By Harriett McMillan, CCNP, Echter’s Garden Center Horticultural Specialist
Echter’s Garden Center in Arvada partners with the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum for an annual display of quilts in early October. The display has been a regular event at Echter’s since 2008, and the partnership with the museum has strengthened over the years, providing a colorful event for the garden center that is easily managed by staff and enjoyed by customers.
The museum solicits the entries for the display, and the garden center usually hangs from 50 to 65 individual quilts that range in size from very small to very large. By the end of September, the annual display area is relatively emptied of plants and allows the space for the quilts. The display is set up on Thursday, opens for public display on Friday and continues on Saturday and Sunday.
The entries are labeled and ballots are provided for viewers to vote for their favorite quilts. There are usually around 300 to 350 ballots to count on Monday morning after the event. Winners are chosen and Echter’s provides $50 gift cards to the top vote-getters in small, medium and large quilt categories.
This year’s quilt show at Echter’s is scheduled for Friday, October 5 through Sunday, October 7.
