IDEAS Santiam Scrappers Quilt GuildLinn County Fair

Fair quilt exhibits can be true fair attractions

LEBANON, OREGON...These ideas are suggestions to make quilt exhibits at small county fairs true fair attractions. Similar activities are part of quilt exhibits we've experienced in Alaska and elewhere.

This is an outline of ideas to improve fair quilt exhibits. Details are on ACQC's Web site—Click here.

Promoting, publicizing is very important

Promoting guild quilting events must be a very important part of all events. Promotion and publicizing quilting events will bring more visitors for all events. This applys to quilting events at county fairs as well as guild sponsored, stand-alone events.

The outline for promoting and publicizing such quilting event is based on Canadian Quilting Association's "Guidelines for Publicizing Quilting Events" (it's a pdf file on that page).

Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild
(SSQG)
Suggested Activities

New–Plan well in advance–Must do

• Begin now for 2007 fair
• Time table with plan outline
• Publicity & promotion plan

New–Promote, publicize–Must do

• Widely–Must do
• In advance–Must do
• Beyond fair exhibitor books
• Beyond guilds, quilters pubs
• During fair–Must do

Presently–SSQG at fair

• Booth, quilt & sew demos
• Various other activities
• Free fair pass, Booth sitters

New–Fair quilt show, CFQG/TVSF-style

• Publicize
• Quilt exhibit supers, Option 1
• Show or guided tour, Option 2

New–Quilt exhibit activities

• Find a block
• Mystery quilt contest

New–SSQG table activities

• Quilt shop, long-arm quilters displays
• Invite non-guild quilters to help at SSQG table
• Different quilts–on SSQG display
• Paper quilt blocks–contest
• Quilting stars–contest
• Quilt dater–fairgoers bring quilts for dating
• Post cards–fairgoers make
• Gift bags–fairgoers make
• Quilt block on paper–kids make
• Cheater quilts–do for newbies
• Community service quilts–fairgoers help
• 4-H type quilting, sewing–for fairgoers
• Drawing a quilt–young ages make
• Drawing a quilt–all ages make
• Glue a quilt block/quilt–all make
• All awards at SSQG table

New–New quilters & non-quilters

• Ugliest fabric–contest
• Mini quilt–demos, activity
• Color match: ?
• Fabric post card, fair theme–make
• Quilting trading card–make

New–Dedicated quilters

• Embellished quilts–contest

New–Digital quilts

• DQ done at home–contest
• DQ done at fair–contest

Publicity Guide–Quilting Events

Based on Canadian Quilters’ Association/Association canadienne de la courtepointe (CQA) publicity guide.

Publicity timetable–quilting event

• One year–Committee, first PR
• 8 months–Plan event, press list, PR,
• 3, 4 months–Store display contacts
• 2 months–Contact radio, TV
• 6 weeks–Newspaper PR's
• 3, 4 weeks–PSA's, store flyers, ads
• 3, 4 weeks–Press invites, VIPs, photos
• Day of event–Photo area, meet press
• Day after–Post PR's, photos
• Week after–Thank you's, event report

Newspapers, magazines

• News release format
• Preparation for mailing, folding
• Where to send release, editors
• Press coverage, editors names

Tickets

Radio, television

• Copy format

Internet (not from CQA)

• Web sites
• Write for "scanner" readers
• Basics–Lively, factual, tight, clear, short
• Short simple paragraphs
• Good headlines
• Friendly style
• Check readable, scannable, clear
• Search engine targeted

Quilt Show in CFQG/TVSF-style

Based on Cabin Fever Quilters' Guild (CFQG) at the Tanana Valley State Fair (TVSF) quilt show in Fairbanks, Alaska: Outline of what CFQG members actually do at TVSF.

• Quilt exhibit superintendents & judges
• Booth sitting & show presentation
• 45 minute show–Display quilts & spoken quilt stories
• Every hour on half-hour–Afternoon & evening
• Publicity
• Quilt displays
• Small quilt silent auction