Since the Vashon Sheepdog Classic’s revival seven years ago, thousands of people from across the globe have converged on the fields of Vashon’s Misty Isle Farms in September to watch herding dogs silently wrangle sheep. But, thisyear, the event is happening in June, a departure from tradition.

Vashon Sheepdog Classic (VSDC) Event Producer Tina Shattuck said that the date change is due to many factors, but mainly because organizers didn’t want the event to compete with other “Vashon-centric” events and wanted “to pick adate that the Vashon community could count on as consistent from here on out.”

“We acknowledge the resource tap and the large crowds that the trials bring to our little island — and want to be as sensitive to that as we possibly can,” Shattuck said in an email last week. “This event has become really well-known,respected and liked — and we want to make sure that we also serve our local customer as well as the ones who come from off island.”

She said they expect attendance this year to be the same or even greater than last year’s 8,500 visitors.

“My expectation is that we’ll get close to our capacity of 10,000 over the four days of the event,” Shattuck said.

Not just a top herding trial, the annual event is also a fundraiser. Last year, VSDC gave $12,000 to island-based organizations.

While multiple groups are supported every year, the trials’ major nonprofit partnership is with Vashon’s Partners in Education (PIE), which provides funding for island teachers where state funding falls short. PIE’s annual teacher grantsfund materials and programs local teachers ask for, but cannot be covered by state funds. The organization also funds some field trips, hands-on science programs and equipment and art supplies.

A total of $7,300 was raised for PIE last year as part of PIE’s Smart Dog Sponsorship program in which interested sponsors pay $100 to sponsor a dog. All of the money goes directly to PIE and includes two four-day passes to the trials,a meet-and-greet with the dog and handler being sponsored, name announcements when the sponsored dog runs, raffle tickets and recognition on posters around the event.

PIE President Jenna Riggs said last Thursday afternoon that PIE has sold 75 sponsorships for this year’s Smart Dog program and has 26 left. Those interested in sponsoring a dog can sign up online on PIE’s website until Thursday night,after that, sponsorships need to be done in-person at the PIE booth at the trials any time Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

The VSDC is one of two annual PIE fundraisers.

“The dog sponsorship program is a significant amount of our overall funding,” Riggs said. “It’s also a great way for (PIE) to get out in front of people because we’re a quiet group of part-time volunteers.”

Keeping with the event’s local theme, the Vashon Fibershed will be a large part of the festival’s fiber village that features exhibits and demonstrations of spinning, weaving, needle felting and knitting.

This year, the Fibershed will focus on recycling and demonstrate ways to reuse old clothing and fabric. With old woolen clothing from Granny’s that was destined for the landfill, fiber artist Barbara Guerena will make a rag rug with herloom.

Fiber artists will also show spectators where island wool comes from and will be selling locally sourced yarns, fleeces and products. A dedicated kids’ tent will have crafts and simple knitting projects for children.

The trials will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday), and from around 7:30 a.m. to around 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Misty Isle Farms.

Thursday’s events and competition will belong to the novice and young dog-handler teams. Friday, Saturday and Sunday consist of more advanced competitions, talks, sheep-shearing demonstrations and local vendors will be set up.

A record-breaking 101 dogs and their handlers are competing this year.

Tickets are available online at brownpapertickets.com. Thursday’s trials are admission by donation. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, adult general admission is $10 per day. Kids 10 and under are free.

Four-day passes are $25.