WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO ENJOY PADUCAH?

DO YOU HAVE ANY SECRET HINTS?

26th Annual AQS Quilt Show & Contest in Paducah,
to be held April 21-24, 2010.

Couldn't get hotel room for the weekend, so we are just going to "stop by" on way home from Lexington trip...

Would you (anyone else?) want to try to meet up for a few minutes somewhere/sometime that Saturday????

Wouldn't it be neat to meet some of these people???

Let me know your thoughts!
Aunt Doggie (Cathay)

One of my very favorite shows. Been there several times and unfortunately wiil not be going this year. I spent four days there and did not see it all. The show is great, Hancocks of Paducah is great, Eleanor Burns has her own shop there, the museum is not to be missed. So very much, so little time. Hope you enjoy.

I live about 30 minutes from Paducah. I might find you a Bed and Breakfast or a room if you are still interested.

I forgot....You have got to see Eleanor Burns' Show at the fair grounds. My friends and I usually go on Wednesday and then to the convention center for shopping. Sometimes there are mkae shift malls set up around town. If I hear of any, I will let you know.

If driving, park at Hancocks and then ride the shuttle buses to wherever you want to go if you have the time. If you are rushed for time then it's faster to drive yourself. They run about every 30 min or so, they are free, I usually tip the diver if they have a tip jar out,(volunteer) and meeting other quilters on the ride is one of the highlights for me. Some well known quilters ride the shuttles! E Burns has lots of free parking at her tents but the gates are locked in the parking lot at 6 pm and Hancocks stays open until 9 or 10. E Burns has a LQS in town and it is not at her tent/barn sales. It's in town. The shuttle buses go to both. Keep bottle water with you as it is very warm in April in KY. It's usually windy too so forget about a fussy hairdo. If driving the motels in nearby towns are much cheaper. I usually stay about an hour away from Paducah.

I would guess it would be time. Lots of time. Good walking shoes. A camera to share pictures with those of us that can't go. When is the show? I'm jelious your going without me.
Hope its fun. Oh better take a big bag to keep all your goodies too. Want my list? hehe.
:thumbup:

Yes, please help me. Something super nice, please

Take a million pictures. I have joyfully re-lived many past events by looking at all the photographs I took.

I will list the places that have rooms available and their numbers so you all can check to see if it is what you would like.
1. Hampton Inn...Murray, Ky. $109.65...270-767-2226 (about 45 minutes from Paducah.
2. Kenlake State Park...1 bedroom cottages left....$134.95....270-474-2211 (about 35 minutes from Paducah.
3. Seven Creeks Bed and Breakfast....rooms available, but must share a bathroom...Benton, Ky. 270-205-5297

I will post more as I can get the info.

Here is another Bed and Breakfast in Benton, Ky. It is called Aire Castle Bed and Breakfast Benton, Ky. That will take you to their website and you can get info from them. I just talked to the owner and he does still have rooms available. Their number is 866-403-AIRE

Wear GOOD walking shoes. Don't plan on sitting down for hours on end. We usually only get to go for the day so we have a "schedule" and stick to it (well, more or less....) :lol: :lol: Oh, and take plenty of money as well as your credit card :lol: :lol:

can someone swing by and get me on their way? ;)

I take a big tote/shoulder bag with me to carry the freebies and small things I buy. I put in a bottle of water and several packs of cheese crackers. I have a small notebook (sometimes you can just take notes or get ideas then look up online later). If you wear footies or socks, sometimes just changing thme gives your feet the idea that they have rested.

I've been a couple times for the show and went one Dec. to the quilt museum and shopping at Hancock of Paducah.

We stayed in Jackson Mo and it is about an hour away. we would start out very early and stay in paducah until Hancock closed and the have dinner and back to Jackson. we usually check out of our rooms and go back to Paducah on Sunday morning for several hours before we have to head back home.

Another motel in the area is Sportsmans Lodge. The address is Benton, Ky. but it overlooks Ky. Lake. These are nice rooms. Said she has about 10 left. 270-354-8333

You have to go to Eleanor's show. She has a huge tent and does a show several times a day. She will have a big store there with all her notions and patterns. She also has tents of fabrics at good prices. You can drive there or take the shuttle.
She also has the shop downtown.

