The Paducah QuiltWeek Show is rescheduled for September 2nd through the 5th.
Bonnie Browning, Executive Show Director for the Paducah QuiltWeek Show, said her staff is adapting to the changes. The decision to reschedule the show was made by the AQS, city officials, and the convention center. According to Browning it takes 18 months to put a show together.
“Cancelling the April show and rescheduling is not something that we can do overnight,” Browning said. “I have been at the AQS for 25 years, and we have a great staff, who can roll with the punches to adapt to whatever we need to do.”
Paducah Mayor Brandi Harless says everyone involved is working hard to ensure the reschedule is successful..
“The health and safety of our community is our number one priority,” she said. “Once we get through this tough time with the COVID-19, we will need the economic injection that AQS QuiltWeek provides to Paducah and the surrounding region.”
Paducah City Manager Jim Arndt said he believes this is the best decision and the city is taking “the social distancing guidelines seriously.”
The show has only seen adjustments one other time, and that was in 2011 when the flood gates were installed.The entire show was moved to other buildings, but not cancelled. This will be the first time QuiltWeek has been entirely rescheduled, according to the AQS.
The 2019 QuiltWeek show saw an attendance of just over 30,000. Browning said she does expect the rescheduling to impact attendance numbers.
“We undoubtedly will lose some of the people that come in April, but from doing the Fall Paducah show the last three years, we know there are others who can only come in the fall,” Browning said. “The quilters love to come to Paducah, and they love our Southern hospitality.”
This will be the 36th annual show. The event will still be held at the Julian Carroll Convention Center, Schroeder Expo Center, the Pavilion and the Finkel building.
