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Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza Quilt Competition
IMPORTANT: Before starting your competition entry, please log in to your QuiltFest account or create a QuiltFest account. CLICK HERE to create a new QuiltFest account.
Competition Rules (Please Read Carefully)
1. Open to all, but must be the work of the person or group applying to the competition. Limit of 2 entries per person or group for each competition: the Innovative/Traditional Competition, the Mid-Century Mod Competition, and/or the Wall Quilt Competition. Family members and/or permanent employees of Show Management or sponsors are not eligible. Quilt(s) must be constructed and quilted by the person or persons named on the entry form. Note: To be eligible for a Best Workmanship Award, the entry must be quilted by the entrant(s).
2. Quilts and wall quilts only. Entry must be quilted by hand, on a sewing machine, or on a longarm machine. To be eligible for a Best Workmanship Award, the entry must be quilted by the entrant(s). No kits or tied quilts. Quilts (Innovative/Traditional) must be greater than or equal to 1900 square inches. Mid-Century Mod Modern Quilts must be greater than or equal to 1024 square inches. Wall quilts must be less than 1900 square inches, but greater than or equal to 576 square inches. The maximum size for quilt entries is 10' high x 20' wide. Traditional and Innovative refer to design, not to construction techniques. Innovative entries should emphasize innovation in design. Entries may not include craft glitter due to transfer issues.
3. PNQE (Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza) and its jurors and/or judges reserve the right to move an entry to a category other than the one in which it was entered without notifying the entrant. Final category placement will be at the discretion of the jurors and/or judges.
4. Quilts winning Best of Show at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, QuiltFest Greenville, Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza, or the Pacific International Quilt Festival are not eligible to be judged.
5. Entries must have been finished in 2024, 2025, or 2026 and be in excellent condition.
6. Entry must have a 4” sleeve casing as well as a cloth label with the name, address, and telephone number of the entrant securely sewn to the back.
7. Ship the entry in a secure carton. Place the item in a sturdy plastic bag. Do not use packing pellets/peanuts of any type. The cost of return shipping and insurance in return transit will be the responsibility of PNQE. The original carton will be used to return the item via UPS or another promoter-designated carrier. Please remove all old shipping labels from the carton prior to shipping.
8. Entries must be available for display at the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza, September 17-20, 2026, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Oaks, PA.
9. If a quilt is to be hand-delivered to the festival and/or picked up from the festival, the show management company must be notified in writing before August 26, 2026.
10. If accepted, images become the property of PNQE for publicity and/or publication use.
11. Prize winners will receive awards within thirty (30) days of the close of the event. Viewer’s Choice will be announced on quiltfest.com.
12. Filing of your signed application signifies agreement with these conditions.
13. The awarding of any prize makes the entry ineligible for any lesser prize. The Viewer’s Choice award is exempt from this rule.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a National Competition and is open only to residents of the United States.
Contest Calendar
ENTRY FEE: $40.00 (includes return shipping). Quilts shipped in tubes require an additional $20 return shipping fee.
July 28, 2026 - Online Entry Deadline
Online entry submission and a non-refundable entry fee for each item entered must be received no later than July 28, 2026.
July 31, 2026
Notification of the decision of Jurors and instructions for quilt shipment will be mailed to entrants on July 31, 2026.
August 19 - September 2, 2026
Accepted entries must be shipped or delivered to PNQE's designated location for judging and exhibition. Shipped entries are not to arrive before Wednesday, August 19, or later than Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
Quilt Return
Quilts will be returned by UPS (or another promoter-designated carrier) and shipped within 5 business days of the festival's close. The cost of shipping will be paid by PNQE. Items will be insured for $1,000 US each on return shipping.
Terms & Conditions
Entry of the above item means that I will abide by the rules and decisions of the judges. I/We acknowledge that Mancuso Show Management will take every precaution to protect this quilt, but understand that show management cannot be responsible for acts of nature, casualty, war, government regulation, civil disorder, terrorism, disaster, strikes, or any other cause of emergency beyond their control.
INSURANCE: Quilts are not covered for flood or earthquake damage. Any entry valued at greater than $1,000 up to a maximum of $5,000 for insurance coverage must be accompanied by an acceptable insurance appraisal from a certified appraiser of quilts and quilted textiles uploaded with the entry form. If a written appraisal is not included, your quilt will be insured for $1,000.
PHOTOGRAPHY/IMAGES: As an entrant, my signature grants Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza and its designated sponsors the right to photograph my quilt for publication, advertising, or promotional use. Images of accepted quilts become the property of the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza.
*Social Security number will be required if prize money is awarded.