There is a place downtown that sells AQS books for $5.00. They tell you that you have to buy 6, but you don't. There are vendors in the front of this building. The books are in the back.

The last few years, Ricky Tims has done a Friday night show at their big auditorium downtown. It is about $15 and the place is full. He is funny and entertaining. We love it. The bookstore is right across the street from the auditorium. Wish that I could think of the name of it. The shuttles run downtown, too.

You have to do Hancock's of Paducah, which is not the same as the Hancocks chain.
You will not believe the amount to fabric that they have. If you walk in the door and turn right, you can go to the ware room, where they have tables, tables, and tables of fabric, mostly cut in in one yd. pieces on sale. If you find something special, you can usually keep looking and find more of it. Sometimes on Sat. ,they lower the price to sell more. If you are there on Sat., go back. You will want to shop their regular fabric, too. They have all the name brands.

Our favorite part of going is shopping with the vendors. Our motto is, "If you demonstrate it well, we will buy." :)

You will want to go to the quilt museum. It is nice. Drive along their flood wall and see the murals. They are pretty.

At the convention center, there are volunteers dressed in red blazers. You can check your purchases, sewing machines, etc. with them for $1.00. They will even let you come back and add to your bag. This is so nice. They also do a free bus tour of Paducah. You sign up for this at the place where they check your bags. It is a nice way to take a break, if you are there for several days, like we always are. They have a tour guide on the bus.

At the convention center, There are quilts and vendors in a number of places. More quilts and vendors than you have probably ever seen in one place. Oh, the post office sets up there and you can ship fabric home in flat rate boxes. They will tape it up for you and have it ready to go. You just pay, address, and leave it for them to carry back to mail. You can put lots of fabric in flat rate boxes. Try rolling it, you may can get more in the box. :) Wear comfy shoes and sit when you get tired. Take snacks. I have a canvas bag with long straps that I put small purchases in. Bring a camera!

The Rotary Club has a building with antique quilt displays and more vendors! They charge a small fee and the money goes to their scholarship program.

You might want to go online and sign up for a class or two. Also go ahead and join AQS. You will get a better price on multiple day attendance and you will get their magazine for a year, too. You have to be an AQS member to take classes.

We usually make one trip to the mall to see what? More vendors.

I am sure that I can think of more, but this is it for now. You will love Paducah. Stay several days, if possible.

Now I'm really jelious ;-)

The best way to enjoy it???? Well....take me WITH you of course!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Crocks! That's the shoe for Paducah with socks. It's the only shoe that I can wear all day and not cry! Even better than tennis shoes.
I understand the shows are going to be split up this year...the convention center has been under poor management and they even talked of moving to St. Louis. But it's going to be there and so worth seeing.
The Hancocks of Paducah is a MUST to go to daily!!!! And don't miss the back room. My first trip I had to idea it was back there. It has yards of precut fabric at great prices. And on Sat/Sun they put it at even a bigger discount!
Have fun!

Yes, you will have such a good time. Wish I could go back.
Meeting Eleanor Burns was a real treat. Have a great time and buy lots of fabric.

I'm going this year. I live in Illinois, and it's only about 3 hours away for me, so I've gone for the last ocuple of years. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! I stay for about 3 days..you need to stay that long to even begin to see everything. It's so much fun....I would LOVE to meet up with some of you who are attending...that would be GREAT! Let me know....oh, and yes, good walking shoes are a MUST! :)

any hotels closer or for the most part people drive the 30 or so miles to get there????

Most of the rooms close to Paducah are sold out the year before and since the Executive Inn is not open this year, there will be a need for more rooms out of town. These I gave will go fast. The KenLake Cottages are not all that nice, but the Aire Castle and the Sportsman's Lodge are very nice and clean.

perfect....wonderful....thanks for the quick reply....

I spoke to the Sportsman's Lodge today and did see the web site....

