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The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show attracts people to Old Pueblo from far and wide. Put on by the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society, the goal is to encourage both the interest and the study of our natural world. Whether you’re interested in how gems are cut, where they come from, or what the science says about their chemical properties, you’ll find it all and so much more at this year’s show.
Here’s what you should know:
The show will run 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 will be activities and exhibits for people of all ages.
The Tucson Gem & Mineral Society has worked hard to curate a collection that people will want to see. This show provides an experience like no other, which is why it has attracted people from all over the country to view what’s on display. More than that, the schedule also includes kid-friendly exhibits, where children can get a tactile learning experience about how gems are formed over time.
At the Special & Guest Show Exhibits, you’ll see the private and museum collections that showcase the best of the mineral world. Every year, these shows update, displaying everything from the Logan Sapphire to the Faberge Collection to the Arkansa Yellow Diamond Crystal.
When most people come to the Gem Show in Tucson for the first time, they start with a broad sweep of the show. Once you’ve explored the mineral specimens, jewels, rough rock, slabs, crystals, and cut gems, you’ll have a better idea of where your passions lie. The best part is you don’t need to be a millionaire to afford to buy a few treasures at the Tucson Gem Show. In fact, plenty of people come to peruse the costume jewelry, beads, and rough gems on display. (Maybe it will inspire you to try your hand at finishing gems at home, so you can have a unique item to display or wear.)
The Gem Show is also a great chance to meet and get to know the dealers who frequent the convention. Some are famous in the gem and mineral world for offering incredible pieces at fair prices. Of course, be careful because those dealers also tend to sell out as quickly as they can set their goods out. So if you’re looking for something specific, like a carved amethyst skull, a Yogo sapphire, or malachite bowl, you’ll know exactly where to go and who to talk to.
At eegee’s, we recommend staying in Tucson for at least a full three days if you’re coming for the event, as it gives you enough time to explore the shows and check out a few other parts of the city. Another tip is to keep the website up and running while you’re there too, because times and shows may change without much warning.
If you manage to work up an appetite, the subs, grinders, chicken fingers, and fries you find at eegee’s may not be studded with jewels, but they can definitely hit the spot if you’ve been in a convention center all day. The staff at eegee’s welcomes you to stop by for a meal if you want to live the life of a local for however long you happen to be here. There’s an eegee’s just up the road from the convention center.
eegee’s, a quick service restaurant, got it’s start right here in Tucson. The restaurant is best known for it’s one-of-a-kind fruit-packed, frozen beverage called an “eegee”. What started as a food truck traveling around town selling frozen lemonade now has 33 locations (and counting!) across Arizona. Since 1971, our goal has always been to show our support for events in our city.
The Society started in 1946 as a small group that wanted to learn more about collecting and engraving stones. While the hobbyists may not have known just how popular their field would become in the future, the goal was always to encourage the interest and appreciation of gems and minerals.
As members of the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Studies and the American Federation of Mineralogical Studies, the group holds meetings every month to learn more about everything from field collecting to museum collections to gem information. They don’t always shine the spotlight on experts either. They want to put hobbyists front and center too.
We may not think of minerals as the most exciting hobby, but just think about the risks that people go through to get them. The staff at eegee’s has seen just how enthusiastic people are when they come to town, and their passion rubs off on everyone around them. Even the most novice of people find themselves wondering how people collect these treasures from deep in the Earth.
eegee’s is more than just a place to stop for lunch. Over the years, we’ve become a haven for everyone in Tucson who wants to make their day a little more special. Kids stop by for fries covered with our homemade ranch dressing, friends swing in to split a ham and cheese sandwich, couples share a strawberry eegee. We want to be there for people’s special moments, even if it’s just the refreshing feeling you get when you’re trying to cool off with a frozen lemonade.
Every month, eegee’s offers special flavors for our customers, and we switch up our food menu too. Recently, we just added chicken fingers, which are perfect when they’re dipped into our drinkable (we’re not kidding) ranch dressing. If you’re coming to see what the show has to offer, we’re ready to welcome you before or after the main events.
