User:Eepstein/Denver Gem and Mineral Show

The Denver Gem and Mineral Show is an annual nonprofit event held in Denver, Colorado at the Denver Merchandise Mart in mid-September. It is one of the largest club-sponsored gem and mineral shows in the United States, second only to the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, sponsored by the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society. The show runs in conjunction with the Colorado Fossil Expo, which is held in the same building.

The Denver Gem and Mineral Show is sponsored by the Greater Denver Area Gem & Mineral Council, a non-profit association of eight area clubs with ca. 1400 members. The show is run entirely by volunteers from the clubs. The purpose of the Greater Denver Area Gem & Mineral Council is the advancement of the arts and sciences within the field of the earth sciences. Proceeds of the show are distributed by the Council as grants to nonprofit organizations to support earth-sciences-related educational activities. The show runs for three days, beginning on Friday and ending on Sunday. In addition to a trade show with ca. 300 vendors of geology-, lapidary-, jewelry-, and fossil-related wares, the show features exhibits mounted by private collectors, rock clubs, and museums. Exhibitors have the option of preparing their exhibits for exhibition only or for competition. Competitive cases must be prepared in accordance with the rules established by the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Experts on various topics speak throughout the weekend. Each year’s show has a theme, which is addressed in programs and exhibits. For example, the theme for 2010 was Minerals of the Creede Mining District, and the theme for 2011 is Minerals of Russia.

A number of organizations, such as the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Colorado Geological Survey, Gold Prospectors of Colorado, Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, the Morrison Natural History Museum, and the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center offer educational and informational displays. They distribute information and sometimes feature demonstrations. Representatives of the American Institute of Gemological Research and the Friends of Mineralogy identify gemstones and minerals that show attendees bring in. Many geology-related organizations, such as the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals, Friends of Mineralogy, Colorado Federation of Mineral Societies, the Rocky Mountain Micromineral Association, and the Fluorescent Mineral Society also hold meetings at the show.

To further the show’s educational purpose, area schools are invited to attend the show. On Friday each year, up to 1500 school children and their teachers spend the morning on a geology field trip. Uniformed girl scouts, boy scouts, and troop leaders are admitted free throughout the weekend. Some of the activities and exhibits at the show can be used to fill requirements for the geology merit badges. Children’s activities include gold panning and games. They can also interact with Mr. Bones, a Denver puppeteer who patrols the show floor in a full-scale articulated dinosaur skeleton.

A part of the show floor is set aside for the local clubs that make up the Greater Denver Area Gem & Mineral Council. Each club has a table manned by club members. Club tables feature games, exhibits, and demonstrations. For the clubs, it’s an opportunity to recruit new members, and for the public, it’s an opportunity to see what the clubs have to offer, such as field trips, programs, lapidary and jewelry-making classes, etc.

There are several other shows in Denver at the same time as the Denver Gem and Mineral Shows, referred to as “satellite shows” These are independent commercial shows and are not affiliated with the Denver Gem and Mineral Show or the Greater Denver Area Gem & Mineral Council. Some are open to the general public, and some are wholesale only. Many f them start a day or two earlier than the Denver Gem and Mineral Show. The 2010 satellite shows of the Denver Gem and Mineral Show were the Bead Renaissance, the Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show, the Denver Coliseum Show & Miners Cooperative Mineral Show, the Denver Expo, the Great American Gem Show & Sale, and the International Gem & Jewelry Show. Some of the Council’s member clubs have much smaller (and less labor-intensive) shows of their own in the Denver Metro Area at other times of the year.

Greater Denver Area Gem & Mineral Council and its member clubs
Local rock clubs can be a good introduction to rockhounding and lapidary, and a way to learn about geology from knowledgeable people, with and without academic degrees. Of the eight member clubs that comprise the Greater Denver Area Gem & Mineral Council, two are local chapters of regional or national organizations, and the rest are strictly local. There are other groups in the Denver metro area that are not part of the Council. There are gem and mineral clubs all over the world. Attending a club show is a good way to get in touch with a local group. To find a club in the United States, the AFMS website is a good place to start, although not all clubs are affiliated with that either. The magazine Rock and Gem also maintains a list of clubs (including a few outside the US) and a show calendar. Information on local clubs and events also can be found at club websites.

Denver Gem and Mineral Show and Greater Denver Area Gem & Mineral Council http://www.denvermineralshow.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Denver-Gem-And-Mineral-Show/154290574610235

Colorado Mineral Society http://www.coloradomineralsociety.org/index.html

Denver Gem and Mineral Guild http://denvergem.org/index.html

Flatirons Mineral Club http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/fmc/

Friends of Mineralogy, Colorado Chapter http://www.friendsofmineralogy.org/

Littleton Gem and Mineral Club http://www.littletongemandmineralclub.com/

Mile High Rock and Mineral Society (RAMS) http://www.milehirams.com/

North Jeffco Gem and Mineral Club http://www.peaktopeak.com/njeffco/index.php

Western Interior Paleontological Society http://www.westernpaleo.org/

Sites with club and/or show lists
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies http://www.amfed.org/

Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies http://www.rmfms.org/

Rock and Gem http://www.rockngem.com/

Shows
Tucson Gem and Mineral Show http://www.tgms.org/

Bead Renaissance http://www.beadshow.com

Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show http://www.mzexpos.com

Denver Coliseum Show & Miners Cooperative Mineral Show http://www.coliseumshow.com

Great American Gem Show & Sale and the International Gem & Jewelry Show http://www.intergem.com

Misc.
Jewelry Show Guide http://www.jewelryshowguide.com/event/