Plan Your Trip to Maker Festivals Lancaster

There’s nothing like gathering with people who really “get” you. And when it comes to makers, the more the merrier! That was our philosophy when we decided to greatly expand our Maker Festivals events lineup for 2023. We added more locations, and we increased the number of crafts covered at each location. We kicked off this year with our Loveland Maker Festivals event and made the party even bigger at Maker Festivals Milwaukee. Next stop: Maker Festivals Lancaster.

Last year, for the 20^th year of Bead Fest, we moved to Lancaster, PA, to a gorgeous new facility with beautiful surroundings, and we’re so excited to be back at the Lancaster Convention Center in 2023—and to add so many more events to make it a true Maker Festivals extravaganza. This year, Maker Festivals Lancaster includes: Bead Fest (bead weaving, bead embroidery, metalsmithing, wirework, and more), Yarn Fest (knitting, crochet, and weaving), Stitch Fest (quilting, sewing, embroidery), and Art Fest (oil painting, pastel, and more).

There’s so much to look forward to at the Lancaster Maker Festivals event. Whether you’re planning, like me, to spend the whole week at Maker Festivals or just a single, blissful afternoon, I can’t recommend strongly enough that you go in with a game plan. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and let the experience carry you along. While you’ll still have a great time if that happens, you might find yourself feeling some FOMO (fear of missing out) or regrets after the event if you don’t make the most of it.

This guide is to help you think of everything so you can plan to have an awesome time!

Make an Agenda

For however many days you’re going, I recommend making an agenda that breaks down your time by the hour. Ideally, do this before you register for your workshops to make sure you don’t double-book yourself. Then you can fill in the workshops as you register and be sure you leave time to eat, shop, and simply rest. Remember that the Marketplace is open Thursday-Saturday for shopping. You’ll definitely want to leave yourself plenty of time to browse and shop.

Plan Your Workshops

Workshops are offered Wednesday through Saturday at Maker Festivals, and there are so many to choose from—including for media and crafts you might never have tried before! Online registration for workshops is now closed, but you can still add workshops at registration at the event. All registered students will receive a Bead Fest Tote Bag with goodies from participating sponsors, as well as a three-day pass to the Marketplace.

Only you can know what your stamina is for workshops. I encourage you to challenge yourself but also to take care of yourself. Choose a workshop outside of your comfort zone, maybe bookended with some lighter content for a mix of engagement and opportunities to rest your brain.

Don’t forget to learn more about your instructors and follow them on social media! Let them know you’re excited to see them at Yarn Fest and stay connected after the event.

The Event Stage

The Event Stage is your go-to spot for giveaways, live demos, award presentations, and more!

Jewel School Takeover

We’re so excited to welcome Jewel School from “Jewelry Television ” to the Milwaukee Maker Festivals event! If you aren’t familiar with Jewel School, it is a jewelry making academy, which you’ll find on cable TV and online. Jewel School hosts and their guests help you bring your jewelry making and DIY ideas to life with inspiring tips, techniques, and trends. Plus, you can shop for all your jewelry making essentials, beads, and supplies at JTV.com.

They’ll be taking over the event stage all day Thursday and Friday, with a variety of presenters, including Robert Thomas, Wyatt White, and more. Jewelry making and beadwork are their specialties, but they will be adding knitting, sewing, and quilting to the mix for a true Maker Festivals spectacular!

Here’s the full schedule (all times in EST) of the Jewel School event stage takeover:

Thursday 8/3

11:00-12:00 Jewel School Live Studio Audience Show
12:30-1:30 Maker Panel Interview with Industry Leaders
2:30-3:30 Make Along Demo with Rita of Impress Art
4:00-5:00 Wire Time Demo with Parawire

Friday 8/4

9:00-10:00 Create It Live with Wyatt White
11:00-12:00 Rock Star Design Challenge
1:00-2:00 Jewel School Live Studio Audience Show
2:30-3:30 Make Along Demo with Wyatt White
4:00-5:00 Master Maker with Sara Lovecraft

There will be prizes and giveaways throughout the takeover, so be sure to stop by often and watch! If you can’t be there in person, tune in to JTV Extra at jtv.com/extra or watch the live stream on the Jewel School Facebook page.

JTV was an absolute smash hit at our 2022 Lancaster event—don’t miss out!

Top 100 of 2023

Throughout the Marketplace, we will be presenting awards to the very best in the industry. We’re so excited to honor the 2023 Top 20 in each of these categories: Yarn & Fiber Arts, Beading & Jewelry Making, Quilting, Sewing, and Fine Art. So many of our recipients will be in attendance at Maker Festivals Lancaster to receive these very special awards in person.

Related: Meet the Recipients of Interweave’s Top 20 Beading and Jewelry Artists of 2022

Bead Arts Awards and Yarn & Fiber Arts Awards Winners

The Bead Arts Awards is a competition to celebrate the very best in beading design, from sculpture to wearables and more. We are thrilled to have many of our winners in attendance in Lancaster! We will also have a photo display honoring the other winners and honorable mentions so everyone can browse the gallery.

