A day of activities related to traditional skills awaits at Fabric of Life’s annual Barnfest.

The free event, which was first held in 2014, will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 80 Bassett Road in Shelburne. Workshops, demonstrations, parades, races, a community supper and more will continue through midnight.

Fabric of Life has been an official nonprofit for nine years. According to its website, the nonprofit is dedicated to the “preservation and passing on of knowledge and [traditional] skills that enrich our daily lives” in modern times. Barnfest is organized with a similar goal in mind.

“Becky Ashenden, the founder of Fabric of Life, had done barn dances as a teenager. She organized this event ever since the Fabric of Life first started,” recounted Sara Davis, Fabric of Life’s marketing agent. “It is to gather together members of the community and highlight local crafters and artisans.”

Although Barnfest is typically held in June, it was moved to the fall this year.

“We will have beautiful fall weather and foliage,” Davis said. “It will be good to have it at this time of year.”

She noted many local farms donate generously to the celebration, especially by supporting the community supper, so having the festival coincide with the peak of harvest season fits well with the event’s mission. Davis also said many new artists will be able to join the event by having it in the fall, as their schedules are often busier in the summer.

A variety of workshops will be offered, with sessions starting at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Music workshops include ukulele and fiddling lessons as well as learning to make upcycled instruments. Sewing workshops will teach Dorset button making, how to turn a T-shirt into an apron, how to make hand-sewn buttonholes and how to make cattail dolls.

Beginning at 1 p.m., there will be a birds of prey demonstration by the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum, plus lessons on flax processing, needle felting and using working oxen.

Various other demonstrations are planned through 4 p.m. Tool sharpening will take place, so attendees are invited to bring their tools from home. Later in the day, Kevin Ford will demonstrate shearing Icelandic sheep. There will also be broom and bread making sessions.

New this year will be a contest to collect invasive jumping worms. Following a talk about the destruction of Massachusetts gardens because of the jumping worm, people will be invited to take part in a timed race to see how many of the creatures they can collect.

“It will get kids of all ages to get in and get their hands dirty,” Davis said. “It should be fun to do and watch.”

Ongoing activities throughout the day include horse-drawn wagon rides, log sawing, glass blowing, massages, historic tool displays, and weaving and spinning.

The community supper takes place at 5 p.m. Organizers served 200 people last year, but that number is expected to grow. After-dinner events include live music performances and contra dancing.

“This year it is bigger and has more going on than ever before,” Davis said.

More information about the event, including a full schedule, can be found at fabric-of-life.org/barnfest-2023. Davis asks that attendees leave their pets at home.

Reach Bella Levavi at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.