The Mid-Atlantic Alpaca Association (MAPACA) will welcome hundreds of alpacas and alpaca enthusiasts, as well as fiber art enthusiasts, to the MAPACA Jubilee and MAPACA Mid-Atlantic Alpaca Gala from Friday to Sunday, April 22 to 24, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, 2300 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. Show hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 22 and Saturday, April 23, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 24. All activities will take place indoors.

Alpacas will be featured in the show ring competition, consisting of classes judging conformation and fleece quality in many categories for both Suri and Huacaya alpacas. Young participants will compete in showmanship and obstacle classes on Saturday. Throughout the weekend, artisans will showcase alpaca fiber and examples of felting, fiber arts and more. Vendors and farm displays will sell alpaca clothing and handcrafted items.

An alpaca costume contest and youth competition will be held on April 23 at 12:15 p.m. at the show ring. Each alpaca's costume will be judged on the comfort of the animal with foreign objects on its head, legs and feet; how imaginative the costume is; and the story each participant must write about the costume.

Admission is free. There is a parking fee per vehicle.

MAPACA is a cooperative group of alpaca breeders in the mid-Atlantic states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. MAPACA represents a diverse group with herd sizes ranging from two to more than 200 alpacas. MAPACA is committed to education, support and quality. For more information, visit http://www.mapaca.org.