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If you are one of those people who announce loudly and often in public places that there would never be such a thing as a festival devoted entirely to beads, well, you may now consider yourself wrong. Only twenty minutes from Philadelphia, Bead Fest Philadelphia, the East Coast’s largest bead and jewelry show, takes place at the Valley Forge Convention Center from August 21-24, 2008. Classes begin on the 21st and the Expo swings into action the following day.
Oh, the fun you could have when you register in advance or at the festival itself for any of the more than 170 classes taught by bead and jewelry experts from around the country on such diverse topics as bead crocheting, bead stitching, bead stringing, jewelry business, chain maille, clay, design, kiln fusing, lampworking, metal clay, metalsmithing, wire and beads, wire and metal, wire knitting, wire weaving, wire wrapping, and live squirrel molding, where you take a freshly caught squirrel, a handful of colorful beads, pry their toes apart, taking care not to get bitten…never mind. I’m just joking about that last one, but the others are all true.
You may have noticed that class topics drift well beyond basic beading. That’s because there are so many ultra-cool things to learn they couldn’t help but throw them in. Better for you. Classes provide hands-on instruction for all experience levels. Perhaps the word is over-used but this bead and jewelry EXTRAVAGANZA also offers an opportunity for you to purchase professionally created jewelry or supplies if don’t need no stinkin’ classes or badges either.
Even better, if you count yourself as a member of the general public, then you are cordially invited to attend Bead Fest, which features more than 275 booths. Show hours are Friday (noon – 7 pm), Saturday (10 am – 6 pm), and Sunday (11 am – 5 pm). General admission is $10 for one day, $12 for two days, and $14 for all three days of the festival. Umm, maybe it’s just me but it seems like the three day option is a pretty damn good deal. You can learn more about Bead Fest here.
The Valley Forge Convention Center is located at 1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406. If you need more information or have lost all your beads and need to ask someone where they are, try 610.354.8212 or simply look under the couch.
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