Head to the Upper Hunter for the long weekend and experience country life and the running of sheep. Merriwa’s Festival of the Fleeces runs annually on the June long weekend and in 2025, it runs from Friday 6 June to Sunday 8 June with lots of activities on Saturday.
For more than 30 years, the festival has proudly celebrated the rich history of agriculture and sheep farming in Merriwa. This year’s theme is the Magic of Wool!
Originally held at the historical Brindley Park wool shed, the Festival is now held in the Main Street of Merriwa and the Showground and features the Grand Parade, led by the famous Running of the Sheep in their red socks, held on Saturday 7 June at noon.
The festival is a fun family-friendly event with markets stalls, street entertainers, amusement rides, a bush sheep dog competition, vintage car displays, fireworks and more.
The event starts on Friday night with an opening night event at the Merriwa RSL and continues until Sunday morning’s Bush Poet’s Brekky Show.
Saturday Events (Main Street – Merriwa)
- Street fair and stalls 8am-3pm
- Amusement rides 8am-3pm
- Thomas the Trackless Train 8am-3pm
- Fairy La La Land children’s shows 10am & 2pm
- Dinosaurs, snakes, fossils & more by Just Dream Productions 8am-3pm
- Face painting by Fairy La La Land & Sparkles the Clown
- Market stalls
- Street entertainers
- Reptile demonstrations
- Merriwa Physie Group performances
- City of Maitland Pipes & Drums
- Window displays
- Dog high jump
- Sheep dog demonstrations
- Shearing demonstrations
- Penny’s Ponies and Pets
- Quilt show and stalls 8am-3pm (at School of Arts Hall)
- A Country Fare (At CWA Hall)
Saturday Events (From 3pm, the festivities move to the Merriwa Showgrounds)
- Fairy La La Land Show
- Lolly scramble
- Whip cracking competition
- Food and drinks
- Showground bar
- Live entertainment
- Fireworks
For more information, visit the Festival of the Fleeces website.
While you’re in the Merriwa area, check out what else can you see in our article about the Merriwa and Denman area. It’s a great opportunity to show the kids country vistas, talk about mining and agriculture, and stop in some unique places along the way.
