Houston Quilt Festival

[cindyg]

Just a little article here:

Fall 2010 show most successful ever
Houston’s International Quilt Festival breaks all-time attendance record!
HOUSTON—November 23, 2010—Quilters from around the country and all over the world certainly have something to be thankful for just before the holiday season, because they are part of a record! The total attendance for the recent 2010 International Quilt Festival/Houston was 60,162—a 15% increase over last year’s total.

“I just knew that this year’s show was going to be incredible, so that figure doesn’t surprise me at all,” says Festival founder and director Karey Bresenhan. “I could feel it in the energy on the show floor, and the number of people I saw shopping, taking classes, and viewing those gorgeous pieces of quilt art. Everywhere you looked, there were quilters!”

In addition, the show featured 546 exhibitors (up 7% from ’09) taking out 992.5 booths (up 3% from ’09). Of those, 51 exhibitors were brand new to the show. In terms of class enrollees, 4,862 attendees took part in Festival’s Quiltmaking Academy—a 14% jump from last year. Quilt Festival also regularly ranks in the top-three attended conventions and trade shows in the city of Houston each year.

And that shouldn’t be surprising. According to the 2010 Quilting in America™ survey, there are also 21.3 million active quilters in the U.S. quilters who spend $3.6 billion annually on their passion. And that’s more than golfers, fishermen, or gun/hunting enthusiasts do on theirs, according to USA Today.

“That’s the statistic that really throws people for a loop!” Bresenhan laughs. “And so many people have a very set idea of what a quilter is or what she looks like or what she does, but these facts and our attendees certainly challenge that notion. Today’s quilters are modern artists in their own right, and more and more people are realizing that. Especially once they see the special exhibits displays at Festival!”

In other Festival-related news, the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative raised $54,437.75 through the sale of miniature quilts. The Ina Stentiford Memorial Award for quilts in the exhibit “In Full Bloom: Floral Quilts in Memory of Helen Pearce O’Bryant” went to Mariet Nieskens for Turqouise Flowers on My Quilt. Winners in “The Festival Gallery of Quilt Art: Wonders of the World” exhibit were Eileen Campbell for Flower Songs (1st place) and Betty Busby for Sandia Mountain Spring (2nd place).

The International Quilt Association also awarded $98,250 in cash prizes in their annual fall Judged Show, “Quilts: A World of Beauty.” The Handi Quilter Best of Show Award ($10,000) went to Sharon Schamber for Mystique. All winners also got to keep their quilts. You can view all the winners on IQA’s web site at www.quilts.org.

The dates for the 2011 International Quilt Festival/Houston are November 3-6 (with Preview Night on November 2). Other editions of Festival include the debut of International Quilt Festival/Cincinnati (April 8-10 with Preview Night April 7) and International Quilt Festival/Long Beach (July 29-31, with Preview Night on July 28). You can also find Festival on Facebook and follow it on Twitter under “QuiltFestival.”

[kenderosa]

Boing, Boing, Boing!!!!

Sue

[1quiltinnana]

Cindyg....I think you are addicted to Quilt Festival in Houston. LOL

[TheKid]

I have about 8 friends that are going to Houston this year for the
show. We are all green with envy for them. The Quilt store is paying for everything, but the flight and their food. What a joy
to work for that quilt store. Wishing.

[zfatcat]

I wished I lived closer. I usually go to Road to California and Long beach. They are both very big shows. Lori

[purrfect-lady]

boing. sigh.

[Quiltmom]

I am coming. I have my ticket and I can't wait. My son lives in Houston so I won't have to rent a car or get a hotel room. That means more money for fabric. Yah! Hah! I have never been there so I am really excited. Two weeks from today can't get here fast enough.

[DebbieLynn]

I will be there, hope to see some of you there!!

[TooMuchFabric]

Can't wait for the pictures and stories!!! Hope you have loads of fun and spend, spend, spend!!!

[TheKid]

Has anyone been to the new Houston this year. Please give a report on some of the new things, tools, etc. It is always exzciting to hear others tell what they have seen.