Byway Resources Inspires
Event & Merchandising

One byway organization has developed an annual event and merchandising opportunities highlighting the history of the byway.

Who/What/Where:

Each March, near the date of National Quilting Day, Seaway Trail Foundation, Inc. hosts a Seaway Trail Quilt Show that highlights of quilting. See How for details.

When:

The first annual Seaway Trail Quilt Show was held in March 2001. The timing is set to coincide with National Quilting Day.

How:

These annual events build around an intrinsic resource or quality of the byway. They feature regionally-significant quilts and wall-hangings on display and for sale, quilting demonstrations, fabric and quilt book vendors, and speakers. The event is held throughout the historic setting of the nine rooms of the Seaway Trail Discovery Center, a former hotel where quilts likely graced the beds in the early 19 th century. Admission to the quilt show provides visitors with exposure to the Center’s exhibits focusing on the Seaway Trail as a scenic byway.

The 1st annual Seaway Trail Quilt Show featured Mary Knapp, a regional quilter whose work has won awards as such nationally-recognized quilt events as the Paducah, Kentucky, Quilt Show; the Vermont Quilt Show; and the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Gallery Show in Auburn, New York. In the year prior to the show, Mary designed the first pattern in a series of quilt patterns featuring the Seaway Trail lighthouses. The pattern was available for purchase at the show. Thereafter, Mary developed eight additional lighthouse patterns and, in 2005, was working on an additional lighthouse theme patterns for future sale. Seaway Trail, Inc. also originated notecards featuring a photo of Mary’s finished quilts.

The 2nd annual show featured the traveling Great Lakes – Great Quilts National Exhibit. A Quilters’ S.O.S. – Save Our Stories booth offered visitors the opportunity to record the stories of quilts they have made in their own words.

The 3rd annual show featured Amish-made and Amish-style quilts from Amish and Mennonite communities located at each geographical end of the byway. Speakers’ presentations included Dr. Susan Ward speaking about the history of the Amish people in New York State and their quilt-making heritage, and quilt dealer Betsy Tinsdale talking about her experiences as a seller and designer working with Amish quiltmakers who live near the byway.

For the 4th annual show, Seaway Trail, Inc. displayed quilts from the collections of museums found along the byway. The exhibit told the story of each quilt, e.g., a Civil-War era fund-raising quilt that was made to raise cash for hospital supplies for both Union and Confederate armies, and a signature quilt made as a fund-raiser for a local church – people paid anywhere from two to 25 cents to add their name to the quilt made in 1902. Perhaps a modern-day version of this idea could be used by byway organizations to raise larger sums of money.

The 5th annual show returned to the lighthouse theme and included an invitation to quilters nationwide to enter a competition with their own quilts featuring the Seaway Trail lighthouses.

The 6 th annual show in 2006 partnered the regional tradition of quilting with a traditionally-popular recreational theme, sportfishing on the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and Lake Erie.

Seaway Trail, Inc. staff coordinate this event. A theme is selected and notices are sent to public and quilting media nationwide, inviting them to make a quilt to enter a competition portion of the show. In the past, winners, selected by judges, have received overnight stays of varying lengths at the three Seaway Trail historic lighthouses offering public accommodations. A People’s Choice winner has been selected by public ballot during the show and has received a basket of quilting notions.

Funding Potential:

This event and the subsequent merchandising efforts have produced revenues for the byway organization from admission charges, vendor fees, product sales, and sponsorships.

The admission charge to past shows has been $4 for adults and allows entry to both days of the show. The Seaway Trail Discovery Center is located within easy driving distance of the Fort Drum military installation and a military appreciation admission discount is offered to the March quilt show and to the Center at other times of year. A program lists all quilts, vendors and show sponsors and is free with admission.

Vendors pay a set-up fee.

The Seaway Trail Discovery Center Gift Shop is open during the show. A Seaway Trail Lighthouses guidebook in print prior to the show and a Seaway Trail Lighthouses video produced by a regional public broadcasting station are sold at the gift shop. Seaway Trail Lighthouses quilt patterns retail for $5.95; posters and notecards sell for $9.95 to $12.95. All of these Seaway Trail theme items are also available in the byway organization’s annual travel guide magazine and via its website. Dealer terms are available on the items produced directly by the byway organization.

Sponsors for this event have included a local medical facility, and a women’s fitness center that offered a discounted membership to show visitors.

Why A Byway Resources Event:

• Generates revenues from multiple sources: admissions, vendor fees, gift shop sales

• Provides an excellent showcase for the intrinsic resources of the byway and makes community connections

• Draws visitors and attracts media attention to the byway and its resources

• Offers retailing opportunities

Resources:

Seaway Trail, Inc.