Waltham’s Sheepshearing Festival returns Saturday. Here’s what to know before you go

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It’s springtime, and just like us, animals need to shed a few layers once the weather gets warm.

Your household pet’s loose hair or fur may warrant a thorough grooming (otherwise, it’ll end up everywhere). But for owners of fiber-producing animals, like sheep and alpacas, a spring refresh isn’t so straightforward. A good, clean shearing is necessary to make upcoming summer bearable for these wooly creatures. And that can require a bit of elbow grease.

At the historic Gore Place estate in Waltham, shearing is more than just periodical animal maintenance. It’s cause for celebration. Today is Gore Place’s 37th Annual Sheepshearing Festival. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can come watch sheep be shorn, check out handmade crafts and learn more about 18th- and 19th-century farming practices in Massachusetts. Here’s everything you should know before you go.

(Editor’s note: Gore Place is a sponsor of WBUR. As always, our coverage is independent of advertising and other business relationships.)

A little history:

Agriculture enthusiasts and Boston high society members Christopher and Rebecca Gore purchased Gore Place in the 1780s and spent the following decades building a mansion, farm, paper mill and other features on the nearly 200-acre property. Since 1935 (after many transfers of ownership and a stint as a country club in the 1920s) it’s been part-farm, part-museum, with staff working to preserve different aspects of the Gores’ original 18th-century operation.

The Sheepshearing Festival, however, is a more recent addition to Gore Place’s history. The first official festival was held in 1987, and it has grown to draw thousands of attendees each year.

“A long time ago, we started inviting children from local schools to come watch, and it just grew and grew until it became the festival that it is today,” said Thom Roach, Gore Place’s director of interpretation.

What you won’t want to miss:

In the 18th and 19th century, sheep shearings in England and the U.S. “were also kind of a trade fair,” said Roach. “It was a marketplace,” he said. “So that’s what we’re trying to imitate in Waltham.”

You’ll have a chance to see people demonstrating all kinds of period crafts, like blacksmithing, spinning and weaving, as well as showcases from Morris dancers and circus performers. There’s also a fiber arts tent, where artists will display the wonderful (and warm) things wool can be made into, from scarves to hats. Throughout the day, the festival will also feature four dog herding demonstrations.

The commitment to historical accuracy doesn’t stop there. Gore Place is also home to a flock of Leicester Longwool sheep, the same breed the farm’s owners raised in the 18th and 19th century. Leicester Longwools were prized for their long, curly coats. But in the 20th century, they were nearly driven into extinction and remain rare today.

Gore Place’s sheep will be receiving fresh haircuts at today’s festival from professional shearers Aaron Loux and Kevin Ford, who will be using blade shears (instead of electric clippers) to trim the thick wool. Making sure sheep aren’t injured while using blade shears requires extreme precision, and Ford — who has nearly 60 years’ experience shearing sheep — is well known in the Massachusetts agricultural community for his skill. “He does it the way they would have done it 200 years ago. And it’s really fascinating to watch,” said Roach.

Top tips for visiting:

Admission to the Sheepshearing Festival is free for those under 12 and $20 for everyone else. (You can get tickets online here.) Visitors will want to get to Gore Place early, since the festival can get especially busy from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to Roach.

If you’re driving to Waltham, you can find off-site parking at the following lots:

There will be a parking shuttle going between the lots throughout the day, but most of them are a walkable distance from Gore Place. Check out this map for a guide to the estate, event schedule and notes on where the shuttle buses will stop.

And finally, there are a number of delicious food options at the festival, from Filipino street food to American comfort options to farm-to-table treats. Browse the full list of vendors here. With all the attractions, ewe are sure to find something that wool pique your interest at this festival. (Please forgive the baaaad puns.)

P.S. —If scaly critters are more your speed, check out this video of our recent Earth Week event at CitySpace with Zoo New England. WBUR's Barbara Moran moderated a conversation on turtles, conservation and how we can help scientists learn more about reptiles in Massachusetts.

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