Hotels near The Festival of Quilts 2027 at Birmingham's NEC

Now in its third decade, The Festival of Quilts has established itself as the reference event for anyone serious about patchwork, quilting and appliqué in Europe. It takes over Halls 7, 8 and 9 of Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre each summer, welcoming more than 22,000 visitors across four days. The competition sits at the centre of the programme. Every year more than 1,200 quilts are hung and judged, spread across 16 categories that range from Traditional and Modern to Art, Contemporary, Pictorial, Miniature and Young Quilters. A prize pool of over £30,000 includes the Handi Quilter Best in Show Award, the Overlay Awards and the public-voted Visitors' Choice Award. Beyond the competition, the festival hosts Textile Galleries curated by leading international artists, a packed schedule of workshops, lectures and tours, special exhibits and an exhibitor hall with more than 200 brands selling fabric, thread, wadding and longarm equipment. The 2027 edition runs from Thursday 29 July to Sunday 1 August. Doors open at 9:30am each morning, with late-afternoon closing times from Thursday to Saturday and an earlier finish on Sunday. Birmingham International station is a five-minute covered walk from the halls, and a free shuttle loop links nearby hotels with the venue throughout the show.