K-W Knitters’ Fair 2023

For reference, here are the details from the 2023 fair!

For information about this year’s fair, visit the Main Fair Page.

A banner graphic featuring a colourful knitted blanket in the background, with a white bar over top, with the KWKG logo and the title "K-W Knitters' Fair 2023" on it

Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023, 9:30am to 4:30pm

Location: Kinsmen and Kiwanis Arenas, Kitchener Memorial Auditorium (aka The Aud) at 400 East Ave., Kitchener
Visit the Aud’s page for location, parking, transit, accessibility, and other information.

Tickets

Tickets are available via the Aud’s box office! Tickets are $8 CAD per person, and you can purchase them online in advance or at the box office on the day.

Vendor List

We now have a list of vendors coming to the fair! There are nearly 70 vendors signed up, including local yarn shops, indie dyers, fibre farms, and makers of specialty bags and tools.

If you applied as a vendor but don’t see your shop here, please email us again at the new email address (fair@kwkg.ca) to make sure you don’t miss out!

Vendor applications are closed for 2023. Please read all of the information on the vendors page if you are interested in being a vendor in 2024.

Floor Plan

Here is the floor plan of vendors’ booths and other key areas at the Fair:

Volunteers needed!

Want to get into the Fair for free? We need 2 hours of your time to help make the fair a friendly, welcoming place (and comply with fire codes), then you get the rest of the fair to shop, visit, and bask in the yarn glory. Jobs include giving information to attendees, running the ballwinding service, giving out door prizes, door security, or modelling in the fashion show!

To volunteer, please email Bev, the Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@kwkg.ca.

Safe Space

The K-W Knitters’ Fair is a safe and inclusive space for all.

The planning committee for the K-W Knitters’ Fair is committed to creating a safe, welcoming, accessible, and inclusive event for everyone. All vendors, attendees, and volunteers have the right to feel safe and included, regardless of ethnicity, race, place of origin, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental health, or socio-economic status.

The KW Knitters’ Fair does not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or abuse of Fair attendees, vendors, or volunteers. Such behaviour may result in removal from the event without refund or a permanent ban from future events. Fair volunteers, event security, or venue staff have the authority to remove offenders from the event.

If you witness or experience abusive or discriminatory behaviour at the Fair, and you feel safe to do so, please speak with a Fair Committee member or a Safe Space Ambassador. Safe Space Ambassadors will be in rainbow “Safe Space Ambassador” sashes, and the Fair Committee will be in purple sashes.

Read our full Safe Space policy here.

Mask-friendly event

The Knitters’ Fair is a mask-friendly event.

We are incredibly excited for the Fair, but we also know that it’s a big event and that big events are nerve-wracking with the reality of COVID, and the potential new wave this fall. We aren’t requiring masks, but we do encourage masks as a way of staying safe and showing respect for those around us who may be at higher risk. We were pleased to see so many folks masked up for each others’ sake last year and hope for the same consideration this year.

Also, we ask that if you’re unwell, you stay home. We’d all like to come away from the Fair with a haul of yarn, not a nasty infection! Most of our vendors have online shops and will be delighted to furnish you with buying options that don’t involve in-person shopping.

Yarn Winding Station for Charity

Every year, the Guild provides a yarn-winding station where you can have your yarny purchases wound into tidy cakes, in exchange for a donation to charity. This year, we’re supporting the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. We can accept cash, or you can donate online and show us your donation confirmation. We are absolutely NOT accepting donations of food. Financial donations only, please; they go much farther for the Food Bank, since the organization can purchase in bulk.

Keep up with us on socials

Watch this space and our Instagram account for more information, and check out our Facebook event page and our Facebook account while you’re at it. If you have any questions in the meantime, email us at fair@kwkg.ca.

The Kitchener-Waterloo Knitters’ Fair is the oldest one-day knitting event in Canada. Organized and hosted by the not-for-profit Kitchener-Waterloo Knitters’ Guild, it is truly organized “by knitters, for knitters”.