the last 3 shows that i went to were $14 each. they were large shows with over 100 venders and hundreds of quilts, many national winners. the rent prices for the organizers and the venders are through the roof and you get almost nothing for free. refreshments are quite expensive for what garbage they are (terrible hot dogs or worse hamburgers).
what you do get for nothing is demos, lessons and small seminars by venders, no one famous. after all, these are free.
you can buy, for $$$$, is classes and professional seminars, some lasting up to 3 days. the bracelet that you get on paying allows you to get in every day of the show, usually thursday through sunday. guilds and other groups come from all over by chartered buses to attend and have made reservations at local hotels. you get pushed ans hoved every time you turn around. if any of you have seen the photos that i post after i go to a show, i can tell you that each pic has taken many minutes of waiting for people to stop chatting about their new furniture right in front of a quilt even though they know someone is waiting. the bathrooms are dirty and by day 2, half the toilets don't flush, so the lines are long and they have to let the women use the men's rooms. you can't get near the venders due to the crowds pushing you along or standing around the more popular ones. whoever says that quilters are the nicest people obviously has not gone to a major show.
right, karen?
i would absolutely spend $5 to see a good, small show and not get squashed like an egg.