Thousands Flock to Tunkhannock for Quilt Airing – Reported Termination of Event Now in Doubt

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Photos and story by Rick Hiduk

The 14th annual Airing of the Quilts was held in Tunkhannock on Oct. 4. Avid Quilters from the eastern seaboard and beyond descended on Tunkhannock for a day to examine and discuss hundreds of quilts spread about the Wyoming County Seat, such as these drifting in the breeze outside the Tunkhannock Presbyterian Church at the corners of Tioga Avenue and Putnam Street.

A cool damp morning may have delayed the start of the 2014 Airing of the Quilts in Tunkhannock on Saturday, but the community event succeeded once again despite overcast skies and some confusion as to whether or not this would be the last year for the constantly evolving fall festival.

Unfettered or unaware of the controversy, patrons strolled the borough’s main streets in droves, taking ample time to enjoy the nuances in color, patterns and stitching styles on each of hundreds of quilts hanging from shrubbery, clothes lines and porch railings. For a quicker overview of the scene, many guests opted to ride in trolley cars.

Some homes and downtown shops sported collections of quilts on various themes, while Red and White Quilts was the theme of a large exhibit at the Wyoming County Courthouse. A Lifetime of Tradition. offering a collection of heirloom quilts and family collaborations, was the theme of an exhibit at the Father Nallin Center.

Restaurants and specialty shops were full to capacity, and the Dietrich Theater was brimming with activity and a display of its own. Avid quilters had opportunities to meet Kathy Hall, designer of the Downton Abbey Fabric Collection after a presentation at the theater and later at Endless Mountains Quiltworks, a key sponsor of the event.

The Endless Mountain Invitational Quilt Show was held in the gymnasium of Tunkhannock Area Middle School. The juried exhibit featuring unique pieces by those nominated by the experience was a crowd pleaser, but was no more impressive than the other exhibits in town coupled with the sheer spectacle of seeing so many quilts in one day.

Patrons were a mix of local folks hoping to bump into others they knew and many from outside the region if not the state. Members of the latter group related to venue hosts that this was their first Airing of the Quilts, often at the invitation or suggestion of previous attendees. They expressed admiration for Tunkhannock’s quaint houses and public buildings.

In addition to restaurants, food was also available from several church groups and Scouts at venues scattered around town. Visitors to the courthouse were treated to live contemporary Christian music from the gazebo on the square, while a local church sold baked goods. A new feature, the PA Designs and Friends Quilt Sale and Craft Show was held at the Triton Hose Company Banquet Hall, and a group of Tunkhannock High School students conducted a flea market in the district administration building.

In the course of taking in as much as possible that the annual event has to offer, patrons also had the opportunity to address a publicized “termination” of the event via questionnaires distributed at various venues. The survey was sponsored by the Tunkhannock Business & Professionals Association (TBPA), the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce (WCCC), and the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau.

Airing of the Quilts founders Peggy Harbaugh and Jeanette Kitlan told the Wyoming County Examiner in a story published on Sept. 17 that they had decided to end the event because it had become too time-consuming, and Kitlan would like to pursue new endeavors. The story proved rather convincing, except that it came as a surprise to the TBPA, WCCC, and EMVB, each which also sponsors and promotes the event.

In a follow-up Examiner story published on Oct. 1, representatives of the agencies that might take over the event expressed their desire to see Airing of the Quilts not only continue but to enjoy further growth and involvement. While Kitlan was praised for all that she has put into the building of the event, it was implied that it was not her call to end it.

The questionnaire opens as follows: “It was recently announced that Jeanette Kitlan of Endless Mountain Quiltworks will no longer continue to organize Airing of the Quilts. On behalf of the many businesses and individuals interested in seeing the event continue, we are surveying visitors to help with possible plans for next year.”

The trio of organizations are proposing a more concerted effort in coming years to include and benefit as many nonprofit groups and businesses as possible while maintaining the integrity of the event. While there is no record of anyone suggesting that Kitlan continue to contribute to Airing of the Quilts in some capacity, their been any quotes attributed to Kitlan to that effect – even though their cooperation would likely lead to the best longterm outcome for the community.

Respondents of the survey are asked to rate the importance of several popular elements of the Airing of the Quilts, including the free trolley rides and Dietrich programming and whether or not this year’s patrons might be willing to volunteer and/or loan a quilt next year. To take the survey online, interested readers can log onto www.tunkhannockbusiness.com.

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