Festival of Quilts 2026
The Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, UK each summer should be on every quilter’s bucket list. Not only is it the largest patchwork show in Europe, but it’s an incredible opportunity to see the true breadth of the quilting world.
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Festival of Quilts 2026 was my sixth quilt show of the year, and it was incredible. I am probably biased because it’s in the UK, and it might also have to do with how much more time I got to spend with the show, but the point is that it’s a really, really good show.
Festival is the largest patchwork show in Europe, and this year (2026) it hung over 800 quilts in the competition alone, plus the individual artist stands. It also boasts a massive education programme and stunning vendor hall for all your shopping desires.
Seanfhocail by Rockstar Rebecca Ni Chonchuir
Quilt Show
There are three things that make the Festival of Quilts show stand out in my mind:
Every quilt that gets entered is hung. This leads to a huge show and also a wide variety of styles and experience levels. The effect may not be as curated as a show like QuiltCon, but I believe it gives a more accurate “snapshot” of the world of quilting in this moment. It demonstrates beautifully that whatever you like– from intricate art quilts, to bold modern quilts, to traditional samplers, to 3-D quilted objects, there is a place for you in the world of quilting.
There are a wide variety of categories. I deeply appreciate little details like the youth category being separated by age groups so that kiddos are more accurately competing against their peers, or the “Novice” category for folks who have been quilting less than three years. They also have separate categories each for modern, contemporary, and original design quilts to highlight the subtler nuances of those styles, and there is even a “Joy of Sharing” category for “I made a cool thing, but I don’t want it judged.”
The high number of quilts with interesting construction. Double sided, multi-paneled, translucent, reflective. There are some funky creations in this show, and Festival’s sturdy walls allows them to display quilts that have dimensionality (without being a 3-D object) particularly well.
As a result, I think Festival of Quilts welcomes more “experimental” quilts and gives attendees a better snapshot of what quilting around the world truly is.
Quick & Easy Classroom
Education Programme
Festival of Quilt’s education programme is now headed by the lovely Kat Molesworth, and she knocked it out of the park. There are hundreds of workshops, lectures, and classes during the days of Festival, and she’s responsible for curating the line up, chasing teachers for all the appropriate information, and making sure we know where the heck we’re supposed to go so that all of you have the best time. She does a brilliant job pulling in a wide variety of educators from all over the world, and if you haven’t taken classes at the show, I highly recommend it!
One of my favorite things, too, is that Kat includes a ton of “snack sized” options in the schedule. Quick & Easy classes are two hours or less and don’t require bringing supplies. There are lots of 1 hour talks. Even if you have a limited amount of time or budget at the show, you can still expand your quilty skills and meet a new instructor this way.
Daisy Aschenhoug (@warmfolk) was one of this year’s special exhibits
Suggested Itinerary
During last year’s review I offered some travel tips for visiting The Festival of Quilts, but this year I want to go a step further and create a suggested itinerary to give you a “plug and play” option for planning your time at the show.
Wednesday
Arrive in Birmingham. If you come up from London, it’s a couple of hours by train, so I would land in London on Tuesday, see a few sights that afternoon and Wednesday morning, then take the train up around lunch time. I highly recommend staying that one of the Resorts World hotels.The Moxy and the Hilton are the closest to the convention center. I stayed at the Moxy this year and was pleased with the breakfast add-on, and the in-house dinner menu
If you plan to eat out, go ahead and pick where you’d like to eat each night and make reservations. The restaurants in the mall will be bonkers all weekend
Navigate the NEC for pre-registration pickup. It is HUGE, but the staff are helpful, and there are signs to follow.
Thursday-Saturday
If you are are class girlie, I recommend taking one Quick & Easy class OR one 3 hour class each day. The Quick & Easy classes are particularly great for folks who are traveling in from abroad as they do not require bringing any supplies, and they are a max of 2 hours long
Spend the other half of the day enjoying the show and vendor hall. There is the main competition as well as individual artist stands around the floor, so there will be plenty to take in each day
Lunch in the hall cafe is easy, quick, and reasonably good. I also enjoyed a latte and scone each morning as a little pick-me-up!
Also, be sure to watch the Festival of Quilts Instagram, Aurifil Instagram, and others to know about special, fun, “pop up” things that happen at the show (like Stamp Swap!).
Remember that Birmingham is just a short train jaunt away (the train station is attached to the NEC), so you could pick one day to head into town, observe more miles of canals than the city of Venice, and take in a few other sights (I haven’t managed to do this yet. Maybe I’ll have more specific suggestions next year!)
Sunday
Use Sunday to “wrap things up.” Unless there’s a class you’re just dying to take, I would avoid classes on Sunday because you will be wiped. Instead, take in the last few quilts, make your final purchases, and put a bow on top of an amazing week. Maybe grab a fizz at the Gin Bar and toast new friends!
Catch a train to London, Oxford, or another destination after lunch so you can arrive for dinner and to settle in and bask in the post-festival glow.
