AQS Quilt Week

"The Quilters are coming! The Quilters are coming!" this is a familiar phrase we've heard in Lancaster every spring for the past 5 years. The AQS Quilt Show hosts its annual show here in Lancaster and the influx of quilters (both men and women) is just amazing.
Most just want a one-way ticket directly from their hotels to the Convention Center -do not pass 'go', do not collect $200. However, the smart ones, the ones that really want to make an event out of the whole thing, are the ones that choose to stay at a Bed & Breakfast. These are the visitors who know that there's so much more to Lancaster than the floor of the Convention Center, the shuttle and their sterile hotel room. These are the visitors who take time to enjoy all that Lancaster County has to offer above and beyond the main reason for their visit.
We hope you're one of those visitors. Come and stay with us!

Mud Sales - They're not just for Spring any More!

I've told you about Mud Sales before. However, as the years have gone by, Mud Sales have gotten more and more popular and therefore are not just in the springtime any more. There are so many here in Lancaster County, that they've spread far and wide into the summer and fall, in which case, I suppose they could then technically be called 'Dust Sales', but that doesn't have nearly the appeal, now does it?

Here's a good list. Probably more to be added. List courtesy of Discover Lancaster. 

February 28 - Strasburg Spring Consignment & Mud Sale
Strasburg Fire Co., 46 W. Main Street, Strasburg, PA 17572, 717-687-7232

March 6 - Bart Township Auction & Mud Sale
Bart Township Fire Co., 11 Furnace Rd, Quarryville, PA 17566, 717-786-3348

March 13 – 14 - Gordonville Spring Mud Sale & Auction
Gordonville Fire Co., Old Leacock Road, Gordonville, PA 17566, 717-768-3869

March 14 - Penryn Volunteer Fire Co. Sale
Penryn Volunteer Fire Company, 1441 North Penryn Road, Manheim, PA 17545

March 21 - Bart Township Building Materials and Craft Sale
Bart Township Fire Company, 11 Furnace Rd, Quarryville, PA

March 21 - Airville Fire Co. Spring Consignment & Quilt Auction
Airville Volunteer Fire Co., 3576 Delta Road (Rt. 74), Airville, PA 17302 (York County), 717-862-3806

March 27 – 28 - Gap Fire Company Sale
Gap Fire Company, 802 Pequea Avenue, Gap, PA 17527, 717-442-9549

March 28 - West Earl Fire Company Annual Quilt & Consignment Auction
West Earl Fire Company, 14 School Lane Ave, Brownstown, PA 17508, 717-989-5986

April 4 - Robert Fulton Sale
Robert Fulton Volunteer Fire Co., 2271 Robert Fulton Hwy. (Routes 272 & 222), Peach Bottom, PA 17563, 717-548-8995

April 11 – Rawlinsville Sale
Rawlinsville Volunteer Fire Co., 33 Martic Heights Drive, Holtwood, PA 17532, 717-284-3023

May 16 - Weaverland Valley Sale
Weaverland Valley Volunteer Fire Co., Terre Hill Community Park, 210 Lancaster Avenue, Terre Hill, PA 17528, 717-445-5072

May 9 - Honey Brook Fire Company Quilt Sale & Consignment Auction
Honey Brook Fire Company, Romano 4H Center, 1841 Horseshoe Pike, Honey Brook, PA 19344, 610-273-2688

June 26 - Lancaster County Carriage and Antique Auction
Bird-in-Hand Volunteer Fire Company – Location: Across from the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant on Route 340, Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505, 717-392-0112

June 27 - Refton Fire Company Sale
Refton Volunteer Fire Co., 99 Church Street, Refton, PA 17568, 717-786-9462

August 7 – 8 - Gap Relief Auction
Benefits Mennonite Central Committee, Solanco Fairgrounds, 172 S. Lime Street, Quarryville, PA 17566

August 29 – Kinzer Fire Co. Mud Sale
Kinzer Volunteer Fire Co., 3521 Lincoln Hwy. East (Rt. 30), Kinzers, PA 17535, 717-442-4121

August 29 – Bareville Fire Company Consignment Auction
Bareville Volunteer Fire Company, 211 East Main Street, Leola, PA 17540, 717-656-7554

October 24 – Cochranville Fire Company Mud Sale
Cochranville Volunteer Fire Company, 3135 Limestone Road, Cochranville, PA 19330

The Big Lancaster Meltdown!

