Which Paducah?
 

I just realized that there are 2 annual shows in Paducah, one in Spring and one in the Fall. I have never been to either. Is one of them better than the other? (i.e. vendors, no. of quilts in the show, etc.) I would like to go this year. As I live in CA, it will be an expense for me.
Thanks for your comments.

I'm going in April. This is the first time for a fall show there so no one knows how it will be. I don't know how they can have a Best in Show winner in April and another a few months later unless the same quilts are shown and a runner up gets Best in Show at the fall one.

My understanding is that the fall Best of Show is a Viewers choice. But it is viewers choice from the best quilts the judges pick out. That is only preliminary, they could change it.

I am sorry that AQS has discontinued so many of the shows around the country in favor of doing two in Paducah. Syracuse was the only AQS show close enough for me to attend easily. Now that show is gone, along with many others. Apparently the class enrollment and the gate sales were not high enough to warrant a lot of them.

Funny, I felt the opposite -- that is, they seem to have added more and more (too many) shows! So I went to their site to investigate: in 2016, there were 8 shows, which was more shows than previous years, but 2017 and 2018 will both have 6. So I guess they are scaling back. Must not have been cost-effective.

If you are going this spring, there might not even be a hotel reservation you can get. They book up early. We camp at the state park in Metropolis, IL. I've gone to the spring show several times and I absolutely love it. I've met many of the quilting stars (and YES, some do want applause after every few words they speak, but that's another story). The quilts are unbelievable and there are so many. I will go again this year, if I can. I definitely recommend the spring show.

Yes all the big name are there and your statement is so true of some of them. LOL No one is more gracious then Eleanor Burns and she has always been accessible to everyone with a big smile all day. Sharon Schamber, the best quilter I've even met and probably will ever meet, is very friendly and usually in her DD's vendor's booth doing demos.

Wow. I had no idea until I read it here about the fall quilt show. I had planned on going to the Spring show, but now might go in the fall. Maybe both, as I live fairly close. I learn so much here on this board.

I've gone to the spring show for over 12 years and it is always wonderful. Lots of beautiful quilts, great stimulation and, of course, lots of vendors with all the new things. As has been said, hotels book up a year in advance although you can sometimes get "lucky" with late openings when tours don't fill up.

This year I'm checking out the fall show and hotels are all nearly booked for that one as well.

Hope you enjoy the show - just bring your walking shoes as the whole town is involved with vendors spread at the convention center and downtown as well as spending time at the National Quilt Museum.

I live nearby and have always gone to the spring show. Since this is the first year for the fall...who knows?? I'll go to that, too, and we'll all compare notes afterwards. I believe the fall show is the one where the viewers will participate. The spring will continue to be all judged. Lodging may be easier to find for the fall show at this point. I think it's a bit late to find for the spring. I can't imagine that the AQS would put on a bad show and Paducah is a unique place to visit.

I have been to the Syracuse show twice and will miss it! It was a great day trip and I always found several things I needed/wanted/just HAD to have.