I have only read the first two pages of replies. I have not yet entered a quilt into a show, but I love attending shows. In my region shows tend to be every two years and in a nearby community with two guilds they alternate years. This gives one show in the region each year. Some people belong to more than one guild.
All the quilt shows I have attended have had an admission fee, usually between 5 and 10 dollars. Each has had vendors, and an area to get tea, coffee a sweet and sometimes soup.
There also is a great display of quilts that are judged at my local fall fair.
At the show I attended last year, there was a huge variety of quilts a various skill levels. As a viewer I was just as happy to view the less skillfully made quilts as the incredible works of art. It made me feel good about my own level of quilting competence to see that others are brave and will show their work at all levels
As far as viewers choice goes, when I vote, I am not looking at technique, accuracy in piecing and beautiful bindings. I am voting for the quilt that keeps me coming back to look at it. It may be simple or complex, it just has to speak to me. Viewers choice is not a judgement of any of the other quilts, it is a personal choice of which quilt speaks to me.
I belong to a newer Modern Guild. We have been invited to put some small 72-96 inch perimeter quilts that represent the modern esthetic in the traditional guild's show later this spring. My guild will collect the entries at our April meeting and select members of the MQG will judge them prior to them being chosen for entry. I am new to modern quilting and happy to go through this judging process. I will not be upset if my project is not chosen for the show. If it is chosen I have to do one shift at the show. This is the rule of the guild putting on the show. I will also have to pay admission when I do my shift. That is okay by me. It takes a huge amount of work to put on a quilt show and I am lucky to be fit and healthy and a willing worker.