The Sew Happy Stitchers, along with the Horicon Bank, will again sponsor this year’s Dickens of a Quilt Show. The fifteenth annual show will be held in Horicon Bank at 400 Watson St. Hours for the show are Friday, December 4, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, December 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, December 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vote for your favorites on Friday and Saturday. Come back on Sunday to see who won!

The special feature of this year’s show is Civil War Reproduction Quilts. The Dickens Challenge, which has become an annual event, has the theme of "Color My World." Quilters who choose to participate in the Challenge make an item from specific fabrics in a purchased kit. Kits for the 2010 Dickens Challenge will also be for sale at the show.

Other categories include bed quilts, baby/lap quilts, wall hangings, and clothing and accessories. The popular children’s category will again encourage children to enter items made as individuals or through school or club involvement. The show opens on Friday, with live musical performances scheduled throughout the weekend. Admission to the show is free but donations are appreciated.

Again, this year, the quilt show is one of the stops on the Dickens Shuttle circuit. The shuttle will run on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. It will start its route at St. Catherine of Siena parking lot, at the corner of Blossom and Houston Streets, and stop at four of the homes on the Tour of Homes, plus the quilt show and the Enchanted Forest. Ride the complete route, getting on and off along the way, for only $1.00!

The show is part of Ripon’s nineteenth annual Dickens of a Christmas celebration, December 4-6, which is sponsored by the Ripon Chamber of Commerce. “Dickens” features the Tour of Homes; Living Windows, on Friday evening in the downtown area, depicting scenes inspired by the artist, Norman Rockwell; the Enchanted Forest; a Holiday Craft Show; and many other festive activities throughout the weekend in historic Ripon.

For additional information on the quilt show, contact Linda Ollerman at (920) 748-3814 or email lvollerman@charter.net.

The Ripon Commonwealth Press/Express, WRPN-AM, WBJZ-FM, KFIZ-AM, WAUH-FM and Christian Family Radio are media sponsors for Dickens of a Christmas.