Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
Pigeon Forge invites you to be immersed in the tradition of quilt-making at the 24th Annual A Mountain Quiltfest on March 20 – 24, 2018. More than 500 quilts will compete in a variety of different categories for $20,000 in prize money.
Held at the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, located at 2986 Teaster Lane, the artistic quilts are displayed throughout the 232,000-square-foot event center, and attendees can peruse the vendor booths stocked with quilting essentials and one-of-a-kind accessories.
A Mountain Quiltfest show and vendor hall hours:
- Wednesday, March 21: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Thursday, March 22: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Friday, March 23: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Saturday, March 24: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
A Mountain Quiltfest is an opportunity to not only admire the intricate handiwork used to create the popular American folk art, but to learn and expand your own quilting skills through classes tailored to skill level and technique. More than 70 classes are available during the five-day event for a fee, but admission to the quilt show and vendor hall is free. Free parking is available at the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge.
A complete class schedule and registration is available at MyPigeonForge.com/events/quiltfest.
Class participants on Tuesday, March 20, can enjoy a special lunchtime performance by award-winning cowgirl poet Yvonne Hollenbeck and songbird of the prairie Jean Prescott. Students must register to order lunch in advance at MyPigeonForge.com/events/quiltfest.
In addition to the classes, many people visit A Mountain Quiltfest to get appraisals of heirloom quilts. Cindy Stuart, an American Quilter’s Society certified appraiser, will appraise quilts March 20 – 24 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. by appointment only on a first-come, first-served basis. (Make appointments by contacting Cindy Stuart at 865-980-2162 or cstuart1@hughes.net.)
Several antique quilt bed turnings are scheduled during which local quilters and guild members offer detailed information about collections of quilts made before 1966.
Due to popular demand in 2017, two new Historic Churches of Sevier County bus tours were developed by Kathy Gwinn and feature churches offered for the first time. Gwinn will conduct Tour 2018A on March 21 and March 23 and Tour 2018B on March 22 and March 24. For those who missed last year’s tours, local historian and storyteller Ruth Carr Miller will lead Tour 2017A on March 23 and Tour 2017B on March 24. For a complete schedule and to register for the bus tours, visit MyPigeonForge.com/events/quiltfest.
