Every quilt show has a unique personality, and every quilter has different goals for what they want to focus on when they head to a given show.
Are you looking for inspiration from the contest quilts?
Do you live in a quilt shop desert and need to do some shopping?
Are you looking for a new sewing machine?
Do you want to pick up some new skills by taking workshops?
The American Quilters’ Society QuiltWeek show in Paducah, Kentucky, offers something for everyone. The town embraces QuiltWeek as well, resulting in many events in addition to the main event.
Today, I’m sharing three sample itineraries for a Paducah QuiltWeek visit:
- Do-It-All Trip
- Avoid the Crowds Trip
- One Day Whirlwind
All of these schedules can easily adjust to work with your particular goals.
Do you want more education? Add more workshop and lecture time.
Does leaving the main show for lunch sound terrible? Incorporate more Lunch and Learn lectures or take advantage of the food vendors in front of the convention center.
Over the past few years, I’ve written a lot about traveling to Paducah for QuiltWeek, so I encourage you to check out those posts as you plan your trip.
Key Events in Paducah During QuiltWeek
Before we dive into some sample schedules for QuiltWeek, let’s look at some of the locations that are highlights of the week.
I’ve done my best to provide accurate information, but I always suggest checking the hours for QuiltWeek with each location before you visit, especially some stand-alone shops.
American Quilters’ Society QuiltWeek Show
The American Quilters’ Society (AQS) show is the centerpiece of your week in Paducah. This show started it all and continues to showcase some of the most exquisite quilting done today. The show features a range of quilting styles, including traditional, art, and modern aesthetics. It also includes many workshops, lectures, and special events to keep you busy for the entire week!
Workshops and special events start earlier in the week, but the main show runs from Wednesday through Saturday.
Website:
Hours:
- Wednesday-Friday: 9 am – 5 pm
- Saturday: 9 am – 4 pm
Some workshops and special events happen in the evenings as well.
Admission:
- 1-Day: $12 member / $15 Non-Member
- 2-Day: $21 member / $27 Non-Member
- Multi-Day: $28 member / $35 Non-Member
See the website for additional pricing information and registration for show entry, workshops, lectures, and more.
Where:
Schroeder Expo Center, 415 Park Street, Paducah
National Quilt Museum
The National Quilt Museum includes exhibits of quilts in their permanent collection as well as temporary exhibits, including:
- Option Expedition by Victoria Findlay Wolfe
- A Life in Color by Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry
Website:
National Quilt Museum Quilt Week Hours
- Monday-Tuesday: 10 am – 5 pm
- Wednesday: 9 am – 6 pm
- Thursday: 9 am – 7 pm
- Friday: 9 am – 6 pm
- Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
- Sunday: 1 – 5 pm
Admission:
$12 General Admission or $15 Multi-Day Pass, valid Monday through Saturday. (This is the best value, but you must purchase it online beforehand.)
Yeiser Art Center
Fantastic Fibers is a phenomenal textile art exhibit that incorporates quilting and much more. This exhibit is the perfect juxtaposition to the main quilt show, with quilts and textile art incorporating a wider range of styles and themes.
Website:
Hours:
Tuesday-Saturday 10 am – 5 pm
Fantastic Fibers Reception: Friday, April 25, 4-6 pm
Admission:
Free, Donations Welcome
Where:
200 Broadway, Paducah, Kentucky
The Paducah Quilt Show
The Paducah Quilt Show is separate from the AQS Quilt Show hosted by A Quilter’s Destination Quilt Shows and is a short drive from the convention center. In 2025, this show has 17 vendors and several exhibits:
- Antique Quilts
- NACQJ Challenge: Circles
- Wooden Barn Quilts Exhibit and Sale
- SAQA: Color in Context: Red
Website:
Hours:
- Tuesday, April 22 – Saturday, April 26, 2025
- Tuesday-Friday: 9 am-4 pm
- Saturday: 9 am-2 pm
Admission:
$3
Where:
Floral Hall at Carson Park, 301 Joe Clifton Drive
Hancock’s of Paducah
This massive shop is one of the largest quilt stores in the world. It’s best to go into the store with a plan, so I shared a post with tips for shopping at Hancock’s a couple of years ago—that advice is still valid!
