Jefferson County Alabama Fiber Festival
Every November, a brewery in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood fills with wool, yarn, spinning wheels, and several hundred people who cannot walk past a skein of hand-dyed yarn without touching it. The Alabama Fiber Festival is a two-day celebration of knitting, crochet, weaving, spinning, and the whole handmade textile world.
Hosted at Cahaba Brewing Company, the festival brings together more than fifty vendors and a full slate of workshops, plus live music, food trucks, and a relaxed evening of stitching called Sit & Stitch. It is one of the state’s newer festivals, but it has grown quickly into a gathering that fiber artists plan their fall around.
What makes it distinctive is the mix of shopping and learning. Rather than only selling yarn, the festival teaches people how to use it, with hands-on classes in dyeing, spinning, weaving, embroidery, and more. That combination of marketplace and classroom is why it draws everyone from beginners to veteran makers.
Jefferson County has a busy event calendar, and the Franklin County Alabama Spirit of Hodges Festival shows how a small-town October celebration in another part of the state builds a similarly hands-on, community-first weekend.
Alabama Fiber Festival: Quick Facts
| Festival | Alabama Fiber Festival |
| County | Jefferson County, Alabama (seat: Birmingham) |
| City | Birmingham, Avondale neighborhood |
| Venue | Cahaba Brewing Company, 4500 5th Avenue S, Building C |
| Timing | Friday and Saturday in mid-November, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Admission | Tiered entry; children 5 and under free |
| Highlights | 50+ fiber vendors, 27 workshops, silent auction, live music, food trucks, Friday Sit & Stitch |
| Organizer | Alabama Fiber Arts Foundation |
| Region | Central Alabama, the Birmingham metro |
| Best for | Knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers, and anyone who loves handmade goods |
What the Alabama Fiber Festival Is
The Alabama Fiber Festival is a two-day market and workshop weekend for the fiber arts. It runs Friday and Saturday in mid-November, with the vendor market open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and workshops scheduled through the daytime hours.
The event is built to be welcoming rather than exclusive. There is a free community option for visitors who simply want to come and look, alongside paid tiers that add early access and extras, and children five and under get in free. Well-behaved, leashed pets are welcome too, which suits the festival’s relaxed, come-as-you-are character.
A Young Festival With Old Crafts
The Alabama Fiber Festival is a recent addition to the state’s calendar, first staged in the mid-2020s and returning each November since. It was created by fiber artists who wanted a dedicated gathering for makers in and around Birmingham, a region with a growing community of knitters, spinners, and weavers.
Despite its youth, the festival connects to crafts that are centuries old. Spinning, weaving, and natural dyeing have deep roots in the South, and the workshops at the festival are a deliberate link to that heritage. In that sense, a brand-new event is keeping old skills alive.
Cahaba Brewing Company
The festival is held at Cahaba Brewing Company, a working brewery in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood at 4500 5th Avenue South. The venue gives the event both indoor and outdoor space, with the vendor market spreading across the grounds and the workshops held inside.
The choice of a brewery is part of the festival’s appeal. It is a casual, social setting rather than a convention hall, and the indoor-outdoor layout means visitors can browse vendors, take a class, and sit with a drink and a project without moving far. The Friday evening Sit & Stitch, held in the brewery’s barrel room, turns the venue into a comfortable living room for makers.
A November Weekend
Mid-November is a fitting time for a fiber festival. The weather has turned cool enough to make wool appealing, and the approaching holidays make it a natural moment to shop for handmade gifts. For many attendees, the festival doubles as the start of their cold-weather crafting season.
The timing also sets the festival apart from the spring and summer events that fill the rest of Alabama’s calendar. By claiming a November weekend, it gives the state’s fiber community a gathering at the exact point in the year when their craft is most in season.
What to Expect at the Festival
The Vendor Market
The vendor market is the heart of the festival, with more than fifty makers offering hand-dyed yarn, spinning fiber, raw fleeces, handcrafted tools, project bags, stitch markers, and finished goods. Because the vendors are independent artisans, the selection is curated rather than mass-produced.
