The Lancaster Show is Open!

Quilters from across the U.S. and around the world are visiting Lancaster, PA, for the AQS Quilt Show, March 24 - 27, 2010. The show runs Wednesday through Saturday.

Here is a pictoral view of what's happening at the show...

The sun rose on a beautiful opening day for the show.

The show opened with the Ribbon Cutting by Christopher Barrett, CEO of the PA Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau; Mayor Richard Gray; and AQS President Meredith Schroeder.

Quilters waiting for the doors to open

Quilts, vendors, and show souvenirs are at the Lancaster County Convention Center

Shop until you drop is what's happening in the Merchant Mall. There are quilts and vendors in Freedom Hall on Level E, in the Commonwealth Ballroom on Level 2, and Heritage Ballroom on Level 3 in the Lancaster County Convention Center/Marriott at Penn Square complex.

And there are even more vendors at the Liberty Place Conference Center - just catch the FREE shuttle bus in the front of the Penn Square Grille at the Marriott.

And you'll see more quilts at Liberty Place Conference Center too, including these quilts from the Amish Influences exhibit by Sharon Norbutas and Klaudeen Hansen.

Don't miss The Slice of Life quilts by the Coastal Quilt Artists at Liberty Place too.

The Show is open 9 to 6 Thursday and Friday, and 9 to 5 on Saturday. The show is NOT open on Sunday.

Come see the beautiful quilts in the beautiful Lancaster County Convention Center/Marriott at Penn Square at the very first AQS Quilt Show in Lancaster, PA.

The winners' list and photos of the prizewinning quilts are now on the AQS Web site.

Bonnie Browning, Executive Show Director - writing to you from the show!

The Setup Begins in Lancaster

It is Monday, March 22, and the vendors started moving in this morning...and the contest quilts are being hung this afternoon., Tomorrow is another vendor move-in day and the special quilt exhibits will be hung in the morning. Everything will be ready to go by 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday when we will announce the winners in the quilt contest and have the ribbon cutting to open the show.

Vendors unloading...

Klaudeen Hansen and Angela Schade hanging quilts

The A-team from SewBatik setting up their booth

Parking at the Quilt Show: If you are driving to the show, we suggest that you park at the Liberty Place parking lot at 313 W. Liberty St., or at Burle Business Park at 1000 New Holland Avenue. Parking there is $5 per day and there is a free shuttle that will drop you off right in front of the Marriott at Penn Square/Lancaster County Convention Center. These shuttles will run from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. so you can get to class in plenty of time, and can attend the evening events and catch a ride back to your car.

If you park at Liberty Place, stop at the Liberty Place Conference Center to see special quilt exhibits and vendors there before you jump on the shuttle.

I've been here since Saturday so I have had a chance to walk around downtown. The Quilt and Textile Museum is just down the street where you can see quilts from the Esprit Collection. There is a Visitor's Center diagonally across the street from the Marriott; and the Central Market (open Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday) is right behind the Visitor's Center. Lots of fun shops and restaurants that are just a short walk from the Convention Center.

The show opens at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday; we'll have a ribbon cutting with AQS President Meredith Schroeder, Mayor Richard Gray, Christopher Barrett from the PA Dutch Convention & Visitor's Bureau, and other local dignitaries  to open the show.

There are several places to eat at the convention center, including the Penn Square Grille in the Marriott, and there will be food set up in the lobby of the hotel; in the Vine Street lobby (take the escalator downstairs) where there will be a hot buffet, including some favorite foods; and of course, there will be a line with taco salad (this has proven to be a favorite at our other AQS shows); plus there will a variety of food near the Commonwealth Ballroom on Level 2 and the Heritage Ballroom on Level 3 (these locations will be close if you are taking workshops in the classrooms on these levels).

Come enjoy the very first AQS Quilt Show in Lancaster. Show hours are Wednesday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $11.00; a multi-day admission is available.

Update on the Arizon Pavilion in Paducah

I just received a new photo of the Pavilion being installed in Paducah.

They now have the doors and Arizon mechanicals in place in preparation for the installation of the Pavilion later this week.

The Arizon Pavilion is being built by Arizon Structures of St. Louis, MO.
Stay tuned - we'll post more photos as they become available.

Work Progresses on the New Pavilion

Last night I drove by the location of the Pavilion in downtown Paducah and stopped to snap a photo to keep you all up to date. They  now have the concrete floor poured - it is covered here with plastic to protect it from some rain that was in the forecast.

