Just Bead It

Once a year it comes to town, bringing a bonanza of baubles, gems, strings, and clasps. That’s right, jewelry-making geniuses, it’s BeadFest Miami 2008, coming atcha with a flurry of classes and exhibitions through Sunday, April 13. Today the show opens at noon, and the schedule of classes will ensure you walk out of the Sheraton Miami Mart with some gorgeous new trinkets to brag about.

Classes range from the intricate and daunting to “Hey, my kid could do that.” Today you can expect to see everything from painstaking Japanese seed beadwork to chunky, funky zigzag bracelets. If you’d love to learn how to make your own jewelry, class fees range from $95 to $205, all materials included. If you just want to browse the enormous expo space and buy beads for later stringing, one-day admission is $10 and a three-day pass costs $14.
April 11-13, 2008