Knoxville - Lodging and Special Events Info

The summer AQS Quilt Show and Contest will be held July 13 - 16, 2011 at the Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley Street, Knoxville, TN 37902.

Information on the show and registration information is available here.

Lodging - Book Early and You Could Win!
Book your hotel rooms early and have a chance to win a package of fun in Knoxville. Just click here to book your room online.

Early Bird Prize Package:
Free multi-day admission to the AQS Quilt Show, July 13 – 16, 2011.
3-night stay during the 2011 show at the Holiday Inn Downtown (closest hotel)
Experience Knoxville Fun Pack with attraction passes and discounts, including 2 passes for a luncheon cruise aboard the Star of Knoxville, 2 regular adult admissions to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, 2 admissions to Voices of the Land: The People of East Tennessee at the Museum of East Tennessee history, and 2 free tours of Blount Mansion.

This package is non-transferable and has no cash value. Deadline for booking your rooms to win this package is June 1, 2011. Winner will be announced on the AQS Quilt News blog on June 3, 2011.

Special Events
There are plenty of activities for having fun at the show.
Here is the complete list of special events.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011
22101 Awards Presentation, Exhibit Hall, 8:40-9AM Free
22102 The Quilter's Link, Lecture Hall, 10-11AM Free
22103 AQS Authors' Roundtable Andi Reynolds, Lecture Hal,l 4:30-5:30 PM Free
22104 Quilters' Fun Night Laura Wasilowski and Bonnie Browning, Lecture Hall, 7-8:30 PM $15

Thursday, July 14, 2011
22201 Elvis Murder Mystery Cruise-without transportation, Star of Knoxville, 6-9pm $45
22251 Elvis Murder Mystery Cruise-with transportation, Star of Knoxville, 6-9pm $52
22202 An Evening with Karen K. Stone, Lecture Hall, 7-8:30pm $15

Friday, July 15, 2011
22301 Art Quilts - The Musical - Laura Wasilowski, Lecture Hall, 7-8:30pm $15

Saturday, July 16, 2011
22401 Brunch w/ the Mennonite Sisters: The Quilting Journey of Barbara Cline, Julia Graber and Polly Yoder, Ballroom A, 9-10:30am $26
22402 All-Star Review, Ballroom A, 1-3pm $15

Click here to go to online registration, or call 270-898-7903 (Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Photos of projects and supply lists are available online; you can also print the registration guide under the Registration tab.

Des Moines Registration Guide

Make your plans now to attend the 2nd AQS Quilt Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. The listing of hotels is on the AQS Web site. Here is a link that will take you right there:
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http://www.americanquilter.com/documents/shows_contests/desmoines/09_desmoines_hotel_list.pdf .
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You should call the hotel directly to make your reservation and be sure to tell them you will be attending the AQS Quilt Expo.
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The AQS Quilt Expo is held in Hy-Vee Hall at the Iowa Events Center. Classrooms are on the first floor, and the exhibit hall is on the second floor. A food court is on level 3, and other food venues are located in the hallways throughout the building.

The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is one of our Sanctioned Events. They will be having floral displays in quilt designs, and an exhibit of quilts sponsored by American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. Admission is free with your show name badge.

See the state capital at night.

These photos are courtesty of the Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau.


The Registration Guide for the AQS Quilt Expo in Des Moines is being printed.
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We are busy working on getting all of that information online so we can begin online registration as soon as possible. We will post here when the online registration is ready.
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If you want a copy of the printed Des Moines Registration Guide, you can send an e-mail to Laura Davis, lauradavis@AQSquilt.com or fax your request to 270-898-1173. The cost of the printed guide is $2.00.
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We have some fun events in Des Moines, including a fashion show of Celebrity Bags by Christopher Nejman - wait until you see the techniques he uses; An Evening with Ami Simms; The Denim Divas fashion show where you can show off your own embellished and decorated denims; a fun time with Eleanor Burns; and Brunch with Karen Kay Buckley. That's a sneak peak of what's happening in Des Moines.
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Bonnie Browning

Daffodils are Blooming in Paducah

When the daffodils start blooming, you know the AQS Quilt Show will be here soon. The AQS office is a buzz of activity as we prepare for the show.

The name badges will be mailed early next week for those who registered before March 12. Be sure to store your confirmation letter and name badge in a safe place and to bring it with you to the show. The blue paper with your name and the item numbers for your confirmed events is your name badge. When you arrive at the show, you'll need to stop at the table by the Workshop Desk to pick up your plastic name badge holder to put the badge in.

Have you registered for the 25th Anniversary Celebration & Reception that will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22? There will be some fun surprises in store for those who attend. In addition to this year's winners receiving their awards, all of the past Best of Show winners will be honored - they are our special guests for this celebration.

We have had a couple of changes in locations of our events - due to construction at the hotel. The Annual Quilt Auction will be held at the Carson Four Rivers Center from 4 - 6 p.m. on Thursday. Viewing of the live auction items will be held there from 3 - 4 p.m. In addition, Live on Stage: 30 Years of Eleanor Burns will be held at the Carson Four Rivers Center on Thursday from 7 - 8:30 p.m. Buses will transport you from the AQS Bus Stop (4th St. & Executive Blvd.) starting 45 minutes before the start of each of these events; the buses will return to take you back to the AQS Bus Stop at the conclusion of the program.

Also, the Afternoon Tea with Nancy Zieman on Tuesday (3 - 4:30 p.m.) and the Brunch & Fun with Helen Squire on Saturday (9 - 10:30 a.m.) will be held in the rear section of the Patio Restaurant rather than the Showroom.

25 years - do you know that more than 10,000 quilts have been exhibited in Paducah since that first show in 1985. And AQS has awarded more than $2.5 million in cash awards to winners in the contests over these 25 years.

Many of the workshops are filled, but there are still a few seats left in some. You can check out the status of the classes on the registration site on our Web site. This link will take you directly to online registration.
https://events.americanquilter.com/getdemo.ei?id=41&s=_0V00YAFYK .

If you still need lodging for the show, there are still some homes available in the AQS Home Bed & Breakfast program that is coordinated by the Paducah Visitors Bureau.
Here's the link to their Web site for AQS B&B Guest Application and you can sign up right online:
http://www.paducah.travel//forms/index.cfm?formID=5 .

AQS Quilt Show time is almost here....

Bonnie Browning