The Pavilion will arrive soon. Watch for another update the week of March 29 - after we return from the Lancaster show.

Online registration for the Paducah show is open.

Free Make and Take Machine Magic sessions at Paducah

We have added some Make and Take sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. You will need to sign up for these free sessions because we only have 25 machines in the classroom. All supplies will be provided by Janome. Sign up today - these spaces will go quickly!

Make and Take Machine Magic
Have some fun sewing on a make and take project – in just one hour! Instructed by a Janome educator, you’ll get to try out the bells and whistles on a Janome sewing machine. Register in advance to secure your seat – space is limited.

Here are the item numbers you will need:

Wednesday, April 21, Roosevelt II Room
#1501 Session #1 9 – 10 a.m.
#1502 Session #2 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
#1503 Session #3 1 – 2 p.m.
#1504 Session #4 3 – 4 p.m.

Thursday, April 22, Roosevelt II Room
#1701 Session #5 9 – 10 a.m.
#1702 Session #6 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
#1703 Session #7 1 – 2 p.m.
#1704 Session #8 3 – 4 p.m.

Each person can register for one Make and Take session; click here to go online to register.

Also, due to popular demand, we have added another session of Use Those Scraps by instructor Linda Baxter Lasco. It will be held in Roosevelt II on Wednesday, April 21, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. This class is #7519. Click on the link above to register.

Update on the New Pavilion in Paducah

This morning, Caryl Bryer Fallert took this photo of the first concrete truck arriving at the new Pavilion site here in Paducah; Caryl can see this site from her porch. They are pouring concrete for the floor for the Pavilion which will arrive later this month. Work is progressing slightly ahead of schedule, according to a report by Mark Thompson, Paducah Parks Department, at last week's City Commission meeting.

You can see from the photo that the new Pavilion will be located on the city side of the flood wall on the block where the AQS Bus Stop and Police trailer sat previously, right in front of the Executive Inn (now closed). The Bus Stop will be relocated to the opening in the flood wall at the entrance to the hotel.

We will post more photos as work progresses.

It is spring - that means there are many quilt shows. The AQS staff will be in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the week of March 22. Then just three weeks later, the 26th Annual AQS Quilt Show will open (April 21). It's a busy time and we hope to see you in Lancaster and/or Paducah.

Registration is open for the 26th Annual AQS Quilt Show in Paducah. You can register online or call the AQS Quilt Show office at 270.898.7903 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

AQS Hits the News in Lancaster

The AQS Quilt Show will be the largest convention in the city's history, according to an article in the Central Penn Business Journal, written by Tim Stuhldreher.

You can read the article here.

The citizens of Lancaster are expecting you! Look for even more quilts in the windows of the stores in downtown Lancaster.

The AQS staff arrives in Lancaster next weekend to begin final preparations for the show. The Workshop Desk will be open on Tuesday, March 23 from 12 to 6 p.m., and the show will officially open with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 24.

See you there!

Rent Scooters & Wheelchairs for the Lancaster Quilt Show

Wheelchairs/Motorized Scooters are available to rent for the AQS Quilt Show in Lancaster, March 24 - 27, 2010.

Rent scooters to use during the show through Keystone Mobility (located in Harrisburg, PA). Scooters are $65/day or $225/full show (Wed. – Sat.); wheelchairs are $25/day or $100/full show. They can be rented in advance by calling Keystone Mobility at 800-858-3060 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday – Friday. Reservations must be placed in advance to guarantee your scooter rental. Please be specific regarding the time you intend to pick-up your scooter.

The Keystone Mobility booth will be located in the Vine Street Lobby of the Lancaster County Convention Center across from the entrance/exit doors, with scooters available on a first come, first serve basis. All areas of the show are handicapped accessible.

Deadline for AQS Quilt Contest in Knoxville is March 22!

There is still time to enter your quilts in the AQS Quilt Show - Knoxville. Entries must be received or postmarked by March 22, 2010.

You can print the rules on our Web site. The completed entry form and CD with your images on it will need to be mailed to AQS, postmarked no later than Monday, March 22.

If you have any questions, call Erin Ulrich, Contest Coordinator, at 270-898-7903, ext. 174.

Good luck -- one lucky quilter will win the $10,000 Best of Show prize!

Parking & Shuttle Services - Lancaster, PA

Here is the very latest information about parking and shuttle services at the AQS Quilt Show in Lancaster, Pannsylvania.

