Quilt Show History
A World of Quilts Show was the impetus for the formation of the Northern Star Quilters’ Guild. What started as a small show to raffle a quilt and raise money to support the local American Field Service has grown into a large event that helps promote the art of quilting. A World of Quilts is now held the first weekend in May of each year. The show has several hundred quilts on display including about 200 registered quilts, a charity raffle quilt, and invitational displays by award winning quilters as well as displays by our special interest group(SIG) members and quilts made during the year as part of NSQG activities. Additionally, there are quilts for sale, numerous vendors, demonstrations, and lectures by a nationally known speaker.
A World of Quilts helps NSQG maintain its purpose of promoting interest in and encouraging participation in the art of quilting, while stimulating and coordinating the efforts and talents of individuals interested in quilting. Proceeds from the raffle quilt support a chosen charity, other funds raised support the educational activities of NSQG that in turn help to keep the art of quilting flourishing.
All aspects of quilting – traditional to modern to improvisational to fiber arts – can be found at our show.
The first two “A World of Quilts” shows (1980 and 1981) were small, fund raising events, admission was $3, held at Somers Intermediate School; however, by the third show, more space was needed. The guild approached Sr. Barbara, who was Principal of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School (now Kennedy Catholic High School), about using the school for this purpose. In 1981, “A World of Quilts” moved to its new home at JFK, where it remained for 34 years.
“A World of Quilts” continued to grow with an attendance of 3,300 in 1983. Initially the show was held in early to mid-April, but in its fifth year, 1984, the show date was moved to the first weekend in May – the weekend it has been held ever since. The quilt show flourished even more with a peak attendance at the 1990 show of 3,602 that included 15 buses!
The arrangement with Kennedy hosting guild meetings and quilt shows continued until 2015. In that year, “A World of Quilts” moved to the O’Neill Center, on the campus of Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, CT. No shows were held during the Covid pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the show relocated to SUNY Purchase College, NY.