It’s one of the most popular hobbies in the country, one with a warm, storied past and an even more blazing future on the cutting edge of contemporary art. And beginning this year, Midwesterners in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana will get to see what quilting is all about at the debut of the spring edition of International Quilt Festival in Cincinnati!

“We are very excited to bring the show to the Queen City,” says Festival Founder and Director Karey Bresenhan, who also oversees other editions of Festival in Long Beach and Houston — the latter of which annually draws more than 60,000 attendees! “The area has always been rich with quilters and fabric artists, and a lot of them have never been to a show of this size before!”

International Quilt Festival/Cincinnati will take place April 8-10 at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio . Classes will begin April 7, and Preview Night will be held the same day from 5-9 p.m.

Quilting is big business! As reported in the most recent Quilting in America™ survey, there are more than 21 million quilters in the U.S. who spend nearly $3.6 billion annually on their passion. According to USA Today, that’s more than is laid out by hunting/gun enthusiasts, fishermen, and golfers combined.

But you don’t have to be a quilter—or even know how to thread a needle—to enjoy so much of what’s available at the show.

There will be almost 400 shopping booths offering antique and contemporary quilts and fabrics, patterns, notions, and books for the quilting and sewing enthusiast. Festival visitors will also find everything from antiques, crafts, and home décor items to clothing, jewelry, bags, and other accessories.

On display will be over 500 incredible quilts and other works of fabric art in 18 different special exhibits. These textile artworks run the gamut from antique time-honored patterns to cutting-edge contemporary fabric artistry.

Among this year’s exhibit highlights are “America Collects Quilts®: The Works of Susan Shie,” which feature the sometimes controversial artist’s unique works; “Baltimore Album Review II: Baltimore ’s Daughters—Friends Stitch Past to Future,” an inspiring exhibit of quilts created in the Baltimore Album Style; and “Celebrate Spring! 2011,” a Judged Show in which the theme is the season of renewal.

Via EPR Network
More Entertainment press releases