Glass.Vegas, Baby!
We recently had the pleasure of hitting up Glass.Vegas 2023 and it was an all-time epic experience! Read on to hear all about it and our takeaways from yet another exciting time at this incredible meeting of the minds.
Doing it a Little Different This Time
Glass.Vegas is always a good time but this time, it was a bit different than years past. It’s one of the premier events in the US for glassblowing businesses and this year it was extra special because my wife and business partner, Beezy Glass got to join me. This was both her first time visiting Las Vegas and her first time going to Glass.Vegas, so it was double the fun. Being able to show her around town and take in the event with my best friend was awesome. Also of note, this was our first time away together without our 3.5-year-old son.
About Glass Vegas
What makes Glass.Vegas so unique is that it's a glass trade show that really centers on the culture. This community is small, even on a global scale, and getting together to network, see the latest innovations, and check out some great art really unites us. The show is also really wonderful because we get to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. It is both a B2B business opportunity and a glassblowing exhibition, and for anyone interested in, or involved in the glass industry, it's a must-do event.
The Deets on the Show
However, this was no romantic getaway; we came to work and we weren’t wasting any time. Glass.Vegas opened on Friday, January 13 from 7 PM to 11 PM, and then ran all day Saturday and Sunday.
This expo is really huge. It’s set up in two convention rooms that are simply massive; think three football fields each.
On Friday night, we spent the evening catching up with friends that we ran into and grabbing goodies from some of the vendors to bring back with us. Having the first pick of all the artists’ best work on the first day of the show is definitely a highlight so we ran around and gobbled up as much glass as we could.
Saturday + Sunday at Glass Vegas
Beezy and I split up on Saturday and Sunday so we could take the whole day to work through just one room each day. I am not exaggerating; it took that kind of strategy to work it out!
It was great to touch base with vendors that we hadn’t seen since last year and place new orders with them. We met lots of new glassblowers and vendors, which is always exciting to get a scope of what’s going on in the broader community. Many of these artists don’t have glass pieces available throughout the year and they only bring their work to Glass.Vegas. So, if you’re not there to buy what they have on the table at that time, you don’t get their glass.
The exclusivity and rarity of artist-made glass pieces is one of the most exciting aspects of this business. We were so excited to secure artwork from multiple vendors that operate like this and cannot wait to share the incredible inventory we have put together because of this trip. So stay tuned, we will have a super large selection of one-of-a-kind glass artwork pipes available this year. We are so excited about it!
We also had the pleasure of connecting with Bad Ash Glass at Glass.Vegas. We got to meet her, her husband, and their newborn baby. It’s awesome to not only support a female glass artist, but also a new mother and her family.
Closing Out the Show
Glass.Vegas 2023 was amazing, as per usual with each new year bringing new excitement. We loved checking out all the new things and meeting up with old friends while witnessing the new frontiers being explored with this wondrous medium. We are so excited to share all the goodies we picked up, so get ready to see some wild new pieces!
