Bead Shows

I wish there was a bead show around here. Every fall there is the "Bead Bop". You buy a ticket and tote (one time only) and visit all the shops participating. It sounds like so much fun and I'd love to do it once. Maybe this year I'll just do it and let my husband have the hockey driving instead.

Cheryl

I buy a lot of seed beads from Beyond Beadery when I see them at shows. I do the Houston International Quilt Festival and they are often there, as is Shipwreck Beads and a few others. I like the Bead Renaissance Show in Denver in the Fall and there is a Bead Bazaar along with the Gem and Mineral Show in Denver in the Spring. Sooz spoke very highly of the BABE (Bay Area Bead Extravaganza) that is twice a year in San Francisco. I know other vendors there but havent been myself.

I'm in New Hampshire, US. I think it is 6-7 shops, mostly smaller ones. I've been to a few of them, but would love an excuse to bead shop all day.

hmm - you have given me an idea - I know the ladies that run Celebration of Needlework. And I know a bead shop owner very well. I wonder if I could get them together.

I've been to couple of gem and mineral shows, but I don't recall ever seeing beads other than already strung.

Cheryl

Unfortunately, our local bead shows are miles apart. My favorite one, Amy's Beads, has "bead night" once a month, where you can bring your works in progress and cheerfully bead with other like-minded beaders. If I were to go to the local bead shops all in one day, I could easily put over 50 miles on my car.

Been to BABE and we have the International Gem and Jewelry show here this weekend, I usually hit the gem shows.

Oh I'd be putting a lot more than 50 miles if I were to try and do Bead Bop. The way to do it is with friends and make day of it and split the driving!

The nearest bead show to me is in Anchorage, 350 miles from here. That's a drive of at least 7 hours each way. I've been to the BABE bead show in Oakland when I visiting family, but usually I'm in the area either for the holidays or some other function.

Linda, Amy's "bead night" sounds like a great thing. There was a group doing something like that a while back. I should see if they're still doing that. People in Fairbanks tend to do a lot of things for themselves -- arts, food preservation, cultural dances, powwows, etc.

Another monthly thing a friend of mine does relates to Sarajane's post about Sally Burger. My martial arts buddy teaches yoga, and once a month does "yoga church". Everyone gets together to do yoga and brings the name of a cause they support; and all money collected goes to the cause that is picked at random.

Tina

Sorry I am so late in responding; just did my quarterly check in and found this thread.

We have the Portland Bead Society Bead Bazaar in Nov and Art and Elegance of Beads in April/May. Joined PBS just so I could volunteer at the Bazaar - way too much fun for a bead addict! The Bazaar is mostly beads and accessories. A&E is mostly finished beadwork. Then there are the Gem Faire shows and the Bead Faire and Renaissance Bead Show and a couple of others.

As to my favorite vendor(s), ah, most of them! I'm hopless, I guess.