That focus on small makers is a defining feature. Visitors can meet the people who dyed the yarn or built the drop spindle, ask about their process, and buy directly from them, which is a very different experience from shopping in a big-box craft store.
Workshops and Demonstrations
Workshops are the festival’s other half, with more than two dozen sessions across the two days. Past lineups have covered beginning embroidery, drop spinning, fractal spinning, natural dyes, freestyle weaving, nuno felting, tatting, and upcycling old sweaters into new yarn.
The classes run at a range of skill levels, from introductory sessions for people who have never held a spindle to advanced techniques for experienced makers. Many are hands-on, so attendees leave with a new skill and often a small finished piece. Registration is handled through individual workshop listings, and the popular sessions fill early.
Sit & Stitch and Live Music
On Friday evening, the festival shifts into a social mode with Sit & Stitch, a relaxed gathering from 5 to 9 p.m. in the brewery’s barrel room. It is a chance to knit, crochet, or spin alongside other makers, with a guest speaker sharing their creative journey.
Live music plays during the market hours on Saturday, and food trucks keep visitors fed through both days. Between the music, the food, and the open stitching areas, there is always something to do that does not require a purchase or a class.
Extras: Auctions, Alpacas, and Make-A-Longs
The festival adds small attractions that give each year its own character. A silent auction lets visitors bid on items donated by the vendors, and past editions have brought in alpacas, a memorable draw for anyone who has ever wondered where the wool actually comes from.
There is also a community make-a-long, with a free pattern released ahead of the festival so makers can create something to show off at the event. These touches turn a market into a shared project, which is part of why the festival has built a loyal following so quickly.
Planning Your Visit
Getting to Avondale
Cahaba Brewing Company is at 4500 5th Avenue South in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood, just east of downtown. Birmingham sits at the heart of Jefferson County and is reached by Interstates 20, 59, and 65, so the festival is an easy drive from most of central Alabama. Avondale is a walkable district with restaurants and shops nearby.
Parking and Getting Around
The brewery has on-site parking and the surrounding Avondale streets offer additional spaces, though the lot fills quickly on Saturday. Arriving near the 9 a.m. opening gives the best choice of spots, and once there, the vendor market and workshops are all within the venue.
Admission and Costs
Admission is tiered. A free community option lets visitors attend with an RSVP, while paid tiers add early access to festival updates and perks, and children five and under are admitted free. Workshop registration is separate and priced per session. Check the festival’s ticket page for the current year’s options before you go.
Weather and What to Wear
Mid-November in Birmingham is cool and changeable, with highs in the 60s and chilly mornings and evenings. Because the market includes outdoor space and the workshops are indoors, layers are the practical choice. Comfortable shoes help if you plan to spend the day on your feet browsing vendors.
Where to Stay
Birmingham has a full range of hotels, from downtown high-rises to smaller properties in Avondale and nearby neighborhoods. Staying close to Avondale puts the festival within a short walk or drive and gives easy access to the district’s restaurants and breweries for the rest of the weekend.
A Sample Fiber Festival Weekend
Arrive Friday morning for the market’s opening, when the vendor booths are freshly stocked and the aisles are calm. Spend the day browsing yarn and tools, take a workshop in the afternoon, and stay for the evening Sit & Stitch to wind down with other makers.
Return Saturday for the second half of the market and any classes you booked for day two. Catch the live music around midday, eat from the food trucks, and check the silent auction before it closes. The wristband gives in-and-out privileges, so there is no need to rush.
Because the festival is compact and central, it pairs easily with the rest of Birmingham. The city’s restaurants, museums, and historic districts are a short drive away, so a fiber weekend can double as a broader trip to Jefferson County.