Well, the big snows here in Lancaster County, PA are over (hopefully) and the temps will be reaching almost 40 this week, so that means things are going to start thawing out. In fact, while I was writing this, a huge bunch of snow slid off my roof and disconnected my cable! So, where there is melting snow, there is mud; and where there is mud, that means it must be time for the Amish Mud Sales!

What are Mud Sales, you might ask. No, they're not retailing dirt and water mixtures. Wikipedia doesn't even define the term. The words are used to describe annual auctions or sales at local fire companies (though some churches and communities host them, too). They're so popular that they're held outdoors, often in the thawing fields - hence the term Mud Sale. And with all the snow melting, there's sure to be plenty of mud, so bring your boots!!

No matter which one you decide to attend, we'll be here to make your stay in Lancaster a memorable one! Book your stay at the Australian Walkabout Inn. We'll be happy to provide a restful place for you to relax after a long day at the sales.

Here's a list of some local sales that you might want to put on your itinerary:

Feb 25-26 Rawlinsville Farm Equipment & Auction 8:30am

Rawlinsville Fire Company

33 Martic Heights Dr. Holtwood 717-284-3943

Feb 26th - Farm equipment

Feb 27th - Antiques, antique tractors, etc.

Feb 27 Strasburg Spring Consignment & Mud Sale 8am

Strasburg Frie Co. #1

46 W. Main St. Strasburg 717-687-7232

Furniture, antiques, quilts, crafts, livestock, homemade goodies

March 6 45th Annual Bart Township Auction/Mud Sale (This is a BIG one!) 8:30am

Bart Fire Co.

11 Furnace Rd. Quarryville 717-786-3348

Antiques, quilts, furniture, equipment, hay & straw, livestock, tools, crafts, food

March 13 Gordonville Spring Mud Sale 8:30am

Gordonville Fire Co.

Old Leacock Rd 717-768-3869

Quilts, antiques, collectibles, furniture, farm equipment, livestock

March 20 4th Annyal Penryn Fire Co. Mud Sale 8:30 am

Penryn Fire Co #1

1441 N. Penryn Rd. Penryn, 717-665-4767

Wood crafts, furniture, antiques, quilts, crafts, farm equipment

March 27 Gap Annual Spring Mud Sale 8am

Gap Fire Company

802 Pequea Ave. Gap 717-442-8100

Carriages, buggies, wagons, furniture, quilts, crafts, dry goods, groceries

April 3 Robert Fulton Volunteer Fire Company Mud Sale 7am

Robert Fulton Fire Company

2271 Robert Fulton Hwy. Peach Bottom 717-548-8995

Crafts, plants, tools, antiques, furniture, food, livestock

An even more comprehensive listing can be found here.

The Quilters are Coming!!!

...and the railroad enthusiasts and the volleyball players...and the barbershop quartets...


Earlier this year, Lancaster welcomed the opening of our long-awaited Convention Center. While it's still working out the kinks of trying to service a whole new market of visitors and convention-goers, I believe it's going to be a good thing for Lancaster County tourism. Do the math - some of these conventions host thousands of people. The AQS Quilt Show and Contest , for example, is supposed to draw 17,000 people to the area. The Convention Center has only 300 rooms. So, as an innkeeper with a B&B only about 10 minutes from downtown, I'm wondering how I can get a piece of that pie.


Granted, the AQS quilt convention is one week out of the year, but these people will most likely come early, stay longer and come back if they feel welcome here. So another member of our Bed & Breakfast Association and I met with the organizers of the convention. We were not able to make any appreciable headway with any of our suggestions (a LONG story...for another blog, maybe) , but it did give us a new outlook on how these things are organized. We're still trying to get a meeting with people at the convention center, and that will eventually materialize. But in the meantime, each B&B will be encouraged to do what they can to make themselves attractive to the convention-goers.


Location is certainly a big factor when considering lodging options during a convention. Sure, you can stay right at the hotel (if you're one of the lucky 300), but then you don't get to experience all of what Lancaster County has to offer - Amish culture, superb shopping, great food, beautiful countryside. And staying at the convention hotel will not only set you back over $150 a night, but in addition, you'll have to pay for parking ($14/night), breakfast ($20+pp), and oh, don't touch that bottle of water in your room or it will show up on your bill at check-out.


On the other hand, stay at a local B&B and you'll get a special convention rate , but of course breakfast is included, parking is free and so is the bottled water you'll find in your room! So, when you're attending a convention at our beautiful, new convention center downtown, don't be afraid to think a little 'out of the box' and reserve a room at one of Lancaster's finest - a bed & breakfast!