WHY WINDOWFEST EXISTS
HISTORIC HOUSES NEED MORE THAN SAVING
THEY NEED ARTISANS
WindowFest brings apprentices, working craftspeople, teachers, leaders, homeowners, sponsors, and historic-house communities into the same room—and around the same real work.
We gather to call, unite, equip, and send artisans who can understand the whole window, make what is missing, and return practical capacity to the communities that need it.
CALL
UNITE
EQUIP
SEND
FOUR DAYS.
ONE WORKING GATHERING.
AT THE CENTER OF TWO WEEKS
Come to learn, demonstrate, compete, lead, serve, or simply see what becomes possible when the trades meet around a real historic building.
DAY 01 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5
GATHER
The gathering begins by putting the real problem in the middle of the room: historic-house communities need more people with the capacity to do the work.
WELCOME
Meet Uvalde
Arrive, orient, and encounter the Opera House as host, evidence, and classroom.
CONVERSATION
Opening Roundtable
Artisans, leaders, contributors, and sponsors gather around the capacity problem.
FELLOWSHIP
Make room for relationship
A first evening shaped around the people who will carry the work forward.
NOVEMBER 8 - UVALDE - 2026
THE COMPETITIVE CENTERPIECE
PUT CRAFT
WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE IT.
WindowLympics turns developing skill into something visible. Artisans work against the clock, the standard, and their own last best effort—in competition designed to sharpen technique, reward fluency, and inspire the next apprentice.
SASH-MAKING CHALLENGES
WHOLE-WINDOW TEAMWORK
REAL TOOLS, REAL CHALLENGES, FRIENDLY COMPETITION
EXPLORE WINDOWLYMPICS
THE PEOPLE CARRYING THE WORK
NOT A SPEAKER LINEUP
A WORKING TEAM.
Instructors, judges, alumni, community hosts, and preservation partners each steward a distinct part of the gathering.
STEVE QUILLIAN
DUFFY HOFFMAN
JOHN RODGERS
SCOTT WHOBREY
CAITLIN VISEL
DUNCAN BROWN
KATIE TOTMAN
CAITLIN MEE
JIM BAXTER
THE HOST AND THE CLASSROOM
GRAND OPERA HOUSE
UVALDE, TEXAS
Uvalde’s Opera House is more than a backdrop. Its windows become evidence, classroom, and public demonstration—showing how investigation, joinery, carpentry, and finishing reunite in service to a real community.
TEXAS
HISTORIC LANDMARK
THE COMPLETE UVALDE PATHWAY
COME FOR THE FESTIVAL
OCT 31 - NOV 4
01
Introductory Field Labs
Intro to Sash Making and Intro to Window Craft approach the same problem from opposite directions.
NOV 9-13
03
ADVANCED FIELD LAB
The disciplines reunite at the Opera House through investigation, fabrication, fitting, and restoration.
NOV 5-8
02
WINDOWFEST + WINDOWLYMPICS
Teaching, demonstrations, fellowship, leadership, public celebration, competition, and commissioning.
STEP INTO THE WORK
CHOOSE YOUR EXPERIENCE
There is a place for you in this work
