Bethany Alcorn is making space in her already colorful cupboards.

Next weekend, she and a convoy of friends will make their traditional hour-long trek west to a veritable mecca for Fiesta dinnerware's faithful followers: the tent sale at the Homer Laughlin China Co in Newell, W.Va.

Like so many other devotees of Fiesta -- the boldly hued line of cups, plates and bowls meant to brighten kitchens and spirits since the Great Depression -- Ms. Alcorn, of the South Hills, is hoping to add a few more pieces to her vast collection.

"I like all the endless mixing and matching," she said. "It just makes you happy to look in your cupboard and have all those colors."

The company's three-day sales, held twice each year, draw hundreds of people from around the country who are looking to score bargains on pieces of the sought-after deco dinnerware, which was once cheap but can now command hundreds of dollars.

Next weekend's sale promises even more stimulation, with free concerts, a craft sale and flea market, factory tours and plate-decorating events for children. Organizers are calling the first-time event a Fiesta festival. It runs from Thursday through Saturday at the company outlet adjacent to the community's Clarke Field.

Plates, cups, mugs, bowls, saucers, candle holders, pitchers and other items -- called "seconds" for their minor manufacturing flaws -- will be spread out under a 200-foot tent for collectors to pore over. Up for grabs will be more than 80 items in 15 colors, including seconds in one of the company's newer colors -- chocolate.

"We're trying to give folks more stuff to do while they are coming in," said Homer Laughlin's marketing manager, Dan Williams.

Lines during the spring tent sale stretched for nearly 1,400 feet, Mr. Williams said. The crowds are a testament to the enduring popularity of Fiesta ware, which no longer is just a colorful symbol of simpler times.

The line, which debuted in 1936 at the Pittsburgh Glass and Pottery Show, remains one of the most in-demand brands in the world. Clubs have sprung up for Fiesta's admirers, and Facebook groups have formed in its honor, attracting members by the hundreds.

Ms. Alcorn is a member of one such group called "I Need a 12 Step Program for My Fiestaware Addiction."

"I collect all the contemporary colors," she said. "I love that it is dishwasher-, microwave- and oven-safe."

Ms. Alcorn recommends the sale to first-time Fiesta buyers looking to build their own assortments.

Among other things, she is seeking flatware and some add-ons to her mother's collection this year. She'll also bring with her a list of Fiesta requests from friends who can't make the sale.

"It's so cheap," she said. "You end up going for a specific thing, and you leave with 70 dollars of stuff that you didn't even know you needed."

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