Question:
Has anyone exhibited or attended one of the "Down The Street" or "Bead
Merchantile" bead shows? If so, would you please share your experience and
impressions. I'm thinking of having a booth at one or the other (maybe
both), and I'd like a little feedback before I make my decision. If you'd
rather make comments privately, feel free to email me.
Answer:
I have attended both and posted a review of the Bead Mercantile Show in
Birmingham a while back.
Bead Mercantile Show: The Birmingham show was good, the Williamsburg show
in May was much better. It's not a huge show, but there were 25 or so
vendors, all good. Mavis Smith, John Winter, Lea Zinke, JoAnn Allard, Jane
herself, and a bunch more of my favorites were there. They have begun to
charge admission, but it's well worth it. The classes looked very
interesting, although I didn't have time to take one. It's a friendly
laid-back show at this point, with very knowledgeable vendors who cheerfully
chat and share tips with you.
Down the Street Bead Show: I've been twice in Atlanta, once in Nashville,
always on the same weekend as an Intergalactic Bead Show. The ones I have
been to have been smaller than IBS or Bead Mercantile and of more variable
quality.
Of course, in my mind, there no such thing as a BAD bead show, just Good
Shows and Better Shows.
