2023 Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival

Join the Gee’s Bend community in this annual celebration of its generations-old quiltmaking tradition, featuring quilt displays and sales, workshops, guided tours, panel discussions, food, music, and more.

Known for bold, improvisational designs and use of recycled fabrics, Gee’s Bend’s patchwork quilting tradition, which began in the 19th Century, continues to this day. Hailed by the New York Times as “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced,” Gee’s Bend quilts constitute a crucial chapter in the history of American art and today are in the permanent collections of over 30 leading art museums.

“At this festival, you’ll get introduced to the quilters and to the lifestyle of Gee’s Bend. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get hands-on experience, from workshops to storytelling, and learn what our community is really like. We have a whole different language here, and this is your chance to learn it. A common phrase around here is, ‘You never meet a stranger when you come to Gee’s Bend.’ We can’t wait to welcome visitors to our community at the Airing of the Quilts Festival.”

CLAUDIA PETTWAY CHARLEY