A display case is filled with colorful examples of Imperial Glass at the Imperial Glass Mueum in Bellaire. The National Imperial Glass Collectors Society will hold its 49th annual convention beginning on Thursday, May 1, in Bellaire and St. Clairsville. Photo courtesy of Belmont County Tourism Council

BELLAIRE — The National Imperial Glass Collectors Society will hold its 49th annual convention beginning on Thursday, May 1, in Bellaire and St. Clairsville, with activities taking place into the weekend.

This year’s theme is Cutting Up, and the convention will feature the auction of the personal Imperial collection of Lucile Kennedy.

The convention will begin on Thursday with registration at 11 a.m., and the traditional ice cream social will take place at 4 p.m. at the National Imperial Glass Museum in Bellaire.

Friday’s events will take place at the Market at Ebberts Farm in St. Clairsville and will begin at 9 a.m. with a seminar on Imperial Cuttings and their annual meeting. After lunch, there will be a “bring and brag” session, and everyone’s favorite “former employee roundtable.” The Imperial Banquet will follow at 5 p.m. and will honor Rosalie Wenckoski, the current administrator of the National Imperial Glass Museum.

Saturday will feature a once-in-a-lifetime auction of Kennedy’s personal collection. She was the special assistant to Imperial President Car W. Gustkey. Kennedy was a true trailblazer among women, and she became known as “Miss Imperial” through her many years at the Imperial Glass factory.

Before her death in 2011, Kennedy was also instrumental in the opening of the National Imperial Glass Museum in Bellaire.

This Matthew Wroda Auction will be online and in person at the Market at Ebberts Farm. There will be 350 lots in the auction, and then an in-person-only box auction will follow.

The auction begins at 10 a.m. and is open to the public.