558 N. Main St., Prineville, OR 97754 | (541) 447-6205
This queen-size quilt, made by Betty Woodward, will be raffled off Saturday, Sept. 4 with proceeds going to support the festival.
Ron Halvorson
The Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is of international renown for its geological and paleontological treasures, attracting thousands of visitors annually.
A mere six miles to the southeast lays the historic town of Mitchell, a diminutive hamlet 47 miles east of Prineville. Sporting a population of less than 200 souls, the village is known as “The Gateway to the Painted Hills."
Painted Hills and Mitchell - the two are inextricably bound together on both landscape and economic levels.
In celebration of that bond - to provide a little fun for both locals and visitors alike, as well as to help bolster local businesses - Mitchellites are hosting the 16th annual Painted Hills Festival this coming Labor Day weekend. On Saturday, Sept. 4, participants will be treated to an old-time concoction of family fun, including a half-marathon, parade, country store, pie auction, and car show. Entertainment will be offered throughout the day - culminating with a street dance and live music in the evening. Bookending the event will be bingo on Friday night, and church in the park Sunday morning.
Not the least of the festivities is the quilt show, and coordinator Bonnie Lofton wants your quilt.
"As in the past,"Lofton said, "we are seeking quilts with a connection to our local area."
She said this means that the quilter should be local, or the quilt has a local history, but she was quick to point out that "We're not setting any rules."
According to Lofton, of the 40 or so quilts that have been displayed each of the last five or six years she's been coordinator, six or seven have been what she calls "historical." These are quilts that have some connection with the local history, and have been passed down in families from generation to generation.
For anyone thinking of displaying such a quilt, she said she would like to have as much information as possible about it, along with relevant historical photos, narratives, and anything else that would enhance its display.
Lofton - who just happens to be a retired social studies teacher - thinks history is important. That's why, even though a non-quilter herself, she took on the task of coordinating this event. She regards quilts as history since each is a reflection of the life and times of its creator.
Any quilts loaned for display will receive the ultimate in care, Lofton emphasized.
"We try to take the very best care of the quilts, as we realize how important to the families (they are) as well as how valuable these quilts can be," she offered.
New this year - to help support the Festival - local quilters are raffling a queen-size quilt made by local artist and photographer Betty Woodward. The quilt will be on display at Judy's Place (an antique store in downtown Mitchell) until the day of the show, where it will then reside in the Mitchell Community Hall. The raffle is planned for Saturday afternoon, and the one-dollar tickets can be purchased either at the Little Pine Café or the Sidewalk Café, both in Mitchell, or with a simple phone call to Lofton.
Lofton is excited about the quilt show, and said attendance has increased every year. One reason for this is the quality of the quilts. The Mitchell area boasts some very well-respected quilters.
"We have some wonderful local quilters - they do it all by hand," she said. "They're (the quilts) so perfect. Rarely do you see that in today's world. It's amazing how much work goes into them. As a non-quilter, I'm always impressed."
Lofton said that even when compared to some of the more well-known shows, such as the annual show in Sisters, Ore., the Painted Hills Festival Quilt Show has a lot to offer.
"We display more hand-sewn, hand-quilted quilts that are new than at any other show I've seen."
