GEMRM

Looking for input from those who have been to both versions, are they equal? Is one better than the other?
My friend and I went to the spring one the year that everything was disjointed and staggered in difference locations due to high water/risk of floods.
We'd like to go again.
None of the local tour companies are going to the spring one in 2019, but one company is going to the fall 2019. We could postpone and go Spring 2020....
Please give me your thoughts. TYIA

cjsews

The fall show is much smaller than the spring show. Not nearly as many vendors. Not sure if the whole town is as involved as in the spring. The year of the flood did move a lot around but it was back to normal after that.

quilt-fanatic

After 9 years of going to Spring Paducah, I am not going this year because the Fall show has 'dilutated' the Spring show - not only in attendance, but vendors are stretched thin. Spring is just not the same. Worst of all, Hancocks was not prepared last year - no Moda, no kits cut, no patterns avail, they had nothing that even interested me. Probably not going back

craftdiva

Now I know you wanted to hear from people who had done both shows. I haven’t but my sister has. She runs bus tours from Canada down. I went last fall. She said personally she preferred the fall. She couldn’t get over how we could get right up to the displays and really see them. Sometimes the creators were there and we had great conversations. I was with her when she was dealing with the admin of the show for things. They said they’ve gone back to the two shows because they’ve had so many vendors complaining that they couldn’t get spots. They were back logged with a waiting list. This helped them apparently. The whole town seemed to be involved. The free trolley was wonderful. Hotel prices she said were better as well. Hancock’s was definitely ready for us. Spent lots there. Lots of displays around town. Quiltman joined us on a bus tour of the city. My sister says she’s keeping her tours there to the fall. Less people so just easiervall round. I thought there was a lot of vendors personally. Got good deals on a few things.

GEMRM

Thank you both for the input.
Craft Diva - can you please PM me with the name of your sister's tour company? I'm about 90 minutes from Toronto (if your sister is near there.)

sewbizgirl

I went to Spring and Fall in 2018, and both were tons of fun. There's a little bit more going on in the Spring, and the quilt show seems to have more quilts... but there were still plenty to look at in the Fall show. A few less vendors, but still plenty. And not quite so many people visiting Paducah during the Fall show.

One thing tho... I think going twice in one year was too much for me. I got Paducah Burnout. Now I don't want to go back for a few years. Once a year was just right.

All the little pop up stores in town were there in the Fall, but the vendor mall in the old Finkle's store was not. And the hurt book sale was held in the quilt show, so you couldn't see it without paying show admission.

Hancock's was full of beautiful fabric to sell us in the Fall. And whoever said they didn't have kits cut must not have found the back room full of kits. There were as many as ever.

melodyr

Spring is crowded and busy...lots of vendors and things to see. Fall is a bit more laid back...as a local, I love the fall show, but there aren't as many vendors....still a bunch, but spring has more. The quilts are just as fantastic though.