Other Festivals to Compare
Jefferson County and the surrounding region host a wide range of events through the year:
| Vulcan Park events | Birmingham — seasonal celebrations at the city’s landmark |
| Magic City Art Connection | Birmingham, spring — a downtown arts festival |
| Sidewalk Film Festival | Birmingham, summer — an independent film showcase |
| Birmingham Zoo events | Birmingham — family programming through the year |
| Alabama State Fair | Birmingham area, fall — rides, exhibits, and fair food |
Practical Checklist
- RSVP or buy tickets in advance, since the free option still requires a sign-up.
- Register for workshops early, as popular sessions fill quickly.
- Bring reusable bags for yarn, fiber, and tools.
- Pack a small project to work on during Sit & Stitch.
- Dress in layers for the mix of indoor and outdoor spaces.
Beyond the Festival
Birmingham anchors Jefferson County, Alabama’s most populous county, and the city offers plenty to fill a weekend around the festival. The Avondale neighborhood is full of restaurants, breweries, and shops, and downtown holds museums, theaters, and the historic sites of a city built on iron and steel.
The county’s landscape is varied, from the ridges at the southern edge of the Appalachians to the river valleys of the Black Warrior and the Cahaba. Red Mountain, Ruffner Mountain, and the nearby state parks offer trails and overlooks within a short drive of the city, and the region’s older communities each hold their own local events.
For fiber artists, the wider area adds a practical bonus: a cluster of yarn shops and guilds that keep the craft alive between festivals. Local fiber groups attend the Alabama Fiber Festival each year, and their presence is a reminder that the event is rooted in a year-round community rather than a single weekend.
The Significance of the Alabama Fiber Festival
The Alabama Fiber Festival matters because it gives a scattered community a place to gather. Fiber artists often work alone at home, and a festival that brings together makers, teachers, and small businesses creates the kind of connection that sustains a craft from one generation to the next.
It also shows how a new event can honor old traditions. By pairing a modern, social setting with workshops in spinning, dyeing, and weaving, the festival keeps heritage skills in active use. For Birmingham and Jefferson County, that makes it a genuine cultural asset, not just a shopping weekend.
Festival Area Map
The festival takes place at Cahaba Brewing Company, 4500 5th Avenue South, Building C, in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood, Jefferson County.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Alabama Fiber Festival?
It is held on a Friday and Saturday in mid-November, with the vendor market open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Confirm the exact dates before you travel.
Where is it held?
At Cahaba Brewing Company, 4500 5th Avenue South, Building C, in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood, in Jefferson County, Alabama.
Do I have to pay to attend?
Admission is tiered. There is a free community option with an RSVP, and paid tiers add early access and perks. Children five and under are admitted free.
What is there to do at the festival?
Shop more than fifty fiber vendors, take one of the workshops, watch demonstrations, enjoy live music and food trucks, and join the Friday evening Sit & Stitch. A silent auction and a community make-a-long are part of the weekend.
Is it good for beginners?
Yes. Many workshops are introductory, including beginning embroidery, drop spinning, and fiber basics, so newcomers can try a craft for the first time.
What is Jefferson County known for?
Jefferson County is Alabama’s most populous county, with Birmingham as its seat. It is known for its role in iron and steel, its museums and music scene, and landmarks like Vulcan Park.
What to Expect From the Next Alabama Fiber Festival
The festival is an annual event and is expected to return to Cahaba Brewing Company in Birmingham on a mid-November Friday and Saturday.
How often is the festival held?
Every year, in mid-November. It began in the mid-2020s and has returned each November since.
When is the next festival?
The next edition is expected on a mid-November Friday and Saturday. Organizers publish the vendor list, workshop lineup, and ticket options in advance.
Will the schedule change?
The mid-November timing has been consistent, but the exact dates, vendors, and workshops can change year to year. Check the current schedule before you go.
Last updated: October 2026
The Alabama Fiber Festival is a two-day November weekend at Cahaba Brewing in Birmingham — fifty-plus vendors, dozens of hands-on workshops, live music, and a Friday Sit & Stitch. Come for the yarn and stay for the community.
