Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

Getting Fleeced

It’s easy to attribute anything unusual you see this weekend — zombie walks, costume parades, TP art — to Halloween. But Essex Junction residents could be stumped to explain the appearance of more than 400 alpacas in their town. It’s the fourth annual Green Mountain Alpaca Fall Spectacular, a camelid convention drawing llama-like creatures from farms around the Northeast. Over two days, soft-fleeced alpacas compete before international judges for top marks in build and fiber. Spectators spot the ungulates tackling small obstacle courses in the youth division, while an “international bazaar” features all the alpaca paraphernalia you could ever need. And hey, if you feel like you’re missing out on All Hallow’s Eve fun, keep an eye out for the Halloween-themed alpaca photo contest. Spooky.