Got back from the AQS show in Lancaster, PA on Saturday night. What a great town to hold a quilt show in! You couldn’t look in any direction without seeing something quilt related! Hats off to Lancaster for being a wonderful host city! The show was held in their brand new convention center in downtown Lancaster. Evidently we were their guinea pigs as the first big show. I think they passed with flying colors! Everyone was as friendly and as helpful as they could be. Even on Saturday morning as I was looking for the right building for my lecture, the police crossing guard looked at my puzzled face and imediately knew where to direct me. They must have had some town meeting before we came and everyone was briefed!
I stayed at the Days Inn just on the outskirts of downtown (about 2 mi.) and took the shuttle to the Convention Center which was also connected to the Marriott Hotel. Most of the show was located in the Convention Center, but there were also some vendors located in another building which you had to take a shuttle to. There were also some classes in a building across the street. But all in all, it was pretty compact. The Centeral Farmer’s Market was across the street. I had a delicious and inexpensive lunch over there – it reminded me of the Reading Terminal Market (for you Philly people) except in miniature. Actually, the whole town reminded me of a miniature Philly. I also got a chance to visit the Lancaster Quilt Museum, which is definitely worth a visit. Beautiful collection of Amish and Mennonite quilts. The funnest part of the museum was there display of living rooms decorated for Christmas through the decades. A neat journey back in time! Lancaster claims to be the location of the first decorated Christmas tree in America. (I think I have that right.)
No ribbons for Driftwood, but I was very proud to have her displayed along with the other amazing quilts that were in the judged exhibit. You can go to http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/lancaster/2010/quilt_contest/quilt_winners.php to see the winning quilts.
The show is booked for the next two years. Next time I hope to explore more of Lancaster and visit more of the shops in the surrounding area. It’s a neat little city and worth the trip!
Helle-May
Mennonite Quilt from the Museum
Driftwood and me
Definitely sounds like a great location for a big quilt show! IQF is coming up in a few weeks here in the Windy City–I’m looking forward to poking around for a whole day (hubby is even giving me some cash to play with!). Won’t be spending the night anywhere, which means I’ll have to come home at the end of the day and swing dinner, but it’ll still be fun! Driftwood looks TERRIFIC!
Connie