The town of Sisters is ready to hold its first big event of the year.
COVID restrictions canceled The Sisters Folk Festival and outdoor quilt show last year.
And the Sisters Rodeo in June has been canceled for the second straight year.
Sisters Country is ready for some good news.
The 46th Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is expected to return, live and in-person, July 10.
“I think this will be emotionally one of the biggest events ever only because it is the first one to happen since COVID shut down so many events,” said Co-Owner of the Open Door Courtyard Dan Rickards.
The 46th show is expected to hold virtual classes leading up to the event, and only half the quilts, 500 to 600 will be shown this year.
“So far we are still in the process of getting our permit application package approved by the city, but they told us things look very positive moving ahead, so we are moving forward with all of our plans to make it happen,” said Executive Director of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Dawn Boyd.
Boyd says specific protocols and guidelines will be posted a few days before the event.
“We are guesstimating about 50% attendance,” added Boyd. “We encourage people who are concerned about their health to maybe wait until next year.”
That guesstimate is around 5,000 to 6,000 people.
“To have events come back to this community really makes or breaks a lot of the businesses here in town,” said General Manager of the Grandstay Hotel and Suites Kris Rodgers.
Rodgers says people have been calling to see if the event is happening.
“I remember the first year we were open we turned so many people away just because there isn’t very much accommodation in town,” said Rodgers. “These events draw quite a big crowd.”
Rickards says he’s ready people to enjoy quilts hanging in his business.
“Not only is it a town event that I feel like defines Sisters in some way between the rodeo, quilt show and fold festival, they are three artistic outreach programs that reach so many people,” said Rickards.
Organizers of the event expect to hear from the city about permit approval in the next couple of weeks.