Website:
Quilt Week Hours at Hancock’s of Paducah:
Check the website and social media for details.
Where:
3841 Hinkleville Road, Paducah, KY
Downtown Shopping
Muppin’s Sewing Emporium
Muppin’s Sewing Emporium is a boutique fabric shop in downtown Paducah featuring many unique tools and notions.
Website:
Where:
117 N 4th Street, Paducah, KY
Muppin’s Sewing Emporium Quilt Week Hours:
Check their website and social media for QuiltWeek hours.
Standard hours are: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm.
Cherrywood
Cherrywood fabrics are hand-dyed and known for their rich colors. During QuiltWeek, Cherrywood operates a pop-up shop and a gallery of challenge quilts and offers classes and events.
Website:
Cherrywood Hand Hand-Dyed Fabrics
Where:
Pop-Up Shop
Pinecone Gallery: 421 N. 7th Street, Paducah, KY
Challenge Exhibit
502 N. 5th Street, Paducah, KY
Hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 9 am – 5 pm
Saturday: 9 am – 3 pm
Paper Pieces
Paper Pieces features all things English Paper Piecing and other unique items.
Website:
Where:
Pop-Up Shop
533 N. 5th Street, Paducah
Hours:
Check the website or social media for current hours. Previous QuiltWeek hours were:
- Wednesday-Friday: 8:30 am – 6 pm
- Saturday: 9 am – 2 pm
Sample Itineraries for Paducah QuiltWeek
The Do It All Trip to Paducah QuiltWeek
Tuesday
Noon-2 pm: The Paducah Quilt Show
2-4 pm: National Quilt Museum
4:30-6:30 pm: Awards Ceremony
7-9 pm: Sneak Preview Night (If you only want to invest in one special event, this is my favorite!)
Wednesday
Morning
- 8:30 am: Watch or Participate in the Quilt Parade
- 9 am- 11:30 am: View the show, starting with the Dome Pavilion
- 11:45 am- 1 pm: Lunch and Learn with Catherine Redford (Skip the lines at the food vendors!)
Afternoon
- 1 pm – 5 pm: View the show in the main building
- 2-4 pm: Quilt Art Calendar Meet and Greet: Buy your planner for 2026 and get it signed by many featured artists.
- Grab a Mid-Afternoon Snack (I suggest the strawberry shortcake) from the food vendors in front of the convention center.
Evening
- 6-8 pm: All-Star Review OR
- 6:15-7:30 pm: National Quilt Museum VIP After-Hours Meet & Greet with Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry
- Grab a Late Dinner near your hotel or around the mall.
Thursday
Morning
- 9 am: Hancock’s of Paducah
- Head Downtown for Lunch at Branch Out
Afternoon
- 1-4 pm Take a Workshop or add a lecture to your schedule OR
- After lunch until 5 pm: View the Show Downstairs, Upstairs, and Dome Pavilion
Evening
- 6 pm: Live Auction at the National Quilt Museum OR
- 6-8 pm: AQS Game Night with Alex Anderson
Friday
Morning
- 8:30-11:30 am Take a Workshop or add a lecture to your schedule
- 9 am- Lunch: View the Show, Downstairs, Upstairs, and Dome Pavilion
- Head Downtown for Lunch at Paducah Beer Werks
Afternoon
- After Lunch: Visit the National Quilt Museum
- Visit Muppin’s Sewing Emporium and explore other downtown shops
- 4-6 pm: Attend the Fantastic Fibers Reception at Yeiser Arts Center
Evening
- 7-9 pm: A Musical Evening with Ricky Tims OR
- Get reservations for dinner at a downtown restaurant.
