The Pavilion is almost ready...

The AQS and Freeman (show decorator) staffs visited the new Pavilion on Wednesday.

Here's what we saw...

The front entrance has a revolving main door, with a handicapped entrance next to it. These special doors keep the air inside the dome.

AQS President Meredith Schroeder visits with Paducah Parks Director Mark Thompson. Mark has spearheaded the project of preparing the ground and getting the Pavilion into place in time for the Quilt Show.

Billy Schroeder, Rick Loyd, Bill Schroeder, and Troy Holshouser get to see the 37,000 square feet of space in this new facility.

Natural light comes through the top of the Pavilion; there are additional lights hanging around the perimeter of the facility. While there is plenty of light in the daytime, for evening events, vendors may want additional lighting in their booths.

In this photo, work is underway to level the driveway behind the facility. This is the load-in portico that will be used by vendors to load their materials into the Pavilion. When the outside doors are open, the interior overhead door remains closed; then the outside doors are closed and the interior doors are opened - this maintains the air inside the building. Since AQS is the first group to use this new load-in procedure, we have added an additional day for unloading the vendors who will be in the Pavilion. Contact Kelly Meyer (kelly@AQSquilt.com) if you will be in Paducah and want to beat the crowd by unloading in the Pavilion on Sunday, April 18. Load-in will continue on Monday and Tuesday. Vendors should watch their e-mail for more information from Kelly about load-in at the Pavilion.

Today, the concrete pad for unloading was poured around two sides of the load-in portico. This will allow several vehicles to back up to the pad to unload at one time.

They are almost ready to lay sod around the Pavilion. By the time you all arrive, the booths and carpet will be in place, ready for a quilt show. A special quilt exhibit by Kaffe Fassett & Liza Prior Lucy and the winners of the 2009 AQS/Hobbs Bonded Fibers Fashion Show will be displayed in the Pavilion.

The main entrance to the Pavilion is just down the street from the AQS Bus Stop. You will be able to pay admission inside the Pavilion if this is your first stop at the show.

It's almost Quilt Show time in Paducah - have you made your plans to attend?

Still need lodging? Call the Paducah Visitors Bureau at 1-800-PADUCAH and ask about the AQS Home Bed & Breakfast program - lodging in private homes here in Paducah.

See you soon -
Bonnie Browning
Executive Show Director

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.

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.

Getting Ready for the Pavilion in Paducah

Today Terry Guill and I attended a planning meeting for the Paducah Quilt Show. On our way back to the office, we drove by the lot at the corner of Executive Blvd. and 4th Street where the Pavilion will be located.

They are making good progress in leveling and preparing the foundation for the Pavilion. It is expected to arrive by the end of March.

What does this mean for you if you are attending the show? The Pavilion will be the largest vendor area at the show with 150 booths, plus you'll get to see an exhibit of quilts by Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy, the 2009 winners of the AQS/Hobbs Bonded Fibers Fashion Show, and a Quilter's Park where you can rest your feet. Certified appraisers will have a booth at the back of the Pavilion where you can have antique and new quilts appraised during show hours. The Men's Den will be located in that area too.

The AQS Bus Stop will be right at the main entrance to the Executive Inn (hotel is closed), so you'll be able to ride the shuttles from the participating hotels and be dropped right there by the entrance to the Pavilion. Admission is required for the Pavilion; an Admission Desk will be located just inside the Pavilion, or you can order your admission in advance online by clicking here. (Order your admission by March 10 to receive your name badge in the mail before the show.) 

We'll provide more photos as progress continues.

The quilts have been juried and it's going to be another show with beautiful quilts! If you still need lodging, contact the Paducah Visitors Bureau for an AQS Home Bed & Breakfast form to stay in a private home. Hundreds of quilters stay in private homes each year right here in the city. You can print the AQS Home B&B Guest Application 2010, or call 1-800-PADUCAH with any questions.

See you in Paducah, April 21 - 24, 2010!

Bonnie Browning

Executive Show Director