Calendar of Events

"You Made That?" The Quilting Adventures of Harvey Fierstein

Exclusive Three-Day Exhibition

July 25 – 27, 2025 · 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Garden House
$20/adults; $10/students

Purchase Exhibition Tickets

KTM&HC is thrilled to be hosting an exclusive exhibition of Tony Award-winning playwright, actor, and activist Harvey Fierstein's quilts this July.

The three-day show will open with a reception on Thursday, July 24 and run from July 25-27. 

Tickets for the reception, exhibition, and entry into a raffle for one of Harvey's handmade quilts are now on sale. KTM&HC members receive a special discount to the reception, where attendees will have early access to the exhibition and meet-and-greet with Harvey. Exhibition tickets include a free tour of our historic museum.

“As a history museum with a commitment to connecting past and present,” said KTM&HC Executive Director Hildegard Grob, “KTM&HC is excited for the opportunity to showcase Harvey's quilting creativity and to provide audiences with perspective on quilting’s long history of artistic expression and social commentary.”

Though quilting is a textile-making technique that has been used for thousands of years, American quilts have distinctive patterns and purposes that speak powerfully to our national identity. From practical bedwarmers to family heirlooms to bold activist statements, quilts blend visual and tactile experiences to reflect important elements of American culture. KTM&HC has many historic quilts in its collection from 19th- and 20th-century Ridgefield: quilts with well-known pattern names like Log-Cabin and Oak Leaf; “crazy” quilts with irregular shapes and meticulous embroidery; and signature quilts commemorating weddings and community events.  

Today, many contemporary artists use quilting as their artistic medium, carrying on the textile traditions exemplified at our museum. The stunning quilts in Harvey's collection, including the selection on display at KTM&HC this July, connect past and present through references to historic quilt-making patterns and techniques and visually striking, dynamic designs that communicate Fierstein’s personality and activism.

Harvey Fierstein is best known as a seven-time Tony Award-winning actor and playwright but, as this exhibition will attest, he is also a visual artist. Recipient of this year’s Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement, Harvey is best known for his stage work on HAIRSPRAY, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, NEWSIES, KINKY BOOTS and TORCH SONG TRILOGY. Audiences are also familiar with film appearances in MRS DOUBTFIRE, INDEPENDENCE DAY and MULAN. He attended NYC’s High School of Art and Design and holds a BFA from Pratt Institute.

A forty-year resident of Ridgefield, Harvey began dabbling in quilt-making after watching craft shows on HGTV. With his theatrical exploits curtailed during the Covid crisis, Harvey used that solitary time to further explore the possibilities of quilting - gifting his output to familiars and donating many more to raise money for various charities. This is the first public display of his work. Asked about this show he said, “I am both excited and terrified to expose my work en masse but ready and raring to go!” 

Harvey’s autobiography, I Was Better Last Night, is a NY Times best seller.

Thank you to our Sponsors: Cotton Candy Fabrics & Quilts and Adam Broderick Salon & Spa for generously supporting KTM&HC and this exhibition.

Throughout the exhibition, Cotton Candy Fabrics & Quilts will host a pop-up shop in KTM&HC’s historic Carriage Barn, featuring Harvey’s favorite quilting supplies and live quilting demonstrations. Pop-up shop hours: Friday, July 25 through Sunday, July 27, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.

» View the full calendar of events