I've always wondered about the popularity of the outdoor shows for all the reasons mentioned, but keep in mind that the outdoor venue creates a chance to snag viewers who might not be willing to go inside to see quilts. Walking around outdoors with something pretty and interesting to look at just has more appeal to a broader range of people in general. It seems to me that a lot of quilts are very nice but not quite in the realm of great works of art. If I thought one of mine was good enough, I'd enter it, and obviously many do and are to be commended for their generosity in sharing their work with the public in this way.
Not every quilt is destined for a museum someday. Maybe a little risk would be a fair trade off for the joy of having it out there to be appreciated by families who wouldn't think of dragging their youngsters into anything like an indoor quilt show. Quilting seems so popular in Oregon, and I'll bet the Three Sisters Shows have attracted quite a few people to the hobby who otherwise might not have noticed it.
Last edited by Rose_P; 05-11-2013 at 08:51 AM.