puma

question for all you Paducah attendees. is it mobility scooter friendly can I get around?

sweetana3

Yes, for the show but getting in and out of vendor booths would be impossible. Not room for two people to pass each other easily in the smaller packed booth spaces. Worst time would be the first day but later in day and later in the week, there are not so many people crowded in the convention center.

The Dome is accessible thru special doors and has wider halls but again early is more crowded and it felt the aisles were narrower this year but not by too much. Dome is farther from the Convention Center. They moved it a little farther away to the other side of the flood wall becuase they are building a new hotel next to the convention center where the dome used to be.

Boston1954

There was one near us two weeks ago. My sister said she was not going to bother. Only two vendors, and about thirty quilts. Sure wish I could get to Houston. I've heard that it is huge. Went to one back home in Massachusetts once. It was held in a hockey rink. The section where the ice usually is, was crammed with beautiful quilts. The entire second floor was vendors. It took over an hour just for that. I loved it.

sweetana3

Our quilt guild (Indianapolis) has a show every two years and has around 400 quilts. Our vendor list is full for this year's show. Show includes bed turning, small quilt auction, raffle quilt, raffle baskets, and a shop for all the donated "stuff". Makes well over $20,000 per show.

cashs_mom

If you can get to the Houston show, you really should. I live here and get to go every year and every year the quilts are more beautiful than the year before. They never disappoint. There are tons of vendors. Its just all around wonderful.

Jordan

The last quilt show I went to (which was well known) was lacking in vendors also. I don't know the reason why but a little concerned. I love to have all of the vendors in one building so I can shop all day without driving from quilt shop to quilt shop.

quiltingshorttimer

I'm involved in one of 14 sponsoring guilds that organize the Kansas City Regional Quilt Fest (this coming week, June 15-17 In Overland Park, KS at the Convention Center) Vendor booths cost $600 (think this is for a double but may be wrong there) and then there is extra fee for electricity & wifi. Vendors get a table (can rent more) but otherwise have to bring in all their shelving, racks, etc. Insurance is included in the vendor fee. This show is in it's 2nd "year"--it's held every other year with the first one being in 2015. My guild rented a booth in 2015 and felt that our profit was enough that we wanted a larger booth for this year. We have over 135 vendors scheduled for this next week.

In our first show in 2015, the vendors were very pleased with the turn out (about 8,000 over 3 days) and the profits--partly due to crowd, partly due to low booth fees. and with over 700 quilts this show, and great classes starting Wed afternoon-Sat. and a great facility, we totally expect at least as many visitors this year.

Now, it's important to remember that part of the reason that vendor fees are lower is that the 14 guilds DO ALL THE WORK!(part of the reason it's only every other year!) Planning starts as soon as the show is over--setting dates and organizing committees. Each guild takes on a task for the show--PR, quilt displays, classes, merchandise, white-glove, hanging quilts & take down, parking and facility, etc. Judging from my involvement in that, I can see why for-profit organizations that are paying personnel for all this end up charging so much. There are literally HOURS of prep for a big show--and it doesn't end once the show starts. some of the participating guilds are large (ours is 180+) and some smaller (35)so each guild is assigned an task that matches their membership.

Regarding the vendor booths--I can totally see why many shops do not participate in shows--even as a guild that is not paying employees to work a booth or keep a shop opened, its a huge undertaking. usually for a show this size, vendors have to commit about 2 years ahead of time. And getting all the supplies really means the need for a box van--or many, many pick-up trucks! And if you are coming in to a city from very far and don't have a mobile home, there are about 3-4 nights of hotel and food expenses too. Anyway--with all that, it's a wonder that any vendors go to any show! So if you go to shows--buy something!!

lynnie

i went to a show with over $200 in my pocket and spent $20, what a disappointment! They've told me it takes too much gas to drive all over with bolts, it's cheaper to fold fats and 1/8's and carry baskets of that. I was looking to spend money, and there wasn't much there. also, they've been having non related stuff at the shows. tops, scarves and the such. not happy, i would have loved to buy a kit.

Sewnoma

I've never been to the big Houston festival or Paducah (some day would love to do each) but I go to the Pacific International Quilt Festival every year. I LOVE that show, it's huge, there are a ton of vendors (I have not noticed any decline at all), and the quilts are amazing. I take time off of work and stay in a hotel and spoil myself silly.

I find that I purchase a lot less at shows now than I did when I was new, however. Part of it is that I must have a thousand yards of fabric in my stash by now, so I'm not buying new fabric unless it's either just really amazing, or I have a specific project I'm working on. Even so I usually buy a yard or two while I'm there; *something* always catches my eye. Or I'll get chatting with a seller and want to support their business so I'll pick up fabric I can use as a blender or something. (Yes, I'm a sucker!)

I've found good deals on batiks. There is a seller I see often from Hawaii that sells some really beautiful batiks at very reasonable prices.

I like the booths that are selling handmade things too - sometimes I spend more there than I do on actual quilting supplies. I spent $30 on a bracelet made out of vintage glass buttons one year, which is a LOT for me - I don't usually buy jewelry of any kind but it really caught my eye, plus I liked the maker and (again) wanted to help support her business.

Mostly, though, I'm there for the quilts, and to people-watch, and to chat with like-minded people. I'm not in a guild anymore and I don't have friends who are into quilting, so I find myself talking to strangers about quilts instead. Particularly at lunch, I love to find some other loner and strike up a conversation. One year at lunch on the first day I was "adopted" by a small group of women there together on a tour, and spent the whole rest of the day at the show with them, and we had a great time. I meet the nicest people at quilt shows!

I always have so much fun. I can't wait for PIQF again this year. It's in October; I already have my hotel reservation and the time scheduled off from work. It's like Christmas for me!

SusieQOH

I also don't buy like I used to. I have so much of everything and want to at least put a dent in it before I die We had for many years a wonderful quilt shop then she sold it and moved to Florida. The new owners only lasted a couple of years. There are a few others but honestly I don't go hardly at all. I've become an online shopper. I feel bad for not supporting the local shops but the convenience and prices online are what I like. Having said this I spent many years at quilt shops so I did support them.
Paducah is a great show. I haven't been lately but I hear it's still good.