It all started 23 years ago by a small core of eager locals with sheepherding in their blood. They…read morecame up with a seed of an idea to re-educate the public, share the food, history, experiences, and the pride of being part of a dramatically dwindling number in the sheep industry. At this time, the festival spans from Wednesday through Sunday, one week in early October.
A fun variety of activities are spread out in the charming communities of Sun Valley, Ketchum, and Hailey. The chilly signs of Winter are present, even a light dusting of snow if you are lucky, the trees are turning gorgeous colors, and nearby, the snow capped mountains are ready to make dramatic statements.
One of the most environmentally friendly animals on the planet, and one of the first to be domesticated, sheep leave the least footprint as compared to horses and cows. One of the reasons is because they graze differently. They have no teeth on top so plant life is not sheared as severely, allowing it to recover and continue to protect the land. Sheep consume less water, provide wool for clothing and food (milk and a very healthful, delicious meat). Yet this whole industry is dying off in this country. What a shame. But not if the tireless organizers of this festival can help it.
There are many activities during this week to choose from, including some free. At their Community Library they host an hour and half, free talk and Q&A about sheep herding that is quite entertaining. If you want another interesting evening event, for $25/ea you can hear guest speakers tell their personal stories, ancestry, and how they relate to international food culture and history. Both are excellent programs.
A number of cooking classes taught by professional chefs are offered. We loved our class featuring Chef Chris Koetke. His credits include Dean of Sun Valley Culinary Institute. His class included three lamb recipes (boneless leg of lamb, rack of lamb chops, and lamb burger) that we made, in teams, plus some extraordinary Sonoma wines to go with our immense meal.
There is a cheese making class, classes related to yarn dying, making, and knitting. Also offered, a couple intimate dinners prepared by local chefs. All these classes and dinners have limited seating, so tickets should be purchased as soon as the annual event is announced (I think it was in June). If interested, I would advise subscribing to their newsletter online.
In the small town of Hailey, about 10 minutes south of Ketchum, there is a fairly large event that lasts all day on Saturday. The local park is swarming with people from all parts of the world. Most come (at least) to eat. There are craft booths (many of which cater to crafters of wool and yarn), demo sheep shearing, Basque dancers, Scottish bag pipers, Peruvian musicians, and many food pop ups. The Basque baked goods booth and several sheep's milk cheese makers draw huge crowds. If you did nothing else, this gives you a fun day and full tummy.
Dogs and children are welcome, with one exception. Pets should not be brought to the finale, the Trailing through downtown Ketchum on Sunday, as some of the working dogs can become protective and aggressive.
Daily, down a dusty road in a large field just outside of Hailey, there are sheep dog competitions, $5 entry fee per person. Everyone loves watching these incredibly intelligent animals doing their job. It is probably advisable to keep pets away from here as well.
Food galore, small town friendly, this all culminates in the big Sunday finale at noon when they herd flocks of sheep through Downtown Ketchum. What a sight indeed!
