Jackson Bead Festival

It might seem like a lot of time has passed since the festival ended, and I apologize for that, but it has honestly required every moment of the last 2+ weeks for me to fully process what went on over the course of that incredible weekend. So here is a (not so concise or complete) synopsis of what I experienced all the way from the planning to the finale…

Whenever people asked what gave me the idea to do something like this, I jokingly say it was only because we needed a reason to make Beki Haley come visit the rest of us in Jackson! To be completely honest, that was a conversation that truly happened between Kinga Bledsoe and myself. But when I started talking to my friend that works for the venue (Jackson School Of The Arts) about using the space, she reminded me I also talked about doing a retreat or something similar years ago, when they first started their renovations of the building.

It would also be completely inauthentic of me to share this story without acknowledging the insurmountable amount of work and emotional investment that went into this, during a year when I already probably had too much on my plate. From moving our business of 11 years, to several major health struggles within our family, it’s been a hard task to see through. But sometimes in life there are just moments when the timing is undeniable, and short of when I first opened the store, I have never quite felt so compelled to see something through.

I have never been a part of anything else in my life where so many people were insistent in sharing with me what an amazing time they were having. They asked all day, every day if we would be doing it again the following year. I was constantly stopped, hands laid on me, and given intense eye contact as attendees seemed led to ensure I knew how serious and genuinely they felt about sharing their joy with me. From the bottom of my heart, these numerous moments were one of the things they kept me from breaking down day after day as I was exhausted and overwhelmed often by the sheer scope of what we were doing.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t give the BIGGEST thank you to the numerous people that were so integral in helping to set this in motion, gave wise council for months leading up to the weekend, and taught, vended, attended or volunteered over the course of those 5+ days. It takes a village to raise a… BEAD COMMUNITY, and you all are the best village I could ever ask for!

Another intensely gratifying experience throughout the entire event was the number of people that had traveled from all over the country to be in Jackson, and continuously shared how much they loved our city. As a lifelong resident who has dedicated every moment of my adulthood to adding to the positive atmosphere in one way or another, it made my heart burst with pride to know everyone else can see what we do.

For students, vendors and instructors, please look for an email with a link to a short survey that we would greatly appreciate if you had the time to fill out. As much as we adored every moment with you all this year, we know there is always room for improvement, and we want this to be the best event it possibly can.

Thank you if you’ve made it this far, I know it’s a long message but felt it was worth sharing the heart and soul of what the Jackson Bead Festival was all about. May we stand the test of time and bring you an event year after year filled with beads, education and community.  

Sincerely, Cassandra S – Beads To Live By