2023 FALL INTERNATIONAL QUILT MARKET & FESTIVAL WORKER'S GUIDE
George R. Brown Convention Center
1001 Avenida de las Americas
Houston, Texas 77010
Quilt Market – Oct. 28–30
Quilt Festival – Nov. 2–5
Preview Night – Nov. 1
QUESTIONS?
TERRI WINSAUER
Show Assistant/Volunteer Coordinator
Cell: 281-432-9396
We are very pleased that you are thinking about working with us this year. We are always looking for good workers. In return, you will be part of a special group of people who are proud of their contributions and are glad to see each other year after year.
The International Quilt Market is a trade show, not open to the public or to children. This is a place for quilt shop owners to purchase inventory for their stores. It is open on the first Saturday, Sunday and Monday on your schedule. If you are working during Market, you will not be eligible to shop the vendors after your shift, but you will be able to see the special exhibits. After our change-over days, (Tuesday October 31st and during the day on Wednesday) festival begins. This event is half art show and half shopping spree, and that is only the ground floor. There are also classes, special exhibits, and other activities going on throughout the week and into the weekend.
To run a show of this size, we rely on people like you. We need people to help hang the quilts before Market, guards for the quilts during Market and Festival, doorpersons to take tickets, and help with takedown after the show is closed. We pay $9 an hour. We also pay parking reimbursement up to $25 with a parking receipt. This is the cost to park per day at Discovery Green parking lot. You receive free entry to the show for each day you work (a $15 value for Festival). We will again pay $12 an hour for takedown for those working from 3:00 or 4:00 until 11 pm on Sunday until done. Working could also be a great fundraiser for your organization. If you work for your group, you would still receive parking and free entry into the show. Your organization would receive the money that you earn.
Your next step is to view the Job Descriptions at the bottom of this page and see the different positions. After you have read it, please go to the shifts available spreadsheet and email us the shift/shifts you are interested in working.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
HANGING QUILTS FOR THE QUILT SHOW
To be a hanger, you should be able to climb a ladder (you will not climb more than 3 steps up) and you will be on your feet for long periods of time. This is a physically demanding job. If you are unable to do it, please do not sign-up for this position. WE NEED PEOPLES THAT CAN CLIMB A LADDER THE MOST! We have over 1,000 quilts to hang.
HELPING DURING HANG TIME – NO LADDERS
This will also be physically demanding, just no ladders. You will be walking the floor taking music stands to exhibits, covering bricks, putting stations in place, and putting signage up.
QUILT GUARDIANS
To be a guardian you will be on your feet for 4 or more hours. If you are unable to fill this requirement, please do not sign up for this position. You will be allowed bathroom breaks during your shift. If you need a break, find another guardian to watch your area and theirs until you get back.
GUARDIANS/DOOR
If you are working the 9:00am shift, you will also be helping at the door for about an hour to get the crowd through the door. After the crowd is in, you will then go back to your designated area, in Special Exhibits.
PROGRAM SELLERS
To help relieve the Commemorative booth, program sellers will be stationed close to each of the doors. The programs are sold for $2 and you will be responsible for the money and programs.
COMMEMORATIVE BOOTH DUTIES
This is an exciting position as our wares and memorabilia are very popular with attendees. This is a very fast-paced position during Festival. You may work in this booth if you have worked in the past or you work in the retail industry. Experienced workers only.
DOOR PEOPLE
This is an exciting position as you are at the entrance to the world’s largest annual quilt show. The pace is often fast—particularly preview night and morning shifts. During lunchtime, as people leave to go to lunch, it will get busy. You will have a chance to sit for a spell after the lunch crowd dwindles and during the evening shift. Please do not sit more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time. It just looks better if you greet people while you are on your feet.
FOOD COURT DOOR
We have brought down a smaller version of the food court to the first floor. Only exhibitors are allowed to leave the area with food and drinks and they MUST be covered. Attendees can have bottled drinks but they must be capped and put away before they leave the area. It is very important that you catch people leaving with food that are not allowed to do so. If you are at Main Street (the double aisle with red carpet and aisle signs) you may have limited opportunity to sit unless it is the very beginning of the day or the end.
DOOR PEOPLE at the DEAD DOORS
We have breakaway doors that people can go out but they can not come back in. These don’t always close and lock automatically, so they need to be watched. This is a sitting position. This is reserved for those that can not be on their feet any length of time.
SNEAK PEEK
Market exhibitors rent a space to show off a sample or featured item that will be in their booth. I need people that are available for the shifts to show exhibitors their space on Thursday & Friday before Market for check in and Monday for checking out.
Festival will also have this feature. Check in will be If possible, I would like to have the same people to work it both shows. If not, it will be divided by shows.
TAKE DOWN
On Sunday of Festival, takedown begins as soon as the area is secure and taped off after the show closes at 4 p.m. You will be put into groups and given assignments by the staff and Piece Corps. Dinner will be provided if you are working until all take-down work is complete.
