By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
GEE’S BEND, Ala. — The 2025 Airing of the Quilts Festival, held on Saturday, October 4, in the historic Gee’s Bend community of Wilcox County, celebrated the area’s world-renowned quiltmakers and the Black Belt community’s lasting cultural significance.
Now in its fourth year, the festival featured global sportswear brand Adidas as its presenting partner. The event honored the living history of Gee’s Bend—from its origins along the Alabama River to its pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement and its modern reputation as one of America’s most recognized artist communities.
“The festival gives visitors the opportunity to meet quilters, learn about the area’s history, and become immersed in the area’s incredible cultural significance,” said Kim V. Kelly, executive director of the Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy.
Named to Garden & Gun magazine’s 2025 Bucket List, the festival drew more than 2,500 visitors, surpassing last year’s attendance of 2,100. Guests enjoyed quilting demonstrations, storytelling from descendants of Gee’s Bend quilters, food trucks, and live musical performances that showcased the community’s creative spirit.
One of this year’s highlights was the unveiling of a new exhibition titled “Between History and Memory: Dinah Miller’s Legacy in Gee’s Bend.” The exhibit honored Dinah Miller (née Jenkins), who was kidnapped in Africa in 1860 and brought to Alabama aboard the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to enter U.S. waters. Miller settled in Gee’s Bend in 1890 and became the earliest known quilter in the community.
“This new exhibition clearly celebrated Dinah’s life and honored her immense contributions to the Gee’s Bend community,” Kelly said.
On October 2, just before the festival, the Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy unveiled a new quilt workshop and learning space, posthumously dedicated to Reverend Lonnie Brown Jr., a longtime community advocate. Funded by The Daniel Foundation of Alabama and a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the facility opened for tours and quilting sessions during the festival.
The festival was hosted by the Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy, Sew Gee’s Bend Heritage Builders, and Souls Grown Deep. The event was free and open to the public, with a recommended $40 donation to support the Gee’s Bend quilting community. A hop-on/hop-off bus service also allowed visitors to tour local homes and festival sites.