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By Staff Reports

The Selma Times-Journal

The 2023 Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival takes place on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in and around Gee’s Bend in Boykin.

The festival continues a long tradition of outdoor quilt display in Gee’s Bend and provides visitors with the opportunity to explore this vibrant artistic community that has given rise to generations of African-American quiltmakers.

Known for their bold, improvisational designs and use of recycled fabrics, Gee’s Bend quilts are among the most celebrated works of art in the world. Hailed by the New York Times as “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced,” quilts from this tiny community are now in the permanent collections of over 30 leading art museums.

“At this festival, you’ll get introduced to the quilters and to the lifestyle of Gee’s Bend,” said Claudia Pettway Charley, Gee’s Bend Quiltmaker. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get hands-on experience, from workshops to storytelling, and learn what our community is really like. We have a whole different language here, and this is your chance to learn it. A common phrase around here is,  ‘You never meet a stranger when you come to Gee’s Bend.’ We can’t wait to welcome visitors to our community at the Airing of the Quilts Festival.”

Registration is free with a recommended donation of $25 to support the Gee’s Bend quilt-making community. Additional fees apply to quiltmaking workshops and tours. Register at www.geesbend.org.