The Central Carolina Quilt Fair, presented by the Salisbury-Rowan Quilters Guild, is coming to the West End Plaza, 1935 Jake Alexander Blvd., West, for its biennial two-day show.

Scheduled for May 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and May 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., cost is $8 with proceeds going to support the guild’s community service work, including quilts of valor for Rowan County veterans, cuddle quilts for the Rowan County Family Crisis Center and Nazareth Children’s Home, and pillowcases for local presentations to Nazareth Children’s Home and also to the national organization, Ryan’s Case for Smiles.

More than 100 quilts organized by category of use will be on display at the show, ranging from bed quilts, wall hangings, crib quilts, miniatures and quilts made to wear and then divided into categories of pieced and appliqued, said Holly Little, who, along with Chloe Goho, serves as co-organizer of the event.

Serving as judge for this year’s show will be Kathleen Rountree of Hendersonville.

The judging will take place prior to the event, and ribbons noting first, second and third place, will be put on the winning quilts so visitors can see these winning creations and learn about them in the show’s brochure.

Visitors may participate in voting for the Viewers’ Choice Award while at the event.

“We do have a small number (of quilts) for sale, which will be noted on the tag along with the price,” Little said.

This will be the 34th year for the show, which began in September 1990 when a group of women, “who shared the same passion, decided to get together and meet regularly,” she said.

This original group consisted of nine women, Goho shared, with seven of these members still here.

The guild has approximately 50 members now, down since COVID, Little said, and meets Thursdays at the Rufty Holmes Senior Center, 1120 S. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ave., in Salisbury. Visitors are welcome.

In addition to the quilts on display, there will be many more things taking place during the two days including the chance to win one of the 100 door prizes, demonstrations of quilt-making tools, fabric, embellishments, techniques and machines, Little said.

A raffle quilt, made by guild members Shelley Lenhausen and Cyndy Ward, will be given away at a drawing on Saturday afternoon. Tickets for this queen-size quilt called Peaceful Passion, will be available both days at a cost of $1 per ticket or $5 for six. You do not have to be present to win the raffle.

There will be two additional drawings, at 3 p.m. both days, where the winners can receive baskets full of awesome things, Little said, however, you do have to be present to win these drawings.

A silent auction is another featured event with multiple items to bid on ranging from kits, quilts, tools and more.

They will also be offering a Granny’s Attic Boutique with fabric available for purchase at $4 per yard, patterns, notions and additional quilt-related merchandise.

For those who don’t quilt, but perhaps knit or do other types of needlework, there will also be other craft items available at the show, she noted.

For those not wanting to leave and get lunch, an on-site tea room will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. offering chicken salad sandwiches and dessert for purchase, provided by local caterer, Debbie Suggs.

However, for those who wish to leave at some point in the day and return, attendees can do so as there will be a re-entry point, Little said.

Members of the 4-H club will be volunteering in the tea room as she mentioned they work with 4-Hers, thus giving them credit for their volunteer hours served.

Quilted items will not be limited to inside the building as it was noted their fun and popular Quilted Car, created by Lenhausen, will return to the show and once again provide lots of fun photo opportunities.

New this year will be another car on display, a 1943 World War II Army Jeep, owned by Little’s husband, Commander Dr. Harry Little, a United States Navy veteran. Named “the General, this Jeep was in live battle action during the war, going to the Crow’s Nest, she said, and later used in a Stephen Spielberg movie, “Band of Brothers,” and would likewise be a great chance for photos.

Both vehicles will be parked at the entrance of the building.

A crowd of 400-500 people are anticipated over the two-day period, during which time attendees can see multiple designs of quilts made by makers of all levels of expertise. 

Quilts are part of our history, said Little, “and quilts tell the story of people’s lives from the time they came over to the United States with the colonists.”

When women were not allowed to talk politics, quilts were used to share their views as they stitched symbols in them, and they continue to be used today as women at churches make them to give to new and retiring pastors, for gifts, fundraisers and more.

“So quilts have been, especially for women’s world, their voice. And so it’s still happening today,” Little said.

Because the quilt fair is not an every year event, she encouraged people to come as it would be a chance to “see something that doesn’t come around in the community a lot,” and it would be a fun opportunity to shop and “just a wonderful way to spend part of your day.”