21st Kauai Quilt Show and Boutique Debuts Quilt Parade Feb. 13-25

The 21st Kauai Quilt Show & Boutique brought a new element to Lihue’s Kukui Grove Center with a Quilt Parade that began at 4 p.m. on Feb. 13, leading into the traditional Meet the Artists reception. The event runs through Feb. 25 at the Kauai Society of Artists gallery, located in the center of the mall behind Long’s Drugs and the keiki play area, and is free to the public.

The parade saw participating quilters processing in and around the shopping center in a quilt conga line, displaying pieces they made and handing out note cards with show details. There are 48 local quilters registered for the show, and Kauai residents can view over 70 quilts on display, many of them offered for sale. Designated donation quilts are included among those lots, with 100 percent of proceeds directed to a Kauai non-profit chosen by the buyer.

The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the Meet the Artists reception ran from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 13, extending gallery activity beyond regular hours. The boutique, a pop-up shop in the mall adjacent to Jamba Juice, operates during show hours and features locally handcrafted items; proceeds from the boutique help cover the costs of staging the show. Credit cards are accepted at the boutique, and ongoing workshops and hands-on classes use the boutique as a meeting place.

Sponsorship and organization come from the Kauai Quilt Guild, Nene Quilters, Discount Fabric Warehouse, and Vicky’s Fabrics. Visitors may vote for Viewer’s Choice 2026, and the mix of show quilts, donation quilts and boutique offerings aims to support both makers and local causes.

Participating quilters prepared the exhibit in late January. Maile Bloxsom, Toni Waas, Bev Gotelli, Julie Whitney and Lea Ingram were photographed sorting quilts and handcrafted items on Jan. 26, 2026, in advance of the show; photo credit Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island. Toni Waas reflected on the new parade, saying, "We talked about this last year." Lea Ingram, who is both a participating quilter and a KSA artist, described how pieces would be displayed in the procession: "They can either hold and show it, or drape it around themselves."

For Kauai readers, the show is a chance to support local makers, connect with artists at the Feb. 13 reception, and put community dollars toward nonprofit causes via donation quilt purchases. Attend the gallery between Feb. 13 and Feb. 25, take part in workshops, vote for Viewer’s Choice 2026, and consider buying a donation quilt to keep creative economies and island nonprofits stitched together.