Aw Paducah my friend and I usually stayed at Hampton Inn and we could walk to Hancocks we would always take out sewing machines and sew. It was so neat we would sew and think on something else we needed from Hancocks and walk back. Be sure and go to the mall they have wonderful vendors there and the Rotary Club. Also wonderful vendors downtown and along the way, they make it so convient for you if you ride the shuttle. Someone else mentioned Eleanor Burns fairgrounds. Be sure and take little snack and water in your bag. Also lots of money and the granddaddy of your credit cards, camera. They have a TV station that has nothing but quilting info on it. Hope you do not have to stay to far away, we were lucky we booked our room from one year to the next. Be sure and have FUN FUN. Don't bother with Hobby Lobby they are so very limited on fabric, to bad they use to have lots and lots at a very good price. If I think of more I will let you know.

My tote is 6 feet tall and about 250 pounds! ROFL!
I have a room in Marion. Marion has lots of nice eating places and other handy ammenities. It's only about a 45 min drive from Paducah.

everyone MUST see the Museum. even my text happy little 17 year old who thinks quilting is not for anyone under 30 loved it. Oh kids, gotta love 'em.

Don't worry if you have to get a room out of town. Even when we have a room in town, we rarely have time to go back to the room during the day. We stay on the go the whole time.

The suggestion to wear Crocs and socks is a great one. I wear them every year. Crocs are also a great choice for every one in the family, if you go to Disney World. I digress.... :)

Wear something cool. One year I took some cute little pant outfits that weren't all cotton and I nearly burned up. The next year, I took cute cotton tshirts. You need a light jacket for night. It will cool down.

Refill your water bottle at the water fountain. Save your money for fat quarters!

Well we stayed many years on a house boat for a great price. Its a boatel the marina is green turtle bay in grand island. Its about 20 mins from Paducah. If your have 4 or 6 friends its alot of fun. THe boat has everything like a kitchen, 1 1/2 baths large table, couch and 4 double beds. it is really alot of fun, many quilters rent the boats and each night there is a show & tell. check it out. its worth it.

Hi from Pa. Three friends and I are going this year. I will give them the suggestions you all have shared. We have revs. at the Comfort Inn & Suites in Benton Ky. We have never been there but are very excited to go. We are driving and hope to find some quilt shops along the way. Thanks for the parking tip and the shuttle. Two of the ladies are older and I hope they can rest some at the show. I am excited and can't wait to go. We are planning for a week our time is not limited we are all retired.

You are gonna love it! The quilts are fantastic and the booths are great! I spent $600 on fabric alone at Hancocks of Paducah. I believe they had a sale that Saturday and Sunday. We stayed at a State Park Resort, really nice and not too far away. Lucky girl, wish I was going this year! Have fun!

The best thing to remember is to have FUN, keep a good attitude and be prepared to say excuse me about every 15 seconds. For the most part everyone is courteous. There are chairs here and there but there is always the floor. They do have food vendors outside the convention center, but who wants to spend their money on food when you can smuggle crackers and candy bars.

Staying at the Comfort Inn in Benton (Draffenville, Ky), you will be real close to a Dominoes Pizza, Subway, Arby's, Hardees, Ponderosa and Dairy Queen. It is right off the Purchase Parkway, which joins I-24 and takes you right to Paducah (Exit 4)(Hancock's Fabrics).

Smuggle smuggle smuggle! that's why I have a BIG coach bag. The little one is for my phone money etc. but the big one is for water snacks and tums. :) Sometimes I embarras my hubby but funny, I always have what he needs!

this weekend, I am going to break the news to Chuck and tell him all about "My Paducah Trip".....since I am new to quilting and he does not understand it, this is going to be a very very long weekend.
If he does not agree...I am still going....AND I CAN NOT WAIT!

I am sure I will be a kid in a candy store, I am getting so excited just writing this note....I am doing the Paducah Dance!!!!

Boy you sure are a lucky one living so close.

Darlene...this should be an interesting weekend then...but I'm sure he goes to things he likes...so....alls fair, right???

My DH likes my quilting...of course he has to since I drag him everywhere. :wink:

Be sure to check out the flood wall, it's next to the quilt museum. It tells the history of paducah.

Awww Darlene...I bet he is a really cute and sweet super nerd though :wink: :lol:

I've never been and I want to go sooooo bad. Tell me all about it.