The Old Library Quadrangle, Oxford
Bonus Itinerary: A Day in Oxford
The opinions no one asked for but Oxford is my non-negotiable destination when I’m in the UK. Personally, I love to spend 2-3 days in town because I love to get in as much walking and running as I can through these historic streets and the surrounding areas. But, let’s assume that you’re going to spend one day in Oxford on your way to or from Festival.
Keep in mind, this particular itenerary has a solid 5 miles of walking involved. If you’re not that mobile or don’t wish to spend the day on your feet, pluck out the destinations that sound interesting and omit the rest, or plan to make a little more use of the bus to get around town.
Go online ahead of time and reserve tickets for the Bodleian Library tour. It is magical. Tickets are released a month in advance and sell out quickly, so be proactive about this. The Bod is right in the middle of town, so you can adjust the rest of the day around your tour timeslot. If you want to follow the walking route outlined below, I’d book a 1 or 2pm timeslot.
The Bridge of Sighs, walking on Queen’s Lane toward The Old Bodleian
My Unofficial Oxford Walking Tour
Arrive via train and walk to Christ Church College. Take a tour if you can because so many well known shows and movies are filmed in Christ Church, and it is absolutely gorgeous
Leave college and go left on saint Aldate’s. If you also like Alice in Wonderland, catch Alice’s Shop on the right hand side of the street then go thru the gates into the Christ church grounds (If you do the Christ Church tour and it spits you out behind College in the grounds, turn right to exit these gates to go to the shop, then backtrack). Be sure to catch the gorgeous view of the College and gardens on your left as you walk through the gates.
Walk across the meadow and exit via the gate on Rose Lane. You’ll be walking toward Magdalen College (where JRR Tolkien was a professor).
Turn right on the High Street and catch lunch at the Queen’s Lane Coffee House (purportedly the oldest coffee house in Britain. They also have an excellent flapjack, and I highly recommend getting one and a coffee for the road).
Go down Queen’s Lane and follow the alley along the All Soul’s Wall. Listen for cycle bells as there are some blind corners as you go. You’ll pop out at the Bridge of Sighs, my personal favorite sight in all of Oxford (Note: immediately before the bridge on your right is a tiny alley. You’ll come back here to get to dinner later).
Pass under the bridge and cross the street to The Old Library (The Bodleian). If you don’t have tour tickets, you can walk through the Quad and around the Radcliffe Camera.
Pass back through the Old Library and walk up Parks Road. Visit the Museum of Natural History/ Pitt Rivers Museum (if you have time, you can also continue past the museum and walk all the way to the University Parks).
Walk back down Parks Road toward the Broad and turn right walk up Broad Street. The famous bookshop Blackwells is along this road along with lots of tourist shops if you’d like any Oxford souvenirs.
Turn left at Cornmarket for more shops and to wander thru the Covered Market. If you’re feeling peckish, this is a great spot to grab a snack/ sweet treat. Then continue down Cornmarket and turn left on to the High Street. I love the game shop, Hoyle’s of Oxford, so if you like board games, it’s worth checking out.
To make your way toward dinner, walk down Turl Street toward the Radcliffe Camera. Scriptum Stationery Shop is positively magical, plus there’s a lovely whisky shop and a jeweller.
Return to that tiny alley I mentioned earlier and follow it through a narrow passage to the Turf Tavern. The Turf is an Oxford legend. Order and pay for drinks at the bar, the download an app to order dinner to your table. I love their classic English Bitter, and all the British staples (fish & chips, sausage & mash, steak & ale pie) are fabulous.
Catch a late train out of town
Optional Side Quests
These are the things I would add to your schedule if you’re staying more than one day in the city
Punting at Magdalen College
Walking up St Giles, through Port Meadow to the river, then back to town along the tow path
The Ashmolean Museum
A trip up to South Park to see the view of the “Dreaming Spires” of the colleges below
The Kilns (home of CS Lewis)
More College tours
Other Pubs to Visit
Note bene: most pubs don’t serve food (The Turf is an exception with a full menu), so these are not dinner options
The Eagle and Child: Famous for its connection to The Inklings (Lewis, Tolkein, et al). At the time of this writing, it is undergoing extensive restoration
The Lamb and Flag: Pub of St John’s college and the other Inklings
The Jolly Farmers: Oxford’s gay pub. Generally a quiet scene, but if you’re looking for an explicitly queer space (Oxford is a pretty queer-friendly city), this is it.
Polaris, made with Liberty of London fabrics, in front of the Regent Street store
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend a trip to The Festival of Quilts, and if you’re going to make the flight, I think adding on a few days for London, Oxford, and Birmingham just makes sense. England is easy to navigate on public transit (though I’d recommend keeping luggage as light as possible; my 100 pounds of suitcases is certainly a thing each year), and I love watching the country go by outside the train. It’s an excellent opportunity to experience the wider quilting world and see the techniques and stories that are catching the interest of international quilters.
Lumber Jane, made with Liberty of London fabrics, inside the Regent Street store
Resources
Festival of Quilts website
My 2025 Festival of Quilts Review Blog for more tips about the show itself
Made a stop at Liberty of London and are wondering what to make? I’ve made Polaris and Lumber Jane, and you can snag the patterns here.
