The SOQS has been on my bucket list for years, and I was thrilled to finally be able to make it this year. Bonus that it happened to be the 50th anniversary of this iconic show! I arrived in town the evening before, and some seasoned attendees warned me to make sure to arrive very early to the show the following morning. So at 6am I pulled into town and found a nice, shady spot to park right next to the center of the action at Village Green City Park. I was yearning for some coffee, so headed a couple blocks away to the Sisters Coffee Company and started chatting with other quilt show vets. This is where I learned that the local firefighters would start hanging quilts on the side of the local quilt shop at around 7am, marking the unofficial start of the show! The show itself started at 9 or 10 am (I can't remember!), but there was plenty to keep me busy (and plenty of quilts to see) after I watched the firefighter quilt hanging for about 45 minutes. Pretty much every shop in town has quilts on display, as well as all the parks and green spaces. The show seems very organized, with some shops displaying holiday-themed quilts, others displaying animal-themed quilts, etc. There were a few food and drink vendors (including three adorable brothers enthusiastically selling bottled water out of the back of their wagon), and of course every restaurant in town was open for the event, too. The quilts themselves were beautiful, each with a description of technique and often a little story behind the quilt. It was all quite dazzling! By about noon, the weather had gotten too hot (over 100 degrees!) for me to wander much more. I grabbed some lunch and a cold beer, then headed back to the coolness of my car and the drive back to our nearby campsite. Was the show worth the 2-day journey to get there from home? Absolutely! Will I be one of those veterans who attends every year for 50 years? Probably not! But I would definitely like to go again - if nothing else, for the inspo to dust off my quilting rulers and start creating again! read more

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They shut the town down. And open the town up. Sisters (pop. 1,700) swells to over 20,000 for one day in July every year when they host the world's largest outdoor quilt show. What does this mean? It means, if you don't like quilts, don't attempt to drive through town. Traffic is brutal. If you don't like slow moving people, you might want to give it a pass. I attended with my mom this year and after a few instances of me complaining, "Too many people. It's too hot. OMG, can't they walk any faster?" My mom retorted, "Perhaps you shouldn't go back to Japan any time soon." And I said, "It is different there. It is crowded, but they walk with purpose." Complaining aside, this was still a fun event. The entire town gets into the spirit and more than 1,300 quilts are hung outside every building in town. They even tagged a minivan! There are hundreds of styles of quilts, from traditional to contemporary, and many are whimsical or with a cowboy or nature motif. Many are for sale, with prices from hundreds to thousands of dollars. They close Highway 126-20 (Cascade Avenue), so it feels like an enormous block party. Since I'm a regular visitor to Sisters, I got my coffee and food at more obscure spots since lines were ridiculous at Sisters Coffee Co. and most places on the main avenues. So I wouldn't plan on getting a lot of productive shopping done that day. Just go to enjoy the festival, the live music and the happy vibe. Bring your mother. It was fun to see local stores thriving and, for the most part, the businesses and city were set up to handle the crowds. I'll be back next year. Now that I know what I'm getting into, I'll have a better attitude. read more

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Great experience. This was a check off my bucket list. I travelled with a very large group. It was awesome to arrive early (7:30am) and see the quilts being hung. There were uniformed firemen on their truck ladders hanging quilts which drew a lot of attention. The Stitching Post open early which was really appreciated. Sisters got crowded fast. Public restrooms can be found but there were plenty of port-a-potties. Luckily for the latter I has tissues in my handbag because the toilet paper had run out. Volunteer staff patrolled the area all day long driving in golf carts and on foot monitoring the various areas where the quilts hung. Often times these volunteers would straighten out or rehang quilts that were displaced by the breeze. There were lots of places to eat or grab a beverage. Lots of places to buy souvenirs and great opportunities to purchase quilts for sale. What a great memorable day. So very glad I finally made it here. read more

Was up here visiting and it so happened to fall on the weekend of the Quilt Show. If you love quilting you will definitely appreciate this festival. Tons and tons of beautiful quilts lining the buildings of almost all the streets. When we were leaving there was a sudden thundershower! I shudder to think what happened to all the gorgeous quilts lining the tops of the buildings! read more

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show - 2012 - Arts & Entertainment Near Me

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OMG! And I really mean it. As a quilter this has been on my bucket list for several years. When friends suggested it be the focus of our 2017 vacation together I was thrilled! What better combination than 2 of my best friends and surrounded with quilts! Yes, surrounded. It was awesome. We stopped in to ask a few questions of the Park ranger in Sisters, OR the day before the show and she gave us the best advice. Come early (very early) so that you can have a choice of parking and - best of all - watch the quilts being hung. This happens between 7am and 8:30am. We arrived just before 6:30am and found a parking space in the shade. The bakeries and restaurants were open and ready to accommodate the crowds. We were not the only ones who knew this secret! The groups of volunteers that hang the quilts each have their assigned area and proceed to hang the quilts. It was practically like watching a sunrise at the grand canyon - it was that good! The week of the show (always the second Saturday in July) there are quilt classes, lectures and guest speakers in several places. There is always a new poster done by an artist. That artist is on hand the day before and the day of the event to sign your poster if you want. It was more color and creativity in one place than I have ever seen (and I've been to some BIG quilt shows!) The quilters and their quilts came in all varieties and skill sets. Each and every quilt was beautiful in their own way. They were loving displayed and lovingly cared for while out of their owners hands and on display for the enjoyment of many. I had the occasion to work with one of the staff prior to the event and she delivered the best, most compassionate customer service I have received in a very long time. It's the kind of service that I hope I give to customers. The town and the committee were on top of their game for this event. Having done it for 42 years you can tell they use what they learn each year and apply it the following year. We'll be back!! read more

Outdoor quilt show that literally takes over the entire town the second Saturday in July. You will see the most breathtaking quilts ever. From traditional to contemporary to quirky, they have them all. Arrive the night before so you can tour the town and have an idea how the town is laid out. Get up bright and early on Saturday to start your viewing. Even if you aren't a quilter or quilt lover, you will be in awe of the multitude of beautiful quilts that are "all over the place." If there is a spare spot on a side wall or a square of land, there will be a quilt on display. We arrived early and rode bikes around the town Friday night to see how the town was arranged. Saturday morning and we were ready to go. You will not be disappointed. By Saturday evening, the town is back to it's sleepy ways. read more

Very disappointing show this year. The numbers of quilts was way down as was the quality. The traffic was trouble, we had to park in some poor fellows front yard and walk a mile to get to the show after waiting in traffic for two hours. I just don't see Sisters can continue to shut down the highway through town for a day to have this show for much longer. I have heard that the show maybe cancelled because the problems it is has had with access and traffic issues. Does not surprise me this show has really gone down hill fast. Most the people there were not even quilters. It appears to be nothing more than a advertisement for the local quilt shop. read more