Bead Fest Returns for 20th Year to Host Largest Gathering of Makers

Bead Fest moves to bigger venue in Lancaster, Penn., August 17-20, 2022

GOLDEN, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bead Fest, the largest educational beading and jewelry event, will celebrate its 20^th anniversary at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, PA, drawing thousands of beaders and jewelry enthusiasts to its 4-day festival of all things beading.

The gathering in the Marriott at Penn Square, August 17-20, 2022, will feature over 400 hours of classes taught by internationally and domestically respected instructors and an inspiring shopping experience with 125+ specialty beading and jewelry exhibitors. Additionally, special events to celebrate 20 years of gathering to explore beadwork and jewelry making will also be held throughout the week.

“Bead Fest is the perfect place for seasoned jewelry-making and beading veterans to learn new techniques, find new trends, and explore a vast marketplace. And, for those who are just starting out, there are demos, make and takes, and getting-started workshops where you can try your hand and see where your path leads. It truly is a place for the whole community to come together,” said Tamara Honaman, artist and Director of Content at Golden Peak Media.

For its 20^th year, Bead Fest will include an innovative "Getting Started" workshop series geared toward those who want to start exploring the world of beadwork and jewelry making. Taught by the globally recognized Honaman herself, it is the perfect place to dabble in new techniques and learn the basics of beading and jewelry making.

This year, Bead Fest will also recognize and celebrate the best of the industry at the show. Winners of the Interweave Bead Arts Awards will be announced and featured throughout the event. These awards highlight the best of the best in three categories, with prizes from the contest sponsors to recognize excellence in the following categories:
Seed Beads sponsored by Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
Multi-Hole Beads sponsored by Barrel of Beads
Crystals sponsored by Dreamtime Creations

Prizes include:
Grand Prize Winner - $750 in cash
Three Category Winners - $250 sponsored prize
Four Honorable Mentions - $50 Interweave.com gift cards
All winners will receive a one-year membership to Interweave+ (a $49.99 value), a digital badge, a feature on Interweave.com, and will be highlighted at Bead Fest.

"Being part of the Bead Fest programming for the past 20 years has been amazing. To see the event grow from our first effort with 50 vendors and 14 classes to where we are today is a testament to the vibrancy of the jewelry-making and beading communities,” Honaman said. "We are so excited to have Bead Fest in this new location—Lancaster has a vibrant arts community, local area attractions, lots of great food options within walking distance, historic landmarks, and it is close to Hershey Park, an attraction many people have traditionally ventured to after the show.”

“We are beyond thrilled at the response from the community,” said Jeffrey Litvack, CEO of Golden Peak Media. “After two years without live events, this community is itching to get back together—and we couldn’t be more excited to host Bead Fest 2022. Within just a few weeks, we had record-breaking sales for workshops and the hotel room block sold out—twice!”

To learn more about Bead Fest, visit BeadFest.com. View a full workshop brochure and save on registration with advanced pricing through June 30, 2022. Marketplace hours: August 18-20, 2022, 10 am – 6 pm. Advanced tickets: $15/1-day, $25/3-day. At the Door: $20/1-day, $30/3-day. Workshops include a marketplace pass.

About Golden Peak

Golden Peak Media is one of the largest media and education companies serving Art and Craft enthusiasts in the U.S. The Company publishes 15 magazines, including Love of Quilting and Artists Magazine, and has more than 5,000 digital videos and 15,000 digital patterns. More information can be found at www.goldenpeakmedia.com.