AQS Quilt Show & Contest (American Quilter's Society)

If you love quilts, you'll want to attend the AQS Quilt Show at DeVos Place Convention Center, August 12-17, 2013.

More than $40,000 will be awarded in the quilt contest. A huge Merchant Mall will feature the very latest in quiltmaking supplies, antique and new quilts, and quilt related gifts. Classes are geared to all levels of quilters, from beginners to advanced, featuring traditional techniques like piecing, applique and quilting and extended to the latest in surface embellishment with paint, thread or embroidery.

Four days of quilts and fun with quilters from across the United States and around the world.
More than 400 quilts will be on exhibit.

Show hours and admission:

Wednesday - Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday - 9 am - 5:00 pm
Admission: Advanced tickets - daily admission $10; at the door $11. Multi-day admission is also available for $30. Advance tickets must be ordered 30 days before the show.AQSshows.com/AQSGrandRapids/tours

You won't want to miss visiting the:

Grand Rapids Public Museum - General Admission Price is $8.00 for adults; $7.00 for Senior Citizens and $3.00 for children. The AQS Attendees and their families will receive a $1.00 off of admission when showing their conference badge.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum will be open from 9 :00 am to 9:00 pm on Tuesday; and 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Wednesday through Saturday during AQS. They will offer a collection of approximately 10 quilts, that will be available for White Glove viewing. This bonus will be complimentary with paid admission. White Glove Viewing will be available from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm daily; and 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Tuesday night.

The Community Archives and Research Center is a collaborative support facility which houses the historical documents and artifact collections of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Experience first-hand about how the museum's collections are stored and preserved. Specialized tours of individual collections such as Clothing & Textiles (including quilts), Furniture, Native American Collection and decorative arts can also be arranged to enhance the general tour of the facility. Wear your walking shoes. Group meets at the CARC building. Behind the scenes Tour pricing is $12.00 per person and must be scheduled.

Gerald R Ford Museum will be celebrating Gerald R. Ford's 100th birthday.  

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park - this 132-acre attraction features the most comprehensive outdoor sculpture collection in the Midwest, indoor and outdoor gardens, largest tropical conservatory in the state, guided tram tour and café.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) will be featuring The Improvisational Quilts of Susana Allen Hunter. Susana Allen Hunter was an African-American woman who made quilts in Wilcox County, Alabama. Created from the 1930s to the 1970s, Hunters' colorful quilts reflect her life in that rural community. Using her innate flair for abstract design, se pieced together and quilted hundreds of colorful improvisational quilts throughout her lifetime.

Outside of Grand Rapids attractions ideas:

The Quilt Gardens of northern Indiana are only a short 100 miles south of the Grand Rapids area. The Quilt Gardens Tour consists of a colorful patchwork of quilt inspired gardens and quilt-themed murals linked by the roads that form scenic Heritage Trail. www.quiltgardens.com