Tucson Gem & Mineral Show

Last updated
Overview of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, Tucson Convention Center, 2011 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show TM.JPG
Overview of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, Tucson Convention Center, 2011
Tsumeb dioptase, 2007 show Tsumeb dioptase.jpg
Tsumeb dioptase, 2007 show
Protoceratops and Velociraptor fossil replicas, 2007 show Velociraptor and Protoceratops - Fighting dinosaurs.jpg
Protoceratops and Velociraptor fossil replicas, 2007 show

The Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase are gem and mineral shows that take place annually in late January and February at multiple locations across the city of Tucson, Arizona. Most of the shows are open to the public, except for certain trade shows which require registration with a business license.

Contents

The key event of the Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase is the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show produced by the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society. This show has been held annually since 1955 and now occupies 181,000 square feet (16,800 m2) of the Tucson Convention Center. Many museums and universities, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Sorbonne, have displayed at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.

The first Tucson Gem and Mineral Show was held in an elementary school in 1955 and shortly thereafter moved to a Quonset hut at the Tucson Fair Grounds. In 1973, it moved into the Tucson Community Center, first occupying the North Exhibit Hall, then expanding into the Arena and upper Arena concourse. After the completion of the new facility in 1990, which is now called the Tucson Convention Center, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show now occupies the Arena, Exhibition Halls A-B-C, Galleria and Ballrooms. Katherine Rambo estimates that between 1996 and 2010 there was an average of about thirteen hundred total dealers from forty-nine states and thirty-two countries in attendance, annually. [1] The 2021 show was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [2]

The Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase is one of the single highest revenue-producing events for the Tucson economy. The estimated economic impact in 2019 was $131.4 million,according to Jane Roxbury, director of gem show services for Visit Tucson. [3]

The 2021 showcase was pushed back from the typical dates to April due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some of the shows were present, the main show at the Tucson Convention Center and some of the other shows were cancelled. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tucson, Arizona</span> City in Arizona, United States

Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States, and is home to the University of Arizona. It is the second-largest city in Arizona behind Phoenix, with a population of 542,629 in the 2020 United States census, while the population of the entire Tucson metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is 1,043,433. The Tucson MSA forms part of the larger Tucson-Nogales combined statistical area. Both Tucson and Phoenix anchor the Arizona Sun Corridor. The city is 108 miles (174 km) southeast of Phoenix and 60 mi (100 km) north of the United States–Mexico border. Tucson is the 33rd most populous city and the 53rd largest metropolitan area in the United States (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E3</span> American video game industry event (1995–2021)

E3 was an annual trade event for the video game industry organized and presented by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). It was held principally in Los Angeles from 1995 to 2019, with its final iteration held virtually in 2021. The event hosted developers, publishers, hardware manufacturers, and other industry professionals who used the occasion to introduce and advertise upcoming games, hardware, and merchandise to the press. During its existence, E3 was the world's largest and most prestigious annual gaming expo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Footprint Center</span> Multipurpose sports arena in Phoenix, Arizona

Footprint Center is a multi-purpose arena in Phoenix, Arizona. It opened under the name America West Arena on June 6, 1992 at a cost of $89 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McKale Center</span> University of Arizona athletic arena in Tucson

McKale Memorial Center is an athletic arena in the southwest United States, located on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. As the home of the university's Wildcats basketball team of the Pac-12 Conference, it is primarily used for basketball, but also has physical training and therapy facilities. Its construction is marked with a large copper cap that has oxidized brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum</span> Multi-purpose indoor arena in Phoenix

Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a 14,870-seat multi-purpose indoor arena in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, located at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. It hosted the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association from 1968 to 1992, as well as indoor soccer, roller derby and major and minor league ice hockey teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anaheim Convention Center</span> Arena in California, United States

The Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California and is the largest exhibition facility on the West Coast of the United States. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. The original components, designed by Adrian Wilson & Associates and built by Del E. Webb Corporation, opened in July 1967—including a basketball arena followed shortly by the convention hall. It holds many events, like Star Wars Celebration, VidCon, BlizzCon, Anime Expo, D23 Expo, WonderCon, NAMM Show, competitions, and more. In addition to hosting various types of conventions, the Anaheim Convention Center was used to host the wrestling during the 1984 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tucson Convention Center</span> Convention center in Arizona

The Tucson Convention Center is a large multi-purpose convention center located in downtown Tucson, Arizona. Built in 1971, the location includes an 8,962-seat indoor arena, two performing arts venues, and 205,000 square feet (19,000 m2) of meeting space. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

The North American International Toy Fair is an annual toy industry trade show held in mid-February in New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and at toy showrooms around the city. The event is open to the toy trade only – toy industry professionals, retailers, and press representatives. It is produced by The Toy Association. Toy Fair New York's promoters describe it as the largest toy trade show in the Western hemisphere.

