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Major National Show
Houston International Quilt Festival
The largest quilt show in the world — 1,000+ vendor booths, thousands of quilts, 50,000+ attendees.
2026 Dates
Nov 12–15
Location
Houston, TX
Attendance
50,000+
Houston International Quilt Festival is the largest quilting event on the planet. Held every November at the George R. Brown Convention Center, the show fills 11+ acres of exhibit space with juried quilts from around the world, over 1,000 vendor booths, and hundreds of classes. International quilters travel to Houston the way pilgrims travel to holy sites — it is the show against which all others are measured.
The festival has run annually since 1974 and has become the defining commercial event in the quilting world. If you can only attend one quilt show in your lifetime, this is the one to choose.
What to expect at Houston
- 11,500+ juried quilts on display across multiple themed exhibits
- 21,000+ vendor booths — the world's largest quilting trade show
- 3500+ classes and workshops, often taught by the field's most prominent instructors
- 4Special exhibits curated by major museums and quilt historians
- 5Quilters from 35+ countries; many international vendors and teachers
- 6The Patchwork Players fashion show featuring wearable art garments
- 7Major awards ceremony with cash prizes totaling over $200,000
History of Houston
The first International Quilt Festival was organized in Houston in 1974 by Karoline Patterson Bresenhan and Nancy O'Bryant Puentes — three years before the famous 1976 Bicentennial quilt revival took hold in the US. The original show had 11 quilts and 1,000 visitors. By 1990 it was drawing 30,000; by 2010 it had passed 60,000. The 50th anniversary show in 2024 drew over 50,000 attendees from 35 countries.
Established
1974
Annual month
November
Follow Houston on social
Quilters attending and posting about Houston use these hashtags on Instagram and elsewhere:
#quilthouston#houstonquiltfestival
Frequently asked questions
When is Houston International Quilt Festival in 2026?+
Houston International Quilt Festival 2026 runs November 12–15, 2026, in Houston, Texas at George R. Brown Convention Center.
Where is Houston International Quilt Festival held?+
Houston International Quilt Festival is held in Houston, Texas at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Who organizes Houston International Quilt Festival?+
Houston International Quilt Festival is organized by Quilts, Inc. (https://www.quilts.com). The show has run annually since 1974.
How big is Houston International Quilt Festival?+
Houston International Quilt Festival draws approximately 50,000+ attendees annually. It is one of the major national US quilt shows.
What's the history of Houston International Quilt Festival?+
The first International Quilt Festival was organized in Houston in 1974 by Karoline Patterson Bresenhan and Nancy O'Bryant Puentes — three years before the famous 1976 Bicentennial quilt revival took hold in the US. The original show had 11 quilts and 1,000 visitors. By 1990 it was drawing 30,000; by 2010 it had passed 60,000. The 50th anniversary show in 2024 drew over 50,000 attendees from 35 countries.
Other quilt shows you might consider
QuiltCon
Raleigh, NC · Feb 25–28, 2027
The premier modern quilting convention — bold solids, negative space, and the cutting edge of contemporary patchwork.
AQS QuiltWeek Paducah
Paducah, KY · Apr 22–25
The longest-running major quilt show in America — Paducah is the spiritual home of the AQS and a bucket-list trip for serious quilters.
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show
Sisters, OR · Jul 10, 2027
The largest outdoor quilt show in the world — 1,300+ quilts displayed across the buildings of downtown Sisters, Oregon, for one Saturday in July.
AQS QuiltWeek Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, FL · Feb 18–21
AQS's winter show — escape the cold and quilt by the beach.
Plan your full quilting year
See every major US quilt show in 2026, plus quilt-along calendars, swap schedules, and shop hops.
NiftyFifty is not affiliated with this show. This listing was compiled from publicly available information. Confirm or correct it — or ask us to remove it, no account needed.