than wool and incredibly soft. You'll also find yarn from regional sheep ranches and lots of natural, undyed wool that showcases the natural colors of different breeds. Mountain-inspired colorways dominate, with lots of sage greens, stone grays, and sky blues.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best June fiber festivals for absolute beginners?
Free admission festivals like Blue Ridge Fiber Fest and Fiber Fusion Northwest are ideal for beginners. You can explore without financial commitment beyond what you choose to purchase. CNY Fiber Arts Festival also works well for beginners—the fairground setting feels less intimidating than massive convention center events, and the demonstration schedule helps you learn about techniques before committing to classes.
If you're ready to invest more, Jimmy Beans Wool Biggest Little Getaway offers excellent beginner-friendly programming. The retreat format provides structure and support, and you'll be surrounded by people at all skill levels. The all-inclusive nature means you won't be surprised by unexpected costs, making budgeting easier for your first major fiber event. Understanding how to choose the right yarn becomes much easier when you can touch and compare dozens of options in person.
Are free fiber festivals lower quality than paid events?
Not at all. Free festivals simply use different funding models—they rely more heavily on vendor fees, sponsorships, and volunteer labor rather than ticket sales. The vendor quality at free festivals like Fiber Fusion Northwest matches or exceeds many paid events. You might find fewer included workshops or smaller goodie bags, but the core experience of browsing vendors, meeting other fiber enthusiasts, and discovering new yarns remains excellent.
The main difference is often scale. Free festivals might have 50-75 vendors rather than 150+, but this can actually improve your experience by making the event less overwhelming. You can visit every booth without marathon walking sessions. For many people, especially those new to festivals, smaller free events provide better experiences than massive paid festivals where you're lost in crowds.
Which European fiber festivals are worth international travel?
Knit with Friends Festival in Porto, Portugal tops the list for combining fiber arts with an incredible destination. Porto's food, wine, and architecture make it a world-class travel destination independent of the festival, so even non-fiber family members will enjoy the trip. The retreat format justifies the travel expense better than a single-day festival would.
Jyvaskyla Knit Festival in Finland offers unique Nordic knitting traditions you won't experience at American events. If you're interested in stranded colorwork or traditional Scandinavian techniques, this festival provides access to designers and instructors who grew up with these methods as cultural heritage. The midnight sun experience in late June Finland is magical—you'll have daylight for knitting until nearly midnight.
Leeds Wool Festival works well for travelers who want a shorter commitment. The single-day format means you can build a UK trip around it without dedicating your entire vacation to the festival. The historic mill setting provides cultural interest beyond just shopping, and Leeds' central location makes it easy to combine with other UK destinations. You could easily build a fiber-focused trip that includes Leeds plus London or Edinburgh yarn shops.
How do I combine fiber festivals with family vacations when my family isn't interested in yarn?
Choose festivals in destinations with broad appeal beyond fiber arts. Montana's Big Sky area offers Yellowstone National Park access, world-class hiking, and wildlife viewing. Porto provides incredible food, wine tours, and river cruises. Houston has Space Center Houston, excellent museums, and diverse dining that appeals to various interests.
Consider splitting your time—you attend the festival for one or two days while family explores other attractions, then join them for the rest of the trip. Many retreats are structured to allow this, with classes running during the day but evenings free for family time. Alternatively, look for festivals that offer interesting demonstrations or fiber animal exhibits that might engage family members for a few hours even if they're not yarn obsessed.
The UK's Lake District (home to Cumbrian Wool Gathering) works particularly well for mixed-interest travel. Even people who think yarn is boring will appreciate hiking in some of England's most spectacular scenery. Similarly, Finland's natural beauty and unique culture make Jyvaskyla appealing beyond just the knitting festival.