Related: See the Winners of the 2022 Bead Arts Awards

This year, we’re also debuting the Yarn & Fiber Arts awards at Maker Festivals Lancaster. Yarn and fiber enthusiasts joining us in Lancaster are invited to enter the Yarn & Fiber Art Awards for a chance to show off your skills and gain recognition for your talent. This is our inaugural, blue-ribbon competition! We couldn’t be more excited to see what you’ve been stitching. No matter your skill level, share the work that you’re most proud of one of 5 categories. Not only will you have the chance to win the honor of Best In Show, but we also have fabulous prizes, too! All winners of the Maker Festival Yarn & Fiber Art Awards will be announced and featured in Lancaster. Attendees will get the chance to vote, but you can also vote from home. Keep at eye on the Yarn Fest Instagram account for the chance to vote on Friday, August 4.

Community Fashion Show

Be sure to join us at the Event Stage at 12:30 on Saturday for our Community Fashion Show, featuring garments from recent issues of Interweave Knits and Sew News. Our fabulous models will be Golden Peak Media staff! So, attendees will get to meet the people behind the pages of the publications they love while also seeing the beautiful garments and accessories in person.

Marketplace

If you haven’t gotten your Marketplace ticket yet, never fear—you can get your ticket at the door. However, don’t forget that you will receive a free 3-day marketplace admission pass when you register for at least one 3 hour or longer workshop!

We will also have a Measuring Station at the marketplace, where you can have an expert take your measurements and get information on how to apply them. Also, be sure to check out our fashion show each day in the Marketplace, to see samples from Interweave Knits, Sew News, and more.

Evening Event: Designing with the Stars to Benefit Beads of Courage

We’re so excited to reprise our Designing with the Stars benefit for Beads of Courage, an innovative arts-in-medicine nonprofit that supports children coping with serious illness, as well as their families and healthcare providers. Members receive colorful glass beads during the course of their treatment.

At the Designing With The Stars event, attendees will create beading and jewelry projects at different stations with star designers and community members.

Related: Listen to Our Jewelry Artist Podcast episode with Beads of Courage Founder Jean Gribbon

Prep for Success

Plan and Budget Your Purchases

You can find out about the vendors who will be there in advance so that you can plan what you’re looking for! Setting a budget is never fun, but it’s a good idea to make sure you don’t overspend and that you leave enough money for your top-priority purchases.

You’ll find links to the vendors websites. Plus, be sure to check them out on social media to see what they’re planning on bringing to the show.

Do Your Homework

If one or more of your workshops has homework, be sure to complete that before you go or on the plane. Your instructor will send you instructions if there’s anything you need to complete before your workshop.

Pack Your Bags

You’ll know you’re almost there when it’s time to pack your bags!

What to Bring

Be sure to double check that supply list for your workshops! You don’t want to be scrambling once you’re there.

Think About Food

There will be a variety of food trucks available onsite for you to refuel and to take a break. There are also many local restaurants and chains within easy walking distance.

Related: Favorite Restaurants, Coffee Shops, and Bars in Lancaster

At Maker Festivals Lancaster

Check In

When you arrive for your first workshop or marketplace day, you can pick up your materials at the registration desk. To receive a tote bag full of goodies, you must purchase at least one workshop. You can also sign up for more workshops at the registration desk.

Then you can take your workshop ticket and supplies directly to your classroom, or head into the Marketplace.

Learn. Shop. Stay!

Make the most of your Bead Fest Experience and stay at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square. The hotel is connected to the convention center and features historic structures within and around its own new architecture. If you’re staying for evening events at Bead Fest or taking an evening class, it’s just a few steps to your room. Or, gather your friends for after-hours beading sessions in the spacious lobby. You can also soak up panoramic views of downtown from the beautiful rooftop bar.

At the End of the Day

After a long day of learning and shopping, wind down in whatever way makes sense to you. For some, that’s retreating to the hotel room and hoarding your purchases like a dragon—or practicing the new skills you learned in workshops.

For others, that means heading out to one of the many local restaurants and bars in the area and decompressing with new and old friends.

Don’t forget to budget in some time to document your purchases and plan your future makes! You’re sure to be so inspired at the end of your experience that your personal project queue will grow significantly.

Explore the Local Area

This is Pennsylvania Dutch Country, which is about an hour and thirty minutes if you’re driving from Philadelphia, and less by train. Downtown Lancaster offers plenty of opportunities for shopping and dining, or you can tour the nearby countryside. For farm fresh flavor, Lancaster Central Market is open Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The market offers everything from artisan bread, coffee, and tea to farm produce and flowers. There are also numerous shops, cafés, galleries, and more to enjoy while you’re in town.

Enjoy Yourself

The most important part of the whole experience! Remember, you’re here to have fun, learn, and make new friends. Be friendly, introduce yourself, compliment someone’s sweater—you never know who you’ll meet, from your favorite designer to a new lifelong friend.

Remember, there’s no wrong way to enjoy an event like Maker Festivals. I can’t wait to see you there! I’ll be the one broadly grinning with multiple totes of yarn, beads, and fabric in my arms . . . oh wait, that won’t narrow it down at all. But I will be the one introducing myself as the Interweave digital editor and maybe asking if I can take your picture for social media. And I’ll be so, so excited to meet you, a fellow maker.

Will we see you at Maker Festivals Lancaster? Let us know what you’re most excited for in the comments!