Freeville Fiber Festival Returns to the Freeville Farmer’s Market, Sunday Sept. 20th
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In this interview Matt Brooks Talks with the Jackie Baxendell, President of the Freeville Farmers Market about their upcoming annual Fiber Fest. Happening Sunday, September 20th, this hyper-local event features fiber crafts, fresh farm goods, live animals, and music from Crown City Brass and Annie Ol’ Thyme. Listen in to get all the details on what to expect, including X101’s On Location live broadcast at the festival.
Click here for audio transcript. Audio transcription is edited for content.
Matt Brooks: X101 Always Classic, 101.5 FM. I am Matt Brooks, and with me in the studio is Jackie Baxendell, President of the Freeville Farmers Market Board. Now, the Freeville Farmers Market Fiber Fest is right around the corner: Sunday, September 20th, presented by The Village Pantry, going on from noon to 4:00 PM, right on Main Street in Freeville in front of the elementary school. Jackie, thank you for joining me today to talk about this really fun event.
Jackie Baxendell: Thank you, Matt. We have the weekly Freeville Farmers Market that goes from 11:30 to 2:30 on Sundays in front of the elementary school. On September 20th, we’re going to have our annual Fiber Fest where we not only have our usual vendors, but we also invite other local fiber vendors to bring in their crafts and handcrafted items. There’ll probably be some sheep, maybe some hare bunnies, and things like that to enjoy.
Matt Brooks: There’s a lot of stuff going on, but one of the things that is really important to the Freeville Farmers Market—because we were there last year—is that everything made and sold at the market (not just for the Fiber Fest, but including the Fiber Fest) is local, bottom line. Everything is coming from this area.
Jackie Baxendell: Yeah, we’re very hyper-local, and we pride ourselves in that way because we want to make sure people aren’t just going up to the Syracuse Regional Market, buying things, and reselling them down here. We want to make sure things are locally produced and locally grown—locally grown, locally known.
Matt Brooks: It’s amazing, the turnout. Again, we were there last year on location and we will be again this year. Just the variety of products—you think when you say hyper-local that it’s only stuff from the region so there can’t be a lot, but including all the fiber goods, you’ve got honey, syrup, handcrafted items, and then of course the animals are quite local. You said there’s going to be some there as well. I know with Windsong Stables, you’re carrying beef and stuff that’s grown here.
Jackie Baxendell: Yes, there’s beef, eggs, local artisan breads, baked goods as well. Like you mentioned, honey, various produce, arts and crafts, teas, dog treats, soaps… people are making all sorts of things.
Matt Brooks: You name it! You can get all your grocery shopping done and also get some presents for the kids or for the upcoming holiday season, all in one place. Now, we’re going to be on location from noon to 2:00 PM for the event, and we’re going to have prizes you can win with our prize wheel from vendors that are specifically at the event. It’s a whole lot of fun—kind of feels like a Wheel of Fortune thing because we’re pulling the prizes right off the wheel. Jackie, are there any other things planned for the Fiber Festival that people can look forward to?
Jackie Baxendell: There’s going to be some live music as well. Crown City Brass will be there, and Annie Ol’ Thyme will be there at different parts of the day. We’re also having a raffle for a car detailing that helps support the market as well.
Matt Brooks: Yeah, the detailing is, I believe, with Hill’s, which is right on Route 13, so it’s a great spot. I’ve gotten my car detailed there multiple times before. We are running a little bit out of time, Jackie, but for more information about the Fiber Fest, if people want to enter the raffle, or if they just want to learn about the Farmers Market in general, where do people go?
Jackie Baxendell: FreevilleFarmersMarket.org. We have a website, and we’re also on Facebook, so they can check us out there.
Matt Brooks: Two easy places to get to. Again, that’s the Freeville Farmers Market’s annual Fiber Festival, September 20th, right on Main Street in front of the elementary school in Freeville. It’s presented by The Village Pantry this year. Thank you, Jackie, for stopping in and giving a preview of the event. I’m looking forward to being there.
Jackie Baxendell: Thanks, Matt. We’re looking forward to having you.
Matt Brooks: This is X101 Always Classic. I’m Matt Brooks.
