Best quilt show in USA
 

Want to bring a group of quilters over to USA to visit a quilt show next year, looking for the best place to take them...any help would be much appreciated...thank you

My vote would be either Houston (October) or Paducah (April).

Another vote would be for the August show in Loveland Colorado. It's the only show in the country that has all four Hoffman challenge trunks every year. I also love Paducah because it's a small town that really goes all out for the quilt show every year. It's probably already booked for next year though.

I can second the vote for Paducah - especially with the quilt shops (Eleanor Burns & Hancocks of Paducah) within such close proximity, as an added bonus it's a smaller town and therefore not as pricey to eat/lodge.

Another great one that can include TONS of shopping in one of the most beautiful parts of the country is AQS in Lancaster PA in March. Tons and tons of shops with quilting and other fabrics. Amish country so lots of Amish wares to be had (not to mention food!!).

Both of the above are AQS shows - they are big shows, with big prize money. Two of the top 5 shows in the country.

In fact ... the two organizations that hold the biggest/bestest shows across the country are AQS and IQA. Below are links to both of the organizations where you can see a complete list of 2013 shows.

http://www.americanquilter.com/

http://www.quilts.com/home/index.php

Paducah does book early, but I was able to find lodging in Illinois (about a 40 minute drive) only a few weeks before the show. Ideally I would have preferred to lodge in Paducah, but the drive was actually quite lovely and not at all burdensome.

Sister's quilt show in Sister's Oregon. The second Saturday in July. There are over 1,300 quilts hung all over the town.

http://www.sistersoutdoorquiltshow.org/

Thank you for the info, will have a look on the web and speak to the ladies to see when and where they would like to go

I agree with grammy Dwynn. The sisters quilt show is spectacular and the scenery is amazing!

Your group will have a better time in Paducah, the whole town is part of the show, not just one convention center room. Contact AQS in Jan to be sure to be on the class schedule listing. Most hotels start booking in Jan for the April show.

Ditto on Sisters! I also love the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara, CA here is the link: http://www.quiltfest.com/activities.asp?id=7
Along with the link for the Sisters show: http://www.sistersoutdoorquiltshow.org/

They are each wonderful, and completely different from each other. Let us know where you are going...would love to meet you all!

The road to california in ontario is a really nice one in january. There is also a big one in longbeach ca during the summer. Haven't been to any others so I can't compare

Lancaster County in Pennsylvania.....get quilt stores....and Amish stuff..........

I would have to say Quilt Incs show in Houston TX it is the Biggest and Best in My Opinion! I have been to Houston for the quilt show since 2005. I am headed back this year! I love it because it has many, many quilt exhibits. It also has learning stations, lectures, international teachers and more vendors of products used for quilting in one venue than you can believe. I also love Lancaster for it's own charm. If I could only go to one it would be Houston.
Luann in CT

Let me put in my vote fr Houston, Tx, I have been many times, last year decided to go at the last minute, had no trouble finding a room near convention center, very large city with good bus service, they have tours going to fabric shops and some site seeing. Not all of your time needs to bee spent at Quilt show. JMHO

Well, I'll speak up for the International Quilt Festival in Houston in October.
Houston's show is the "original" big show, has been around for decades and is spectacularly done. Everything is in ONE venue (unlike Paducah's), indoors (unlike Oregon's), has too many hotels and restaurants to name, and shuttle buses to many of the lodgings.
It is truly international, you will see many groups of Europeans, Asians, Australians, etc., there.
Classes, the show, the vendors and food are all in the George Brown Convention Center, covering three floors, and a block long; it's huge!
Go in the morning and stay all day, for at least three days to even see it all, much less take classes.
There are elevators, benches upstairs for resting, meeting locations in which to regroup, package check-in, mailing station, and many other amenities to support the 50-60,000 people who visit this show each year.
There are interesting restaurants within walking distance of the venue also.
Houston has wonderful museum, shops, theater, clubs and nightlife. You will get a good taste of Texas here, too, also a chance to visit several local quilt shops -- though they will represented among the hundreds of vendors on the show floor, too.

Be sure to check out http://www.quilts.com/home/index.php for ALL the information about this show.

Jan in VA

Thank you for all your advice, seems we have plenty to choose from....I will print all the information from the web...something else to look forward too

We had a lot of fun at the AQS quilt show in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They will do it again next August. Go to the aqsshows.com website for more info.