Tucked into a small city, QuiltWeek in Paducah is one of the largest quilt shows in the United States. Each year, Quilt City, USA, welcomes quilters from around the world to experience not only the main quilt show but also exhibits and events throughout town.
The main quilt show gets most of the attention, but there is so much more quilty-goodness to experience during your visit. This article is updated for the 2026 QuiltWeek.
Attend the Main Show
The main event in Paducah is the official QuiltWeek show, run by the American Quilter’s Society, which is primarily held at the convention center, with some workshops and special events held offsite.
Preparing for the Show
You can find information about the 2026 AQS Paducah QuiltWeek on their website. I recommend downloading the show book ahead of time to help with planning. It includes maps of the venues and parts of the town, parking and shuttle information, and lists of vendors and participating quilts.
I also download the showbook to my phone so I don’t have to carry the paper copy every day. The tags on the show quilts don’t include technique information, so I’d like to be able to look it up as I move through the show.
One Show, Three Key Spaces
The central portion of QuiltWeek is held in the Schroeder Expo Center, the Convention Center, and the Dome Pavilion. Within these spaces, the show is divided into three primary areas.
Main Show Floor
The main show floor includes all the quilts in categories 1-9. These are the large quilts in the show, which also include the specialty categories of Modern (category 9) and Group Quilts (category 5).
Many vendors, including those who sponsor the event, are also located on the main show floor. The contest quilts are centered on the floor, and vendors are in aisles along both sides and along the back.
The main show floor is the most crowded in the morning, especially if you are there the first full day of the show. If you prefer a less crowded experience, start in one of the other spaces and then experience the main show floor after lunch.
In the center of the main show floor, you will find the gallery of major award winners, including Best of Show. These quilts are typically displayed so you can see both sides. The makers of some of these quilts are frequently there talking about their award-winning quilts, so it is very crowded throughout the day. This is a great time to meet the makers and find out more about their process.
If you want to take a leisurely close-up look at these quilts, try seeing them towards the end of each show day.
The first, second, and third-place winners are displayed together in each category.
The contest quilts are displayed in groups of three, with two sides and one quilt flat to the back and a chain in front to prevent people from getting too close. This means the quilts on the sides are challenging to photograph, and those on the back are hard to see up close. If I can’t see something well, I often take a photo of the back quilt and then zoom in on the photo to get a better look.
Also, know that this show does not have white-glove volunteers to help you see the backs of the quilts.
Upstairs
Head upstairs to see quilt show categories 10-16 in the second-floor room, along with special exhibit quilts and many more vendors.
When you enter the space, the show quilts are to your left, and the vendors are to your right. The quilts displayed in the upstairs room are smaller, all less than 60″ wide. Specialty categories in this space include Fiber Art/Mixed Media Quilts (category 14) and Miniature Quilts (category 16).
Accessing the Second Floor
To access the convention center’s second floor, you must take the stairs or the elevator. Since there is only one access point, this part of the second floor can become congested. If you have mobility issues or are using something on wheels, like a tote with class supplies, you will want to take the elevator, but otherwise, the stairs are generally the best choice.
Dome Pavilion
Because this show is so big, it can’t be contained in the main convention center, so a temporary dome/inflatable bubble/marshmallow is set up to accommodate even more vendors and exhibits. This space is enormous!
Many people miss this part of the show, but you definitely want to check it out!
The AQS learning center is in this space and offers free presentations throughout each show day. It’s fun to take a break and sit down for a few minutes. The presentation schedule is available on page 29 of the Show Book.
It is a short walk from the main convention center, or you can take a shuttle between the two spaces.
Note: This structure has some pressurization that helps it stay standing. I have found that opening my mouth as I go through the revolving door eases the transition between indoors and outdoors.
Visit the National Quilt Museum
I suggest heading to the National Quilt Museum if you only have time for one attraction outside the show. The museum’s spaces host a wide range of exhibits showcasing quilting in many styles and methods. Many of the top awards for Quilt Week in Paducah are purchase awards that add the quilts to the museum’s permanent collection. Sometimes, the museum has a few of these quilts on display, and it is fun to see how quilting styles and techniques have evolved over the years.
In 2026, exhibits during QuiltWeek include:
- Latifah Saafir: It Was All a Dream
- New Quilts From an Old Favorite: Food
- Janet Stone: And Now I Know My ABCs!
- Tula Pink: Twenty Years of Tula Pink
You’ll want to check out the National Quilt Museum website for more information about special events for QuiltWeek.
The National Quilt Museum is located at 215 Jefferson Street between the convention center and downtown Paducah. The museum has limited parking, but large public parking lots are nearby. There are trolley routes that go downtown. The museum is also a short walk from the convention center. I suggest walking from the back of the convention center along the riverside path toward downtown. Walking along the road between the convention center and downtown may appear shorter, but traffic moves quickly and isn’t the most pedestrian-friendly.
