Beading a path through the Okanagan
PENTICTON – An Okanagan artist and entrepreneur turned a daydream into a unique business opportunity which continues to grow with each new tourist season.
Karen Griggs was looking for a way to make a living while following her passion when she came up with the idea of the Bead Trail.
According to her blog, a Bead Trail provides both tourists and locals with a fun, affordable way to collect unique jewellery items. Participants start with a map and a bracelet available at visitor information centres and participating businesses. While discovering Okanagan wineries, restaurants, boutiques and art studios, they collecting beads unique to each business.
The original Bead Trail followed the Summerland Winery trail. Griggs has since developed Bead Trails in West Kelowna, Summerland, Naramata, Penticton, Okanagan Falls Oliver and Osoyoos. Just recently she launched the Kelowna/Lake Country and Peachland trails.
After five years, there are now 140 businesses, artists and tourist attractions are on the Bead Trail maps in the Okanagan.
For more information, including Bead Trails maps, see the Bead Trails website.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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