“Some people have specific colors or sizes in mind, but if you don’t, it could be a little overwhelming,” Katie Karnes admits as we stand inside Woodin Wheel Quilts & Gifts, surrounded by stacks and racks of quilts. In late April, the shop is at peak inventory, just in time for Kalona Quilt Show weekend, when crowds of quilt lovers will descend on the town to peruse new and antique hand-quilted wonders.

For over half a century, Woodin Wheel has sponsored the Quilt Show & Sale, setting up some 200 quilts in the Kalona YMCA for viewing and purchase. The selection available is always a surprise, even for the organizers, as many quilts arrive at the last minute.

But quilts won’t be the only surprise this year; the 2026 Kalona Quilt Show features a handful of new attractions, bringing fresh energy to a beloved tradition.

The weekend begins Thursday, April 23 with the Antique Quilt Crawl through the Village, where quilts will be on display throughout the entire Village from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Antique Quilt Crawl will continue through Friday and Saturday.

The Quilt Show & Sale at the Kalona YMCA opens in the evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is when the most serious collectors are expected, seeking the best selection and often purchasing the most high-dollar quilts on offer – quilts by artists like Thuy Nguyen, who will again have hand-appliqued works in the show.

Friday, April 24, the quilt show is open all day, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Attendees may enter raffles for three different quilts, offered by the Old Capitol Quilters Guild, Kalona Chamber, and Kalona Historical Village, and bring quilts in for appraisal by AQS Certified Appraisers Charleen Richtsmeier and Valorie Bonk. Craft, fabric, pattern, and antique vendors will also be on hand, offering their wares.

When folks are ready for lunch, they can head over to the Kalona Historical Village for a Pulled Pork Dinner, offered from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with both eat-in and take-out available. The menu includes pulled pork, cheesy potatoes, green beans, and desserts, and freewill donations support the barn and Mennonite museums.

At 1 p.m., Mount Vernon-based fabric and pattern designer Stephanie Brandenburg will give a presentation at the Kalona Chamber meeting room (Quilt Show admission required). Known for their large flowers and bright colors, Brandenburg’s fabric designs begin as paintings; her collections are stocked locally at Stitch N Sew Cottage.

Saturday, April 25, Quilt Show hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In the morning hours, show-goers can get in final votes for the People’s Choice award to be announced at 1 p.m. for the Quilt Block Challenge, a contest requiring quilters to create a 24 x 24-inch square from red, white and blue fabrics. Judges will determine Best of Show and Honorable Mention awards.

For those inspired to create something themselves, Grace Tully will lead weaving sessions at the Kalona Historical Village from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Like the kids’ Summer Camp activity, participants will be allotted 20 minutes on a loom for $10, and they can pick up finished pieces after 4 p.m. that day or on Monday, April 27. Advance registration for this event has closed, but walk-ins will be accommodated if there is space.

“We’ll try to add something new each year,” Karnes says of Quilt Show weekend, which now has a committee of community members behind it.

Look forward to being surprised again in 2027.

The Kalona Quilt Show & Sale takes place April 23-25 at the Kalona YMCA; hours are Thursday, 5-8 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults; free for children 12 and under.