Saturday
Morning
- Paper Pieces Shop
- Cherrywood Pop-Up Shop and Challenge Exhibit
- 11 am: National Quilt Museum: Meet the Artist: Victoria Findlay Wolfe
- Lunch at Kirchhoff’s Deli
Afternoon
- After lunch – 4 pm: View the Show, Downstairs, Upstairs, and Dome Pavilion
Evening
- Get reservations for dinner at Freight House or Patty’s 1880’s Settlement.
Avoiding the Biggest Crowds at Paducah QuiltWeek
Tuesday
7-9 pm: Sneak Preview Night (If you only want to invest in one special event, this is my favorite!). Start in the show’s upstairs room and head downstairs later in the evening.
Note: I debated whether or not to include this event in the “avoiding crowds” timeline. Quite a few people attend, but if you want an early look at the show, this is the time with the lowest crowds.
Wednesday
Our first impulse when attending a big show is to head to that show first thing in the morning on the first day. The best part of QuiltWeek in Paducah is having events spread throughout the town. To avoid the biggest crowds, I suggest not going to the main show on the first day, or, if you do go, wait until two or three in the afternoon.
Morning
- Start your day at the National Quilt Museum
- Shop at Muppin’s Sewing Emporium
- Visit the Yeiser Arts Center
- Stay downtown for Lunch at Kirchhoff’s. Kirchoff is always busy, but many people stay at the main show for lunch on the first full day of the show.
Afternoon
- Go to The Paducah Quilt Show in Carson Park
- Shop at Hancock’s of Paducah
Evening
- Take a workshop at the show while the building is comparatively empty OR
- Get reservations for a downtown restaurant or head to restaurants slightly further from the convention center to avoid the largest crowds.
Thursday- Saturday
After the show’s first day, crowds disperse around the main show and town. Mornings are always the busiest on the show floors, so you should plan on seeing the contest quilts in the afternoon.
Here is a sample of a relatively low-crowd schedule for the last three days of the show:
Morning
Take a workshop or attend lectures early in the day. (Note that workshops are typically capped at 24 participants, but lectures can be very crowded at the venue in Paducah.)
Afternoon
- You can walk along the river, take a trolley, or drive downtown for lunch at a restaurant like Paducah Beer Werks.
- After lunch – 5 pm: View the Show Downstairs, Upstairs, and Dome Pavilion. The closer you get to the end of the day, the more empty the show floor becomes.
Evening
- Take a workshop at the show while the building is comparatively empty OR
- Get reservations for a downtown restaurant or head to restaurants slightly further from the convention center to avoid the largest crowds.
There are many fun events during QuiltWeek, but most involve crowded venues. You can always add these events to your schedule, knowing that you must prepare to be around a large group of people.
The Do It In A Day Trip to Paducah QuiltWeek
It’s challenging to do a major event in a single day, but you can see the highlights if you pace yourself and keep track of your time.
Morning
- 9 am: Arrive at the show right at the start to make the most of your day. Start in the Dome Pavillion to see special exhibits and shop the vendors with the lowest crowds.
- Head to the main show until lunch.
- 11:45 – 1 pm: Give your legs a break and get lunch during a Lunch and Learn Session. You won’t waste time tracking down food or waiting in line, and you’ll hear a great speaker.
Afternoon
- 1 pm: Visit the Expo Center to see the rest of the contest quilts, vendors, and special exhibits.
- Finish the afternoon at the National Quilt Museum.
Evening
- Evening workshops are available Wednesday through Friday OR
- Make a Reservation for dinner at Freight House or Patty’s 1880’s Settlement.
What do your plans for QuiltWeek look like?
As you plan your visit, make sure you have all of your plans in place:
- Hotel Reservations (If you don’t have this taken care of, you need to do it now and expect to stay further away.)
- Register for show entry, workshops, lectures, and special events. (These do sell out!)
- Make reservations for any restaurants you want to make sure you can get into. (Particularly Freight House and Patty’s 1880s Settlement, which are both popular local attractions)
- Download the Showbook as soon as it becomes available. Before you arrive at the convention center, look at the maps and parking locations.
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