Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival
Gee’s Bend, Alabama
8 October 2022
Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival, Gee’s Bend, Alabama. Courtesy: Souls Grown Deep; photo: Stephen Pitkin/Pitkin Studio
Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival, Gee’s Bend, Alabama. Courtesy: Souls Grown Deep; photo: Stephen Pitkin/Pitkin Studio
Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival, Gee’s Bend, Alabama. Courtesy: Souls Grown Deep; photo: Stephen Pitkin/Pitkin Studio
Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival, Gee’s Bend, Alabama. Courtesy: Souls Grown Deep; photo: Stephen Pitkin/Pitkin Studio
With support from Souls Grown Deep and the Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy, the Gee’s Bend quilters have presented the first Airing of the Quilts Festival, a day-long public celebration of the community’s vibrant creative culture.
The “Airing of the Quilts” follows the age-old tradition in which the warm, handmade quilts used during the winter were taken out of summer storage and hung out to air in the sun before being spread across beds for the cooler months. The festival, which was open to the public, successfully provided admirers with the opportunity to connect with and buy directly from quilters while learning more about the artistry and heritage of Gee’s Bend quilts.