STFM sponsors quilt festival

The Southern Tenant Farmers Museum is sponsoring the first ever community quilt festival March 6-7. With the 2008 "Quilts and Their Stories" being such a success, the museum decided to expand the show to a community-wide festival. Local churches and the elementary school will be involved in this year's two-day event. Tyronza residents are encouraged to hang out their quilts on their porches, clotheslines, fences or anywhere they may be seen from the street.

"We want to cover up the city with quilts," said organizer Linda Hinton.

Anyone interested in entering a quilt in the show may pick up an application at the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum or go online at http://stfm.astate.edu and click on the "quilt show" link. There is no charge to enter quilts and no charge for admission.

The quiLt festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7.

Quilts will be on display at the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum with a show and tell at noon daily. The Upper Room Apostolic Church will have quilting demonstrations and a bake sale while their quilts are on display. Their show and tell will be at 1 p.m. daily. The first Baptist Church will display their quilts and have a "general store" display in the fellowship hall. Beans and cornbread will be served. A yo-yo demonstration class will be at 1 p.m. Saturday and show and tell will be at 2 p.m. daily.

The First Pentecostal Church will have quilts on display and a daily show and tell at 3 p.m. The Church of Christ will have a show and tell at 4 p.m. daily along with quilts on display throughout the day.

Several events will take place at EPC Elementary School in Tyronza Saturday. Quilt talk about the underground railroad will be at 10 a.m in the gym. There will be games and food from 12 -- 2 p.m. Saturday, a silent auction from 5 -- 6 p.m. and a live auction at 6 p.m. There will also be raffles throughout the day.

For more information call 870-487-2909