Hello, IE Quilters!
Here’s a round-up of Southern California based quilt shows, shop hops, exhibits, competition deadlines, and more that we think our members might be interested in. Costs vary for each thing, so please check the provided website for details. And be sure to mark your calendars with what you’re interested in, so you don’t miss a thing!
Also, Saturday, March 21st, is National Quilting Day! Remember to hang a quilt up outside (or in a window if the weather’s bad) to celebrate the day. More ideas on how to celebrate National Quilting Day are here: https://quiltalliance.org/nationalquiltingday/
Quilt Shows & Shop Hops:
Road 2 CA
Dates: preview night Jan 20, full show Jan 21-24
Location: Ontario, CA
Website: https://online.roadtocalifornia.com/
Note: We’re going to have an exhibit at this year’s show! If you still need to turn in your quilt for the exhibit, please coordinate with Laura Greene. If you go to the show, please take pictures of our exhibit and post it on social media to spread the word!
Valley Quilters Show
Dates: February 13 and 14
Location: San Jacinto, CA
Website:https://www.valleyquilters.org/quiltshow.html
South Bay Quilters Show
Dates: February 14 and 15
Location: Torrance, CA
Website:https://southbayquiltersguild.org/2026-about-our-show.html
Spring Fling Shop Hop
Dates: March 5 -7
Shops participating: Cotton Gin Fabric (Redlands), Trish Tac Sew (Palm Desert), The Quilter’s Faire (Palm Desert)
Website: https://springflingquiltrun.com/
Cruisin’ Quilters Shop Hop
Dates: March 6-14
Shops participating: nine shops from Fallbrook to El Cajon (San Diego area)
Website:http://www.cruisinquilters.com/
Beach Cities Quilters Show
Dates: April 17 – 18
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
Website: https://www.beachcitiesquilters.org/quilt-show.htm
Quilts in the Garden
Date: May 2
Location: Garden Grove, CA
Website: https://www.orangecountyquiltersguild.org/events
Los Angeles Quilters Guild Show
Dates: May 8 -9
Location: Long Beach, CA
Website: https://laquilters.org/quilt-show-2026-2/
AVQA Festival of Quilts
Dates: May 23 – 24
Location: Lancaster, CA
Website: http://www.avqa.org/Photo_Gallery.html
So Cal Quilter’s Run
Dates: July 9-12, July 16-19
Shops participating: too many to list here! Check out the website for the list.
Website:http://www.quiltersrun.com/
For our members who like to enter art shows and competitions, here are some important deadlines:
National Quilt Museum – 2026 New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Food
Deadline: January 14
Website: https://quiltmuseum.org/nqof2026/
Riverside County Fair
Deadline: January 19
Website: https://www.datefest.org/p/riverside-county-fair/critters-n-crops/blue-ribbon-contests
(*Riverside County residents only*)
City of Ontario Artist Microgrant
Deadline: January 31
Website: https://www.artsconnectionnetwork.org/ontario-microgrant
(*San Bernardino County residents only*)
AQC Challenge 2026
Deadline: February 5
Website: https://aqc.com.au/2026-aqc-challenge/
Quilt Visions 2026
Deadline: February 6
Website: https://www.saqa.com/events/quilt-visions-2026
Brea Art Gallery – Made in California
Deadline: February 6
Website: https://www.breaartgallery.com/entermica
LA County Fair
Deadline: February 12
Website: https://www.lacountyfair.com/competitions-1/
The Great American Birthday Quilt
Deadline: February 28
Website: https://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/williamsburg-250/american-birthday-quilt/
San Diego County Fair
Deadline: May 4
Website: https://www.sdfair.com/p/participate/entry/home-arts/home-arts-quilts
OC Fair
Deadline: May 23
Website: https://ocfair.com/oc-fair/competitions-contests/deadlines-competitions/
Note: Most of the Southern California County Fairs accept entries from people who don’t live in those counties. (Exception: Riverside.)
Exhibits to inspire you:
STORIES, TRADITIONS & DESIGNS: Spotlighting the African American Quilters of Los Angeles
Dates: through January 18
Location: Pasadena Museum of History
Website: https://pasadenahistory.org/exhibitions/stories-designs-and-traditions/
Two exhibits at the Chaffey Community Museum of Art: “Contemporary Hard Edge Explorations: Paintings by Mark Rush and Timothy Haerens” and “Florence Arnold: Hard-Edge Innovator”
Dates: through January 25
Location: Chaffey Community Museum of Art
Website: https://www.chaffeymuseum.org/exhibitions
Interpretations 2025
Dates: through January 31
Location: Vision Museum of Textile Art, San Diego
Website: https://vmota.org/interpretations-2025/
SAQA Beyond the Canvas
Dates: March 1 – March 30
Location: Poway Center for the Performing Arts
Global Threads: India’s Textile Revolution
Dates: through April 5
Location: Bowers Museum
Restitched: Feed Sacks in Mid-Twentieth Century Quilts
Dates: through May 5
Location: Mingei Museum, San Diego
Website: https://mingei.org/exhibitions/restitched
Virtual Events, not limited to those based in Southern California:
Sun City Palm Desert Quilters presents Karen Bolan “Engineering Your Quilt”
Date: January 16th, 10:30am
Location: Zoom (Link will be sent to IEMQG members)
13th QuiltFest Virtual Schoolhouse
Dates: Jan 21-24
14th QuiltFest Virtual Schoolhouse
Dates: March 25-28
Website: https://www.quiltfest.com/upcoming-shows-and-events/quiltfest-virtual-schoolhouse-14/
Virtual Summer Schoolhouse
Dates: June 24-27
Website: https://www.quiltfest.com/upcoming-shows-and-events/quiltfest-virtual-summer-schoolhouse/
Textile Talks
Dates: every Wednesday at 2pm
Website: https://www.internationalquiltmuseum.org/textile-talks
If you know of other quilt-ish events happening in Southern California, or if you’re going to be featured at an art event or exhibit, let us know! We love to promote the successes of our members.
Happy Quilting!
Raincross Quilt Guild • Riverside, CA 