It will be easy to park your car and jump on the complimentary Express Shuttles to get to the Lancaster County Convention Center and Liberty Place Conference Center where all of the quilts and vendors are located. Two parking lots are available for visitors to the quilt show: Liberty Place (313 West Liberty Street, Lancaster, PA 17603), and Burle Business Park (1000 New Holland Ave, Lancaster, PA, 17601). Parking at each of these lots is $5 per car per day. Look for the AQS Parking signs.

Look for these blue buses Wednesday - Friday, and School Buses on Saturday.

Each bus will be marked with the route it will travel.

Park & Ride Parking Lots with Complimentary Shuttle Service: Express Shuttles will transport attendees and vendors at no charge from the Liberty Place and Burle Business parking lots to and from the Lancaster County Convention Center. Shuttle hours begin Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. and conclude at 9:00 p.m. daily. The Saturday shuttle service will use school buses and run from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The Express Shuttle pick up and drop off location is on King Street in front of Penn Square Grille (lobby level of the Lancaster Mariott). The Shuttle Stop at Liberty Place is at the end of Liberty Street (AQS Shuttle Stop signage will be posted). Look for the Shuttle Stop signs in the parking lot at the Burle Business Park lot. A $5.00 daily fee per car will be charged to park at either lot. A handicapped accessible bus will be available at the Liberty Place parking lot only.

Parking – Downtown Garages: There are a number of pay-to-park garages in downtown Lancaster: Duke Street, Prince Street, Penn Square, Water Street, and E. King Street. Daily Rates: $2.00 for the first hour; $1.00 per hour (or any fraction thereof) for each additional hour up to a maximum of $14.00 per day.

Parking – Motorcoach Groups: All motorcoaches (non-shuttle) will be directed to unload on Vine Street. Local police will be on hand to monitor traffic control. The Burle Business Park lot, located at 1000 New Holland Pike, will be used as a satellite parking lot for ALL visiting motorcoaches and charters.

Parking – Vendors: Vendors at the Liberty Place Conference Center will be parked at their location. All vendors for the Lancaster County Convention Center will be park at the Burle Business Park lot at 1000 New Holland Pike. A special van shuttle service for the vendors will be provided from the Burle Business Park lot to the convention center (during setup on Monday and Tuesday) and will be operated by Friendly Transportation, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All other days, vendors may use the Express Shuttle, which will run from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Hotel Shuttle for Overnight Guests: Guests who booked lodging through the Lancaster County Passkey Reservation Center will receive a complimentary shuttle pass for the duration of their stay. Overnight guests must show their Passkey/shuttle pass to use one of the four hotel shuttle vehicles (Passkey shuttle passes will be distributed by the hotels at check-in to those whose name appears as registered guests - if you have any additional people staying with you, be sure to call (800 PA DUTCH) Passkey to add their names so they will get a shuttle pass too). Hotel shuttle pick up and drop off will be in front of the Lancaster County Convention Center Queen Street Entrance. If a non-Passkey guest desires to ride the hotel shuttle service, they must purchase a shuttle pass on site at the Lancaster County Convention Center or at Liberty Place Conference Center for a fee of $15.00 per day.

Hotel Shuttle Route service, provided by Conestoga Tours:

Route 1 – Howard Johnson, Wingate by Wyndam, Quality Inn, Country Inn & Suites, Lancaster Host, Tanger Outlets.
Route 2 – Tanger Outlets, Historic Strasburg, Fulton Steamboat, Red Roof Inn, Continental Inn, Country Inn of Lancaster (Spring Blossom Quilt Festival – AQS Sanctioned Event), Hawthorne Inn.
Route 3 – Hampton Inn Greenfield, Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn, Fairfield Inn, Homewood Suites.
Route 4 – Eden Resort, Lancaster Arts, Days Inn Route 501, Willow Valley.




