Essex Junction, Vermont— Visitors attending the 30th annual Vermont Quilt Festival will enjoy a gala evening of champagne, chocolates and more as they take in the festivities at the evening preview at the Camplain Valley Exposition on Thursday, June 30. Named on of the American Bus Association’s Top 100 Events of 2006, the festival is New England’s oldest and largest quilt event. Kicking off the festival at 6:30p.m. is the announcement of the quilt contest winners, followed by the ribbon cutting at 7:30 p.m. that marks the official opening of the festival. The $12 preview ticket permits entry to the opening events. Lake Champlain Chocolates provides its trademark chocolates for visitors as they enjoy the evening festivities.

From its humble beginnings as a one-day exhibit as part of Northfield’s Labor Day celebration, the Vermont Quilt Festival has expanded to offer a collection of several special exhibits of nearly 400 breathtaking new and antique quilts, some 75 lectures and workshops with nationally known quilt artists, special classes for young quilters and a colorful display of wares in its merchant malls. Among the special exhibits is the Contest Exhibit, showcasing the work of present-day quiltmakers, who hail from the U.S., Canada and beyond. Pear River Central’s local contest entrant is Evelyn Mack, of Carriere.

One of the special exhibits, “A Quilter’s Galaxy”, features and extraordinary collection of nearly 100 antique quilts chosen from the Vermont Quilt Search archives. This exhibit showcases a quilt featuring a center panel made by the greatest American textile printer o the late eighteenth to early nineteenth centuries, John Hewson, a Revolutionary War hero of Philadelphia. Examples of Hewson’s work are exceedingly rare and most are in museum and historical society collections.

The Vermont Quilt Festival draws a record number of visitors each year from all over the world and continues to offer something for everyone while maintaining its small town charm in the heart of Lake Champlain region. The Festival is open to the public Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The $30 fee includes a written appraisal and photo. For more information email: info@vqf.org or visit the festival website at www.vqf.org.