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The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show invites youth quilters and sewists, ages 15 and under, to enter quilts into the nationally recognized event’s 2026 Kids' Quilt Challenge. Presented by PBS Wisconsin and Nancy Zieman Productions, The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show is an educational, community quilting event from which proceeds support PBS Wisconsin.

Entries for the Kids’ Quilt Challenge must be received by Sunday, Aug. 9.

Quilts will be displayed at The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show, and participants are invited to attend a public awards presentation at the event on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Kids' Quilt Challenge, sponsored by Nancy Zieman Productions, awards gift cards to the top three quilts — a $200 prize for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place. Quilts will be judged on workmanship, creativity and overall appearance.

The Kids’ Quilt Challenge encourages the next generation of sewists and quilters to be innovative and bold. Whether they ribbon or not, participation in this fun challenge gives young quilters the opportunity to learn patience and problem-solving skills while building their confidence and creativity.

Visit quiltshow.com/quilt-contest for full Kids’ Quilt Challenge details and to submit an entry form.

Now in its 22nd year, The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show welcomes quilters from across Wisconsin and the United States to the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Sept. 10-12, to celebrate quilting.

The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show includes dozens of educational lectures and workshops led by expert quilters; exhibits showcasing hundreds of beautiful quilts; an extensive vendor mall featuring the latest fabrics and notions; and a community service project — Quilt to Give — in which attendees donate their materials and skills to create quilts for those in need.

Proceeds from The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show support PBS Wisconsin programs and community outreach projects.

Thank you to our premier event sponsor Sew Much More.

PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio are services of UW-Madison’s Wisconsin Public Media division and the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. Together, they serve communities statewide through trusted journalism, educational programming, and Wisconsin storytelling – on air, online, and in person through live events, freely accessible to all, and powered by community support. pbswisconsin.org. wpr.org.

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