Directions to Liberty Place Parking:
Designated parking will be noted. Attendants will be on site to direct you.
Directions from Baltimore/York:
Merge onto I-83 N
Exit 9; follow Rt. 30 East to Lancaster
Exit at Fruitville Pike
Turn right and proceed south on Fruitville Pike
Proceed through 3 lights and cross Richard C. Scott (railroad) Bridge
At Neptune Diner (on your right), turn right onto West Liberty St.
Proceed 2 blocks to the corner of N. Charlotte & W. Liberty Streets

Directions from Philadelphia:
Take PA Turnpike (Rte. 76) West toward Harrisburg
Exit 286 for Reading & Lancaster. Follow Route 222 S to Lancaster
Take exit for Route 30 West
Exit at Fruitville Pike
Turn left at 2nd light onto Fruitville Pike south
Proceed through 3 lights and cross Richard C. Scott (railroad) Bridge
At Neptune Diner (on your right), turn right onto West Liberty St.
Proceed 2 blocks to the corner of N. Charlotte & W. Liberty Streets+

Directions from Harrisburg:
Route 283 East to Lancaster
Merge onto Route 30 East
Exit at Fruitville Pike
Turn right and proceed south on Fruitville Pike
Proceed through 3 lights and cross Richard C. Scott (railroad) Bridge
At Neptune Diner (on your right), turn right onto West Liberty St.
Proceed 2 blocks to the corner of N. Charlotte & W. Liberty Streets

Directions from Pittsburgh:
Take PA Turnpike (I-76) East
Take Exit 247 and follow route 283 East to Lancaster
Exit at Fruitville Pike
Turn right and proceed south on Fruitville Pike
Proceed through 3 lights and cross Richard C. Scott (railroad) Bridge
At Neptune Diner (on your right), turn right onto West Liberty St.
Proceed 2 blocks to the corner of N. Charlotte & W. Liberty Streets



Directions to BURLE Business Park Parking Lot:
Directions from Harrisburg:
Take 283 East to Lancaster; the road turns into Route 30 East.
Route 30 East to New Holland Avenue Lancaster exit.
Turn Right.
BURLE is first left at the second traffic light.
Directions to BURLE Business Park Parking Lot (continued)
Directions from Baltimore/Washington:
Go to 695 West-Towson exit.
Follow 695 West to I-83 North towards Harrisburg/York.
In York, take Route 30 East to Lancaster.
Then take Route 30 East to New Holland Avenue Lancaster exit.
Take a right hand turn.
BURLE is the first left at the second traffic light.
Directions from Philadelphia
Take 1 South to 41 North to Route 30 West.
Take Route 30 West to New Holland Avenue Lancaster exit.
Turn Left.
BURLE is the first left at the second light.

Directions from Lancaster Airport
Follow road out of airport to 501 South. Follow to junction of Route 30.
Take Route 30 East to New Holland Avenue Lancaster exit.
Turn Right.
BURLE is the first left at the second light.

Advanced registration for the Lancaster show has now closed. Check at the Workshop Desk in the Hallway outside Freedom Hall at the Lancaster County Convention Center; the Workshop Desk will be open 12 - 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 23, and 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. on show days. All registrants will need to stop at the Workshop Desk to pick up your badge holder. Registrations for those who registered after February 10 and all international registrants will need to stop at the Workshop Desk to pick up your name badge. Your name badge is your admission to all of your confirmed events.

The quilts are arriving...and we will all be heading to Lancaster soon.
See you there!

One More Day to Register for Lancaster AQS Quilt Show

Wednesday, March 3, is the last day to register for the AQS Quilt Show in Lancaster. Register by 3:00 p.m. central time on March 3 and your name badge (which is your admission to all of your confirmed events) will be waiting for pickup at the Workshop Desk at the show.

Attention charter tour groups: If you want to avoid standing in line waiting to purchase admission tickets, you also need to call to order your tickets by 3:00 p.m. on March 3.

After registration closes, the AQS staff will be busy preparing the name badges for everyone who registered between February 11 and March 3 at 3:00 p.m. so you can pick up your name badges at the Workshop Desk at the show.

There are still openings in lectures and all of the special events except Eleanor Burns, and a few spots in workshops. After March 3, you can check on availability and purchase tickets at the Workshop Desk at the show. The Workshop Desk will be located in the hallway just outside Freedom Hall in the Lancaster County Convention Center, and will be open Tuesday, March 23, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., and starting at 8 a.m. on show days, March 24 - 27.

Don't miss the 3 p.m. deadline on March 3. Registration is locked at 3:00 p.m. that day.

If you have registered and need to check on the supply list for your classes, the supply lists are included on your confirmation that was e-mailed or mailed to you, OR you can still access that information on the registration site. You will need to input information required in that first screen in order to view the individual workshops. You can view or print the supplies for any workshops... but registration will be closed and no additional registrations can be added after 3 p.m. on March 3.

See you all at the show. It's going to be a great first AQS Quilt Show in Lancaster, Pennsylvania!

Bonnie Browning
Executive Show Director