With the rain holding off until late afternoon on Saturday, it was quilts on display all over Colusa that made the biggest splash.
Hundreds of quilts were draped over bushes and fences, hung on porches, and displayed inside local businesses for the second annual Quilts Around the Block.
“Someone answered our prayers,” said Pam Niehues, who greeted visitors to the Friends Around the Block Quilt Shop, when a 70 percent chance of rail failed to materialize.
Friends Around the Block hosts the event on National Quilting Day, the third Saturday in March, to celebrate quilt lovers and makers.
Friends Around the Block and the City of Colusa started the event in 2021 as a way to get people out in the neighborhoods and businesses to discover and appreciate the talents of quilting artists from around the county.
“It was wonderful to have such positive support from the community, especially the participants who displayed quilts,” said Roberta James, committee member and Quilts Around the Block founder. “I’d like to thank the City of Colusa and local businesses for their support, Friends Around the Block for sponsoring the event, and Denise Conrado and Sadie Ash for contributing so much of their time to help make this event successful.”
This year’s event included a Pacific Flyway Quilters display in Davison Park, and a display of the Pacific Flyway Quilters’ community service quilts on 8th Street.
The Colusa Library hosted a crafting event where kids learned to make cardboard quilt blocks, using colored paper.
Events also included scavenger hunts for children and adults, who looked for quilts that displayed various colors, styles, and shapes.
Although all participants were eligible to win a special raffle prize at the Friends Around the Block, the two scavenger hunt winners were Patty Danna (adult) and Hank Gross (child).
Lupe Ramirez, of Restaurant on the Range, won the Friends Around The Block shop quilt.
All participants who displayed quilts on Saturday were eligible.
“I hope to see this event grow to include more artists, quiltmakers, and event offerings in the future, and to bring a positive light to our lovely community,” James said. ■