Sheep Shearing Festival at the Canada Agriculture Museum

Sheep Shearing Festival at the
Canada Agriculture Museum

OTTAWA, May 9, 2009
For immediate release

From May 16 to 18 the annual Sheep Shearing Festival takes place at the Canada Agriculture Museum! Highlights include, shearing demonstrations, finger weaving, felt-making, Border Collies at work, alpacas on display and much, much more.

An expert shearer will give sheep shearing demonstrations several times daily while Border Collies from the Ottawa Valley Border Collie Club will take part in sheep herding, and agility competitions. Visitors can try knitting with the advice of experts from The Knitting Guild of Ottawa and children can get creative making a fun sheep craft. Also, visitors of all ages can help Little Bo Peep find her sheep and families can enjoy the Museum’s spacious grounds and outdoor amenities.

Sheep Shearing Demonstrations (10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 3:30 and 4:00)
With summer approaching, it’s now time to shear the sheep’s winter wool coats. Visitors can watch a professional sheep shearer at work as a Museum Interpreter describes the procedure.

Sheep Herding Demonstration with Sheepdogs (11:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00)
In this demonstration visitors will see a shepherd and his dogs working together to herd a flock of sheep.

Sheepdog Agility Demonstration (10:30, 12:00, 2:30)
Visitors will be enthralled by the agility of Border Collie dogs as they race through an obstacle course.

Knitting (ongoing)
Visitors can try knitting with the advice of experts from “The Knitting Guild of Ottawa”.

Finger Weaving (Ongoing)
Visitors can see a craftsman devote his time to finger weaving, a traditional craft that allows making all sorts of products like the famous arrow sash!

Wool Carding (Ongoing)
At this station, visitors can learn about this important step in the transformation of wool and can get hands-on with a pair of cards.

Meet a Lamb and its Family (Ongoing)
A Museum Interpreter will be on hand to talk about the life cycle of sheep and the different breeds raised at the Museum.

Felt Making (ongoing)
Visitors can make felt from sheep wool while discovering the history of the world’s oldest woven fabric.

Meet the Alpacas (ongoing)
Visitors can see alpacas up close and learn all about them from their owners.

“Animal or Plant?” Quiz (ongoing)
At this activity station, visitors can spin a wheel to test their knowledge about fibres of diverse sources.

Also...

Wool Weaving and Spinning (ongoing)

Colouring activity (ongoing)

Craft (ongoing)

Farm Boutique Clearance Sale ($, on-going activity)

Children’s Activity Centre located on the Exhibitions level (for children 6 years old and younger).

Horse Drawn Tally-Ho Wagon Rides ($), weather permitting

The Hot Potato Company, food services will be available for Sheep Shearing.

Visit our exhibitions “Brewer’s Gold: The History of the Hop Industry in British Columbia” and “Tractors” located on the second floor of the Dairy Barn.

Net surfers can “virtually” visit our Food for Health website at foodforhealth.ca and in the months ahead, our upcoming virtual exhibition Bees: A Honey of an Idea.

Museum Passport
“Explore Canada's cultural treasures, its national museums, with the Museums Passport. Ottawa-Gatineau provides a uniquely capital experience through its national attractions”. The Passport is exchangeable for admission to 10 participating museums including the Canada Agriculture Museum.

Not to be missed...
Father’s Day, June 21
Canadian Horse Weekend, June 27 and 28
Canada Day, July 1

The Canada Agriculture Museum, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008, connects Canadians and the world to the historical and current importance in everyday life of agricultural science and technology through engaging interpretive activities and products centred on an accessible demonstration farm.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Hours

Exhibitions:
March 1 to October 31, daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed November 1 to February 28.

Animal Barns:
Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed December 25. Admission is free to the Animal Barns November 1 to February 28.

Daily demonstrations: from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Plenty of free parking.

General admission
Families (2 adults and 3 children): $13
Additional children: $2 per child
Additional adults: $3 per adult
Adults: $6
Children under 3: free
Children (3–14): $3
Students: $5
Seniors (60+): $5, free on Tuesdays
Members: unlimited free admission and many more benefits

Groups of 20 or more: please call 613-991-3053 for rates

Fees subject to change without notice.

Location:
Prince of Wales Drive, between the traffic circle and Baseline Road. Free parking. The Canada Agriculture Museum is located on Prince of Wales Drive on the Central Experimental Farm.

Telephone: 613-991-3044
Toll free: 1-866-442-4416
TTY: 613-991-9207
Fax: 613-993-7923
Reservations for guided tours & school programs: 613-991-3053

Web Sites: agriculture.technomuses.ca
foodforhealth.ca

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MEDIA:

David Sutin
Manager, Communications, Marketing and Farm Operations
CANADA AGRICULTURE MUSEUM
Tel. 613-996-7812;
E-mail : dsutin@technomuses.ca
or
Lucie Robillard
Communications, Marketing and Visitor Statistic Clerk
Tel. 613-943-1164;
E-mail : lrobillard@technomuses.ca