CANNELBURG — Daviess County’s famous quilt auction should be bigger than ever this Saturday with 96 quilts, 30 booths of handcrafted items and plenty of homemade Amish food.

“It seems like every year, the crowds get larger and the quilts get prettier,” said organizer Lucille Dillon.

Last year, about 2,500 people attended the auction, said Dillon. She said people have jokingly asked her where she will hold the auction next since it has packed at the Simon J. Graber building.

Locally handmade Amish and Mennonite quilts will sell starting at noon Saturday with the entertaining Jay Yagle as auctioneer. Doors at the Simon J. Graber building open at 8 a.m. with no admission charge, and food will be served starting at 10:30 a.m.

One Amish school will prepare the lunches, and another Amish school will hold a bake sale. Food proceeds will benefit both schools.

A quilting demonstration will be available until the auction starts.

Two quilts will be sold for charity this year, according to Dillion, one to pay for medical bills of a local family in need and another to send livestock to third world countries. All Saints Catholic Church will also raffle off a quilt for donations.

At the end of the auction, around 3:30 p.m. or 4 p.m., All Saints will announce the winner of its quilt, and another quilt top will be given away.

Daviess County quilts have been featured in Quilters World magazine and at the International Quilt Show in Chicago, and the auction is listed on the American Quilter’s Society Web site at www.americanquilter.com. Next month, several Daviess County quilts will be on display in Lansing, Mich.

To get to the auction, turn north on CR 900E from U.S. 50 in Cannelburg. The Simon J. Graber Building is located 9 miles north of the highway. Signs will be posted.

For more information, contact Dillon at 698-1697.