Oh Sassy Grass! Make Way For Walking Wall Of Wool In Sonoma County Saturday

PETALUMA, CA — Rain or shine, sheep will arrive Saturday on city streets, a walking landscape of wool. They will bring to Petaluma a roaming classroom rooted in tradition, ecology, and community connection during the Transhumance Festival.

The festival and the wooly guests of honor are expected at the Petaluma Fairgrounds at 9 a.m. to inaugurate the free, family-friendly event with breakfast burritos, a welcome speech, and livestock demonstrations.

The festival celebrates transhumance — the seasonal movement of livestock — using it to teach land stewardship, soil health, watershed protection, and sustainable resource use through hands-on experiences and cultural celebration.

At 10:30 a.m., handlers will lead a flock of sheep out of the fairgrounds and down D Street in a moving demonstration of traditional herding practices, ending at Steamer Landing Park.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the waterfront park will host the main festival, where attendees can explore interactive educational stations, browse a local artisan marketplace, and watch demonstrations including sheep shearing, wool processing, weaving, spinning, and scything. Vendors will serve locally sourced food. (It is unclear if mutton will be on the menu.)

Organizers say the event connects residents to working landscapes while showcasing how managed grazing supports ecological health and resilience.

By blending tradition with education and celebration, the festival invites the public to engage directly with the land — and the animals — that sustain it, according to the City of Petaluma.

The sheep will be herded from the Petaluma Fairgrounds to Steamer Landing Park. The herding will begin at about 10 a.m., according to a city a alert.

Roads will be temporarily closed along the route to safely escort the sheep to Steamer Landing Park.

Detours and closures are expected to be brief.

Road closures include:

Payran Street from Fairgrounds Drive to East D Street.

East D Street and Vallejo Street

East D Street and Edith Street

East D Street and Wilson Street

East D Street and Erwin Street

East D Street and Lakeville Street

East D Street and Hopper Street

East D Street and Copeland Street

Spectators are welcome to attend this event. Spectators will be asked to stay on adjoining sidewalks along the route as to leave a clear path for the herding sheep to ensure they reach the park safely.

More information is available at sassyandgrassy.com.