TUCSON GEM & MINERAL SHOW
By Linda Kissam
ON BIG BLEND RADIO: Travel writer Linda Kissam talks about what you can experience at the globally esteemed Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
As a travel writer, I am privileged to see some beautiful places – far and near to my homebase. Because of this, I am not easily left in awe. But it’s immediately obvious to me that I’ve arrived at a truly exceptional corner of the planet.
This is the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show held in Tucson, Arizona. As a lover of all that sparkles and glitters—especially around my neck and wrist, I have truly arrived.
This year, the annual Winter Showcase runs from January 27-February 11, 2024. Tickets (Adults 15 and over) are $12 + $1 ticket tax. Kids 14 and under are Free. Purchase tickets at the Tucson Convention Center – 260 S. Church Avenue, where a lot of the glitteriest action happens. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday, and on Sunday, the show will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking is at the convention center, and there are activities and exhibits for people of all ages. Arrive early, it can get crowded.
As a first timer, you may feel like you have embarked on a treasure hunt. This winter, you’ll be joining the more than 65,000 guests from around the globe as they descend upon Tucson, AZ, to buy, sell, trade, and immerse themselves in rare and captivating gems, minerals, and fossils at more than 40 gem show locations across the city.
It’s a heck of a three-week-long event, but you can see some of the best and most diverse offerings in one day in the convention center…just wear your walking shoes. What is so very cool, is whether you’re looking for a $5 shimmering crystal necklace or a show-stopping $200,000 crystallized rock from an exotic location this show has something for everyone.
There are a lot of rock shows you can visit, but the original, oldest, and most prestigious show is the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, held annually at the Tucson Convention Center in the city’s downtown district, which features 160-plus exhibits and a packed schedule of seminars and lectures. It’s an educational event and a big buying extravaganza for the public. Think lectures, things for kids, all kinds of interactive stuff – like breaking geodes apart. For the more serious-minded, it is a four-day mineral museum that has some of the best specimens in the world.
Besides the main convention hall, you’ll also find 40-plus official and unofficial shows, events, and tents that spring up near and around the city around the same time. Look for the pop-up shops selling everything from crystals and African crafts to jewelry, clothing, and single gems from Asia, Europe, Latin America, India, and the U.S.
Other, larger shows will rent out football-field-sized tents near stadiums or lease event halls to house their hundreds of vendor booths. The African Art Village is a favorite of visitors, with more than 100 exhibitors offering art, clothing, beads, and more. Drive your car, take an Uber or take a shuttle (dates vary for shuttles). Details are listed on the official Tucson Gem & Mineral Show website: https://www.tgms.org/show
Linda Kissam ‘Food, Wine & Shopping Diva’ is a professional travel, food, and wine writer based out of Arizona and the Pacific Northwest, who specializes in easy, breezy destination stories sharing her favorite things about the places she visits. Visit www.AllInGoodTaste.info
