More than 325 quilted items, including pieces celebrating generations of quilting traditions and the nation’s 250th anniversary, will be on display during the 2026 Red River Quilters Annual Quilt Show in Shreveport.
The show, themed “Stars, Stripes & Stitches,” will be held Friday, September 18, from 9 AM to 6 PM and Saturday, September 19, from 9 AM to 4 PM at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds Agricultural Building, 3206 Pershing Blvd. More than 90 local quilters are contributing work to the show.
Two special exhibits will be among the highlights this year. “Our Quilting Heritage” will feature quilts that tell the stories of how quilting skills, traditions, and treasured pieces have been passed through families and generations. The nonjudged category includes vintage quilts and pieces made by deceased guild or family members, as well as quilts reflecting participants’ individual quilting heritage. Some quilts in the exhibit are more than 110 years old.
For Quilt Show Committee member Mary Beth Beene, the exhibit includes a personal connection. She plans to display a quilt top made by her great-grandmother that her mother gave her to finish by hand in the early 1990s, when Beene was first discovering the art of quilting.
A second special exhibit, “Liberty + Service,” will recognize the United States’ 250th anniversary with red, white, and blue quilts and quilts honoring veterans. The guild is also making quilts to donate to area veterans following the show. Twenty quilts are expected to be donated, and veterans may be nominated through the Red River Quilters website.
Approximately 200 quilts will be judged, with first-, second-, and third-place ribbons awarded in the various categories. Special choice ribbons will also recognize favorites selected by the mayors of Shreveport and Bossier City, a media representative, and the show judge. Jackie Ruffing of Tyler, Texas, a National Association of Certified Quilt Judges certified judge, will judge this year’s competition.
Lynda Britton of Shreveport has been selected as the 2026 featured quilter. Britton has been a member of Red River Quilters since 1986 and has served in several guild leadership roles, including on its board of directors and twice as quilt show chair.
The guild’s 2026 challenge, “Star Spangled Stitches,” requires entries to incorporate stars, whether appliquéd, pieced, or used in another creative way. Entries may use any colors and are not limited to patriotic color schemes.
Visitors will also find vendors from Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas, along with a guild booth offering handmade items and a silent auction featuring quilting-related merchandise.
This year’s quilt raffle offers two chances to win with one ticket. “Purple Mountains Majesty” is a 108-inch quilt featuring plum, berry, and cream batiks, while “United We Stand” is a red, white, and blue scrappy quilt pieced by Red River Quilters guild members.
Admission is $10 for ages 11 and older, $5 for children ages 5-10, and free for children 4 and younger.
The Red River Quilters Guild was formed in 1983 to promote the appreciation and preservation of quilts, foster charitable endeavors, and provide opportunities for quilters and quilt enthusiasts to collaborate.
For more information, contact Beene at [email protected], visit RedRiverQuilters.com, or find Red River Quilters on Facebook.