See More Quilts
The quilt show doesn’t end at the doors of the convention center! There are places to see quilts throughout the town.
Yeiser Arts Center
Embracing the use of fiber in all forms, the Fantastic Fibers exhibition in the downtown Paducah gallery showcases quilts and so much more. This annual Yeiser Center juried show is a beautiful complement to the main QuiltWeek show because it includes Modern and Art quilts, as well as other traditional and not-so-traditional textile- and fiber-based art. If you want to work with more of an edge, you should take advantage of this!
The Yeiser is right downtown at 200 Broadway, just a couple of blocks from the National Quilt Museum.
Downtown
Many shops and venues have window displays featuring contemporary and historic quilts. Additionally, you can find small shows and shops selling quilts and related merchandise throughout the town. The Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau has an extensive list of exhibits and events happening around the city. In 2026, there is even a special quilt exhibit at the River Discovery Center that I am looking forward to seeing.
Shop Locally
The show is packed with fantastic vendors, but you also won’t want to miss several wonderful local quilt shops!
Hancock’s of Paducah
What’s a quilt show without some shopping? And what’s a trip to Paducah without a visit to Hancock’s of Paducah?
Before you pass by, thinking that you used to have a Hancock’s in your hometown, this is not the same Hancock’s and has never been. This family-owned shop is one of the largest independent fabric stores in the US and a must-shop location for me.
A few years ago, I wrote an entire post about shopping at Hancock’s of Paducah, and you may want to check it out before heading to the store—it’s big enough that you might want to go in with a plan!
Hancock’s of Paducah is located near the interstate at 3841 Hinkleville Road.
Muppin’s Sewing Emporium
Muppin’s Sewing Emporium opened in downtown Paducah a few years ago, and I look forward to my annual visit. It is owned and run by designer and teacher Cheryl Sleboda, and her shop is filled with specialty patterns, notions, and fun fabrics.
Muppin’s Sewing Emporium is at 117 N 4th Street in Downtown Paducah.
Calico Country Sew & Vac
You would think it would be hard to compete with one of the largest fabric stores in the US just down the road, but Calico Country Sew & Vac has a large selection of fabrics that aren’t available elsewhere in town, and is definitely worth a visit.
Calico Country Sew & Vac is located at 3401 Park Avenue, Suite 4, Paducah, KY 42001
Cherrywood Pop-Up Shop and Gallery
The themed Cherrywood challenge is a hit wherever it goes, and this year, the Abyss collections are all at the convention center. If these amazing quilts inspire you, Cherrywood has a pop-up shop at the Pinecone Gallery featuring richly colored hand-dyed fabrics.
The pop-up shop is at The Pinecone Gallery, 421 N. 7th Street.
Paper Pieces Pop-Up Shop
If you love or dabble in English Paper Piecing, visit the Paper Pieces Pop-Up Shop. It’s packed with large and small EPP projects and other fun quilting items you will want to discover!
The Quilt Week Pop-Up Shop is at 533 North 5th Street, just a few blocks from the convention center.
Backyard Fabrics
Last year was my first trip to Backyard Fabrics, mostly because it is about 40 minutes outside of town. This is a great shop that I wish I had visited sooner!
Backyard Fabric is located at 421 State Route 893, Mayfield, KY.
Eat Delicious Food
No trip plan is complete without thinking about where you want to eat. For a small city, Paducah has lots of good food. Here are just a few of my favorites:
- My favorite Paducah restaurant is Freight House, and you definitely want to get a reservation now if you hope to eat there during QuiltWeek. Over the years, it has become increasingly popular, especially since Chef Sara Bradley has been on two seasons of Top Chef.
- You would never know by the taste that everything at Branch Out is vegan and gluten-free. I’ll be there once (if not more) during QuiltWeek.
- Getting Lunch at the main show can get chaotic, so I often walk (or drive) toward downtown to eat. Paducah Beer Werks is relatively close, has good, reasonably priced food, and often has Quilt Week specials.
- Kirchhoff’s Deli is a classic for a reason. The sandwiches are great, and the sweet baked goods are phenomenal.
- Something about this quilt show makes me want ice cream, and there are two good places downtown to get it: Craving the Curls and Forever Sweet Creamery.
- If you are craving something a bit spicier and can go slightly out of the convention center area, I’m a big fan of Thai@US and end up there at least once each year.
- Patti’s 1880’s Settlement is a bit of a drive from Paducah, but it has become a QuiltWeek legend. It’s a delightful tourist trap in a historic village setting, and the restaurant serves traditional American food. It isn’t particularly friendly to many diets (including vegetarian), so check out the menu before you go. They do have delicious bread served with strawberry butter, which was the most memorable part for me!
Find More to Do During Paducah Quilt Week 2026
There is always way more going on around town than anyone can do in the few days during the quilt show. If you are looking for other fun quilting (or non-quilting) things to do, try looking at the Paducah visitors’ website.
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