Communities

Quilt festival starts Thursday

The West Virginia Quilt Festival will be held Thursday through Saturday at the Summersville Arena and Conference Center, at 3 Armory Way, in Summersville.

More than 200 quilts will be on display, most of which are the work of West Virginia quilters. There will also be special exhibits of Christmas quilts and live demonstrations of the making of Quilts of Valor to honor those who have served in America's Armed Forces. There will be classes all three days of the Festival, and vendors for those looking for great Christmas gifts for themselves or their favorite quilter.

Quilt making is an Appalachian tradition which continues to this day, with modern quilters creating these beautiful pieces not just to warm beds, but to relieve the stress of modern life.

The theme of the 2023 West Virginia Quilt Festival is "Celebrating Christmas," and many of the pieces shown will reflect that theme.

There will be a separate exhibit of 29 quilts that will illustrate the stanzas of the poem, "A Visit from Saint Nicholas," which was written in 1822 by Clement Clarke Moore. Also known as "The Night Before Christmas," this is one of the first poems that an American kid can really wrap their head around.

The exhibit of small quilts is the work of Sue Reich, a nationally-recognized quilter, quilt appraiser, and published author of nine books.

Over two dozen people created small quilts to illustrate the stanzas of this well-known poem, and Sue assembled this exhibit, which is being shown across America.

She is a certified quilt appraiser, and will be offering this service by appointment.

Admission to the West Virginia Quilt Festival is $10 per day.

Children under 2 are admitted free. The Festival will open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More information about the West Virginia Quilt Festival, including classes, vendors and Ms. Reich's contact information can be found at www.wvquilters.org.