Bead Stampede offers 'something new'

Jeri Buckmann, Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce Events Coordinator, was looking for something new to bring to Sisters to spice up the chamber's event schedule this summer.

She struck upon the idea of a Sisters Bead Stampede

"I wanted to do something different," said event coordinator Buckmann.

Buckmann said she attended several bead shows with friends and was struck by the depth of interest in beadcraft. Impressed by the shows, Buckmann decided she wanted to bring one to Sisters.

"It's like quilting," she said. "It's amazing how many web sites there are."

The chamber is sponsoring the first bead show ever held in Sisters on Saturday and Sunday, August 7-8 at the Village Green Park.

The Sisters Bead Stampede will feature vendors selling handmade beads, antique beads and trade beads as well as buttons.

The bead show replaces the traditional Saturday Market in an event schedule that the chamber modified significantly this year.

Chamber Executive Director Ric Nowak said that attendance had been dropping off at the Saturday Markets and the chamber board decided some changes should be made.

"We didn't want to run the shows into the ground before we made a change," said Nowak.

Instead of having three one-day shows in July, August and September, the chamber scheduled a two-day craft fair in July -- which organizers said was highly successful -- and the bead stampede for August. September's event will be the Western and Native American Arts Festival during the first weekend of September.

That event was scheduled for its inaugural run last year, but it was canceled due to the B&B Complex Fire.

The August weekend was a particular target for change this year.

"My feeling was that the show in August was competing with the fair and we weren't getting as many vendors for that show," Buckmann said.

So the chamber will inaugurate its Bead Stampede, with several days of bead-related events leading up to the weekend.

Out-West Designs in Sisters will conduct bead classes Wednesday through Friday, August 4-6. For more information on classes, call Lynda Dinneen at 549-1140.