Hudson Heritage Quilters Quilt Show 2025

My First Foray: Rookie Vendor at the Hudson Heritage Quilters Quilt Show

Starting the vendor journey at the Hudson Heritage Quilters Quilt Show in Hudson, WI, was an absolute adventure! The lead-up was a massive stress-test; "understatement" doesn't cover the anxiety of stepping into the unknown, unsure if my preparations were anywhere near adequate.

The first hurdle was setup night. My wife, son, and I arrived Friday evening, certain that three and a half hours (5:30 to 9:00) would be plenty. "It should only take a couple of hours, right?" Famous last words. As 9:00 loomed, we were still working feverishly, barely managing to get the core display in place. We finished just in time—at least enough to allow for final tweaks the next morning—before making the hour-long, exhausted trek back home.

Our setup at the Hudson Heritage Quilters Quilt Show 2025

Saturday morning, the whole crew—my wife, son, and daughter—returned for those essential final preparations. (My wife and son were busy themselves, as they both had quilts entered in the show!). I made my final adjustments, and then the doors opened.

My daughter was a huge help and I couldn't have done it without her!

The second the doors opened, the first couple of hours became an absolute blur! Thank goodness my wife was there; without her and my daughter's help, I would never have kept up with the initial rush of traffic. My son was also an amazing right-hand man, running errands and keeping us all organized.

My son was my right-hand man!

Just as the flow finally settled down—allowing me to give everyone the attention they deserved—my wife left for her volunteer shift. From there, I kept on trucking until the doors closed. I was completely exhausted, but my first day was officially in the books, and I couldn't have been happier with how it went.

Sunday was more of the same, minus the initial mad rush, but my feet and back definitely kept track of every minute I didn't sit down. The good news? Tear-down was blessedly faster than setup!

Looking back, I'm thrilled with the whole experience. I got to sell some of my products, connect with customers, and get great feedback. A huge shoutout must go to the other vendors; they were all incredibly nice and helpful, making this rookie feel completely welcome. It was the perfect first show, and I'm already looking forward to the next one!