YarnCon 2025 Recap

Wow! What a YarnCon! I am sure I say this every year, but I think this was our best YarnCon yet. We had our highest attendance ever, and although that's fantastic, it was the community that showed up that made it special.

We've always been intentional about being a welcoming space for everyone* in our community, and each year the community at YarnCon grows more diverse. And folks don't just show up to shop, they show up for each other, and for us. I heard many people refer to YarnCon as a "Knitter Holiday," or "like a yarny Christmas!" Groups plan to meet-up at YarnCon, and travel to be here. One of the reasons we keep admission free is so that people can come and be together, even if not everyone in the group can do much shopping. It's also why we chose the Plumbers Union Hall; it's centrally located in Chicago, and accessible by public transit. 

The ballroom as seen from the balcony.

A view from the stage in the Ballroom.

A panoramic view of the ballroom from the balcony.

A colorful view of booths and shoppers on the first floor.

A view of the vendors and shoppers on the balcony.

We love watching people having fun from our perch at the stage in the Ballroom, and I especially enjoy watching folks gather at the selfie backdrop.

Sometimes they see me and stop to wave and pose for another picture.

Sometimes, we're the ones hamming it up. (Often, in my case. That's me in the front row, to the left.) Back Row, left to right: Layne, Lauren, Lisa, Shannon, Lindy, and Laura. Front Row, left to right: Natalia and Sara. This is the Team that makes YarnCon possible.

And sometimes... we see a lot of amazing stuff at YarnCon!

Those of you there early on Sunday might have also seen, or even been interviewed by, our very own local TV station, WGN!

YarnCon: Chicago's Indie Fiber Festival Sparks Craft Creativity

YarnCon wouldn't be YarnCon without our generous volunteers, talented (and delightful) vendors, and a fantastic community that has embraced this event over the years. It takes a lot of work to make it happen, and Sara and I are so grateful to again be a team of three thanks to the addition of Laura to our team!

Obviously, nothing is perfect, and I appreciate those of you that shared ideas or concerns. We write it all down, so we can work those improvements into next year's show on April 11-12, 2026.

 

 

*We welcome everyone except fascists and bigots of any kind.