The Festival of Quilts returns from 30 July to 2 August 2026, bringing together quilting enthusiasts, textile artists, hobbyists, beginners, families, and creative professionals for one of Europe's largest and most inspiring quilting celebrations. Hosted at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, this internationally recognised event showcases creativity, craftsmanship, education, and innovation within the world of quilting and textile arts. Visitors can experience an unforgettable day filled with beautiful exhibitions, educational workshops, live demonstrations, shopping opportunities, and inspiring artwork created by talented makers from around the world.
Whether you're discovering quilting for the very first time or you're an experienced maker looking for advanced techniques, The Festival of Quilts offers something for every level of experience. Thousands of visitors attend each year to admire breathtaking displays, learn new skills, purchase premium supplies, and meet experts from across the quilting industry.
Save Up to 38% on Adult Admission
This special ticket offer allows visitors to enjoy significant savings on selected adult admission tickets.
Saturday Adult Ticket (11:00 AM Entry)
- Original Price: £24.20
- Offer Price: £15.50
- Discount: 36%
Sunday Adult Ticket (10:00 AM Entry)
- Original Price: £21.75
- Offer Price: £13.50
- Discount: 38%
The highest available saving is 38%, making this an excellent opportunity to experience Europe's largest quilting exhibition at exceptional value. Ticket availability is limited and valid only for selected admission dates.
What Visitors Can Experience
The Festival of Quilts is much more than an exhibition. It combines learning, shopping, entertainment, and artistic inspiration into one unforgettable experience.
Visitors can explore:
- Hundreds of beautiful handmade quilts
- International textile art galleries
- Large competitive quilt exhibitions
- Professional demonstrations
- Educational talks
- Interactive workshops
- Specialist quilting retailers
- Fabric collections
- Sewing tools
- Creative accessories
- Community exhibitions
- Live presentations by industry experts
Every hall offers new inspiration, making it easy to spend an entire day discovering fresh ideas and innovative techniques.
World-Class Textile Galleries
One of the biggest attractions is the spectacular collection of textile galleries featuring internationally recognised artists and creative organisations.
Visitors can admire:
- Contemporary textile artwork
- Traditional patchwork masterpieces
- Modern quilting techniques
- Award-winning competition entries
- Innovative fabric art
- International exhibitions
These galleries showcase exceptional craftsmanship and provide endless inspiration for both beginners and experienced creators.
Extensive Learning Opportunities
Learning is one of the biggest highlights of the festival.
Visitors can participate in more than 370 workshops and talks covering topics suitable for all experience levels.
Popular learning sessions include:
- Beginner quilting
- Patchwork basics
- Machine quilting
- Hand stitching
- Fabric selection
- Colour coordination
- Advanced quilting methods
- Decorative embroidery
- Textile design
- Creative finishing techniques
Professional tutors guide participants through practical projects while sharing valuable industry knowledge.
Incredible Shopping Experience
Shopping enthusiasts will love browsing the enormous marketplace featuring over 200 specialist brands offering quilting and sewing supplies.
Visitors can purchase:
- Premium fabrics
- Sewing machines
- Quilting rulers
- Cutting tools
- Threads
- Needles
- Patterns
- Books
- Kits
- Decorative accessories
- Creative materials
- Storage solutions
Many exhibitors introduce exclusive products and seasonal collections during the event, making it an exciting destination for textile enthusiasts.
Inspiration for Every Skill Level
The Festival welcomes everyone regardless of experience.
Ideal for:
- Beginners
- Hobby quilters
- Professional textile artists
- Sewing enthusiasts
- Creative students
- Families
- Designers
- Teachers
- Craft clubs
Whether your goal is learning a new hobby or improving advanced quilting skills, you'll discover endless inspiration throughout the event.
Family-Friendly Experience
The event creates a welcoming atmosphere for visitors of all ages.
Families can enjoy:
- Colourful displays
- Interactive exhibits
- Creative demonstrations
- Educational experiences
- Inspiring artwork
- Relaxed exhibition spaces
The combination of creativity, education, and entertainment makes it an enjoyable day out for everyone.
Meet Industry Experts
Visitors have the opportunity to interact with respected quilting professionals, artists, educators, and exhibitors.
The festival regularly hosts:
- International quilting experts
- Award-winning artists
- Professional tutors
- Textile innovators
- Creative designers
Learning directly from experienced professionals helps visitors develop new ideas and improve their own creative projects.
Event Highlights
Some of the major attractions include:
- Europe's largest quilting exhibition
- More than 1,200 competition quilts
- International textile galleries
- Over 370 workshops
- More than 200 specialist exhibitors
- Educational talks
- Live demonstrations
- Premium shopping opportunities
- Creative inspiration throughout the venue
Each area has been designed to celebrate quilting and textile arts at the highest level.
Why Visitors Love The Festival of Quilts
Visitors return year after year because of:
- Outstanding exhibitions
- Excellent educational sessions
- Friendly atmosphere
- Exceptional shopping
- Professional organisation
- International artists
- Creative inspiration
- Wide variety of workshops
- High-quality displays
The event continues to be recognised as one of Europe's most important quilting celebrations.
Offer Benefits
Choosing this discounted admission provides:
- Save up to 38%
- Excellent value
- Access to major exhibitions
- Entry to inspiring galleries
- Shopping opportunities
- Educational experiences
- Live demonstrations
- International artwork
- Creative workshops
- Memorable day out
Why Choose The Festival of Quilts
The Festival of Quilts has built an outstanding reputation for celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation in textile arts. Its combination of spectacular exhibitions, internationally respected artists, educational workshops, live demonstrations, and specialist retailers makes it one of the finest quilting events in Europe. Whether visitors wish to learn, shop, admire world-class artwork, or simply enjoy a creative day with family and friends, this festival delivers an inspiring and rewarding experience from start to finish.