Explore the world without leaving town at the Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Shows

[Ptah]

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Once a year, more than 65,000 people from around the world flock to Tucson to attend the annual Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase. More than 40 shows make up the Showcase and can be found all over the city. That includes the original event, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, which got its start way back in 1955 and is held annually at the Tucson Convention Center.

"It's huge for Tucson," said Michal Mael, owner of Michal and Company, which designs and builds furniture made from geodes and sets up each year as part of the Kino Gem Show at 2500 E. Ajo Way.

Mael joins thousands of other vendors, selling everything from amethyst to beads to prehistoric fossils.

"People from all over the world come here for buying, for sharing all these beautiful gems," Mael said. Visitors can travel the world without ever leaving the city, exploring treasures from Africa, India, Vietnam, China, and beyond.

https://www.kgun9.com/news/community-inspired-journalism/southside-news/explore-the-world-without-leaving-town-at-the-tucson-gem-mineral-fossil-shows

[niyad]

1. Thank you for the reminder. I used to combine the Quartzite PowWow and

the Tucson Show. So much beauty and artistry, so many great memories.

[wackadoo wabbit]

4. I did, too!

After spending anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months in Quartzite, we'd then go straight to Tucson. It was the greatest fun!

It's been a couple of decades since I've been to either show. I miss those days.

[yellowdogintexas]

2. Mr YD and I have been trying to do this since our daughter moved to Phoenix

We have never been going through Tucson at the right time.

He is a geologist and he would be in hog heaven for sure. I of course would have to restrain him from buying out the store

[lapfog_1]

3. I went one year.

one of the mines my BIL had an interest in ( a gold and silver mine ) near tombstone had a collection of wulfenite crystals.



I went 300 feet underground and crawled on my hands and knees through some very nasty tight passages... and got quite a few samples.

Took them to the gem show and tried to sell them... i think I got $120 for the lot. Sad. Wulfenite is fairly rare. Maybe if I had registered and bought a booth there... but I really only had the wulfenite and maybe only a dozen decent crystals

Oh well, the show is fun to go to if you like rocks

[3Hotdogs]

5. I like rocks. I hike with a club, two or three times a week.

Unusual rocks on the trail, go into my backpack and in my backyard. I doubt that any of them are worth more than a penny but the iron or copper color are beautiful.

One time, I picked up a large rock from a stream bed. Topo map said I was gonna carry it up 220 ft back to the parking lot. Club members bet I would abandon it before we got to the top of the valley. The iron color adds to the "rock garden."