By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–If you are a fan of beads, various artwork vendors, bead instruction classes and more then you will want to be at the Helena Sports Complex Aug. 22-23 for the semi-annual Beadapalooza event.

The event has grown to be so popular that it is now held twice a year and Helena residents, renowned artists and even people from across the Southeast will travel to Helena to take part in the two-day event.

The Bead Biz, a local Helena business, hosts Beadapalooza and owner Lora Lunsford has helped organize the event in recent years.

“It has become more like a bead circus than a bead show,” Lunsford said before Beadapalooza in March. “People come from all over the Southeast to attend and it has grown immensely. I didn’t want it to be like typical bead shows so I had to come up with ideas. I want it to be fun and entertaining.”

Some new things that will be happening at the August Beadapalooza will be the addition of new classes taught by experienced instructors that will be available for those to sign up for.

World-renowned wire jewelry designer Dale Cougar Armstrong will be hosting a woven beaded bracelet class on Saturday, Aug. 22, and that is just one example of the classes available for sign up.

Those who sign up for one of the instruction classes will have the opportunity to shop before everyone else on Friday, Aug. 21, at a preview sale and Lunsford said this is one of the advantages of signing up.

Close to 15 different vendors will be on hand at the sports complex as well as live music, tribal belly dancers, raffle drawings and more.

Anyone wishing to join a class can sign up directly on the website at Thebeadbiz.com.