The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is largest and longest-running showcase of domestic sheep

Domestic sheep

Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...

 and wool

Wool

Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The 2010 festival was the 37th consecutive. It is held at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, Maryland

West Friendship, Maryland

West Friendship is an affluent semi-rural community in western Howard County, Maryland. West Friendship is located at the junction of Interstate 70/U.S. Highway 40/Maryland Route 144 and Maryland Route 32.- History :...

.

History

The festival was started in 1973. In 2003 it attracted over 70,000 people. The 2010 festival was the 37th consecutive. It is sponsored by the Maryland Sheep Breeders Association. The festival's purpose is to "educate the public about sheep and wool". It is organized and staffed by volunteers from both the sheep breeding and fiber communities.

It is held annually during the first weekend in May at the Howard County

Howard County, Maryland

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

 Fairgrounds in West Friendship, Maryland

West Friendship, Maryland

West Friendship is an affluent semi-rural community in western Howard County, Maryland. West Friendship is located at the junction of Interstate 70/U.S. Highway 40/Maryland Route 144 and Maryland Route 32.- History :...

. It has vendors of wool

Wool

Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....

 yarn, and judging of more than 30 sheep breeds. Vendors of other fiber-producing livestock such as goats

Cashmere wool

Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from Cashmere and other types of goats. The word cashmere derives from an old spelling of Kashmir. Cashmere is fine in texture, and strong, light, and soft. Garments made from it provide excellent...

, angora rabbit

Angora rabbit

The Angora rabbit is a variety of domestic rabbit bred for its long, soft wool. The Angora is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, originating in Ankara , Turkey, along with the Angora cat and Angora goat. The rabbits were popular pets with French royalty in the mid 18th century, and spread...

s, llamas, and alpaca

Alpaca

An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...

 also attend.

The festival includes live music, a parade of breeds, a sheep to shawl contest, and border collie

Border Collie

The Border Collie is a herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. It is the most widespread of the collie breeds....

 demonstrations. Food vendors sell various lamb dishes including lamb burgers, gyros, and lamb sausage. There are also lamb cooking contests and lamb cooking demonstrations.