In Stitches at National Quilt Contest in Kentucky

Kentucky

Paducah, the home of the American Quilter’s Society, becomes “Quilt City, USA” each spring during the National Quilt Show & Contest. The town’s population of 30,000 swells to 60,000 during the show. This year’s event, April 22 to 25, takes place at several sites and includes classes, lectures, fashion shows and exhibits of to-die-for quilts. Vendors offer supplies as well as finished quilts for sale. For more information, contact the American Quilter’s Society, P.O. Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002; telephone (502) 898-7903.

Montana

The 29th annual Furniture Race, April 10 in Whitefish, may be zany, but it’s not without rules. Participants attach skis to couches, toilets, bathtubs, coffins (the term “furniture” is loosely interpreted here) and are towed by Sno-Cat to the top of a ski slope. They must be able to actually steer the furniture, must wear a helmet and are judged on speed and how close they stop to the finish line. Whitefish is 30 miles from Glacier National Park in northwest Montana. For more information, contact Big Mountain Ski and Summer Resort, P.O. Box 1400, Whitefish, MT 59937; tel. (800) 858-3930.

Hawaii

The 36th annual Merrie Monarch Festival takes place on the Big Island of Hawaii April 4 to 10, with dozens of troupes vying for the glory as well as prizes. The hula competitions take place at Edith Kanaka’ole Stadium. Rounding out the festivities: Hawaiian entertainment at several resorts, Hawaiian arts and crafts show, Miss Aloha Hula contest and a parade through downtown Hilo. Advance tickets are recommended for the competitions. For more information, contact the Big Island Visitors Bureau, 250 Keawe St., Hilo, HI 96720; tel. (808) 961-5797.

New Jersey

Atlantic City celebrates Easter with a sunrise service on the beach at 7 a.m. The event takes place at the end of New Jersey Avenue, and visitors can watch the sun come up from either the sand or the Boardwalk. At 1 p.m. a traditional Easter pageant begins at Brighton Park, adjacent to the Boardwalk. Everyone mills around hoping to catch the eyes of the judges, who will be awarding prizes in several categories, including best-dressed baby, girl, boy, man, woman and family. For more information, contact the Greater Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2314 Pacific Ave., Atlantic City, NJ 08401; tel. (609) 348-7100.

Virginia

The Garden Club of Virginia hosts the Historic Garden Week, which offers 36 tours (each visiting several homes) all over the state, April 17 to 24. Many of the homes were built by prominent Virginians and were the settings for lavish parties for notables of the day, including the mansion near Richmond (open April 17) where Thomas Jefferson first met Patrick Henry. The homes and gardens range from an early 19th century farm complex and 18th century homes in the hunt country to contemporary waterfront homes in Virginia Beach. A 200-page guidebook is available; visitors drive to the tour area and are greeted by guides at each home. For more information, contact the Garden Club of Virginia, 12 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219; tel. (804) 644-7776.

St. Maarten

Dutch St. Maarten celebrates Carnival a little later than the rest of the world, but no less enthusiastically. Its timing, April 15 to May 2, is to coincide with the birthday of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands on April 30. The island-wide party features dancing in the streets, several parades and calypso competitions. The Jouvert Morning Jump-Up Parade begins at 4 a.m. at Great Salt Pond. The Grand Carnival Parade is packed with elaborately decked-out Carnival troupes. At Carnival Village, more than 100 vendors offer Caribbean specialties such as conch and dumplings, open-pit barbecue and “sea moss,” a drink made of seaweed and brandy. For more information, contact St. Maarten Tourist Office, 675 3rd Ave., Suite 1806, New York, NY 10017; tel. (800) 786-2278.

Italy

The Explosion of the Cart (Scoppio del Carro) takes place at noon on Easter Sunday in Florence. Drawn by white oxen, the cart (this one was built in 1679) is adorned with flowers and paraded through the streets before arriving at Cathedral Square. Inside the Duomo, a fire, sparked by stone chips from the Holy Sepulcher, is used to set off the fireworks in the cart. This tradition evolved after the First Crusade when local crusaders were honored with pieces of flint from the Holy Sepulcher. For more information, contact the Italian Government Tourist Board, 12400 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550, Los Angeles, CA 90025; tel. (310) 820-1898.

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