STAPLE! The Independent Media Expo is an annual convention in Austin, Texas, United States, for alternative comics, minicomics, webcomics, zines, underground comics, and graphic arts. Chris Nicholas founded the conference as a gathering place for professional artists and amateur creators, "a showcase for the folks who publish comics and zines and possible literary masterworks out of their own apartments."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empire Classic</span> Annual preseason collegiate basketball tournament

The Empire Classic, formerly known as the 2K Sports Classic, is an annual college basketball event played in November at the beginning of the season and televised by ESPN. Originally known as the Atlantic City Shootout and produced by the Gazelle Group, Inc., the event was first played in 1995. The following year, it became the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic as a collaboration between the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society in an effort to raise funds for cancer research. In 2012, the tournament beneficiary became Wounded Warrior Project, resulting in the tournament being renamed the 2K Sports Classic. A new annual college basketball tournament benefiting cancer research, also called the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic and hosted by the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, was held from 2012 to 2014. In 2019, the event was renamed the 2K Empire Classic Benefiting Wounded Warrior Project, commonly referred to as the "Empire Classic".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milan Furniture Fair</span> Furniture fair held annually in Milan

The Milan Furniture Fair is a furniture fair held annually in Milan. It is the largest trade fair of its kind in the world. The exhibition showcases the latest in furniture and design from countries around the world. It is considered a leading venue for the display of new products by designers of furniture, lighting and other home furnishings. The show, also known as "Salone", "Milano Salone" and "Milan Design Week", is held every year, usually in April, in the FieraMilano complex in the Milan metropolitan area town of Rho. Besides the Salone, in April every odd year Euroluce exhibition takes place and every even year EuroCucina and the International Bathroom Exhibition are held along the Milan Furniture Fair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona State Fair</span> Annual state fair in Arizona

The Arizona State Fair is an annual state fair, held at Arizona State Fairgrounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wooden Legacy</span>

The Paycom Wooden Legacy is an annual early-season men's college basketball competition that began in 2013. It is named in honor of basketball coach John Wooden, whose UCLA Bruins teams won 10 national championships over the 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975.

The Arizona State Fairgrounds is a permanent fairgrounds on McDowell Road, Encanto Village, within the city of Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It is currently used yearly to host the Arizona State Fair and the Maricopa County Fair, as well as for other events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pima County Fair</span> Annual funfair

The Pima County Fair is a funfair that happens every year in Tucson, Arizona, the county seat of Pima County. The fair runs for 11 days in the month of April. It features live animal shows, concerts, carnival rides and vendors. Hundreds of local groups perform every year. The Pima County Fair is one of the most popular attractions in Tucson.

Con-Nichiwa is an annual anime convention held during April at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tucson – Reid Park in Tucson, Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tucson Roadrunners</span> American Hockey League team in Tucson, Arizona

The Tucson Roadrunners are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play for the 2016–17 season. Based in Tucson, Arizona, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Arizona Coyotes, the team plays its home games at the Tucson Convention Center Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoffrey Notkin</span> American actor, author, and entrepreneur.

Geoffrey Notkin is an American actor, author, and entrepreneur. Notkin is known as one of the hosts of Meteorite Men, a documentary reality television series from Science Channel, which ran for three seasons. He is the president of the National Space Society, and holds a seat on the National Space Society Board of Governors. He is a long-time member of The Explorer's Club. In 2013, Notkin's Twitter account was nominated for a Shorty Award, honoring the best in social media. Notkin has also been interviewed on the Today show, Coast to Coast, and NASA Edge TV, and is a regular guest speaker at TusCon, an intimate science fiction, fantasy, and horror convention held annually in Tucson, Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tucson Sugar Skulls</span> Indoor Football League team in Tucson, Arizona

The Tucson Sugar Skulls are a professional indoor American football team based in Tucson, Arizona. They are members of the Indoor Football League (IFL) since the 2019 season as an expansion team. They play home games at Tucson Convention Center's Tucson Arena. The team are led by owners Cathy Guy, wife of Arizona Rattlers' head coach Kevin Guy, and Ali Farhang. Their head coach is Hurtis Chinn.

Anime Frontier is an annual three-day anime convention held during December at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

References

  1. Rambo, Katherine (2014). The World Came to Tucson. Tucson, Arizona: Stanegate Press. ISBN   978-0984754861.
  2. Demers, Jasmine. "Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, main event of larger show, canceled in 2021". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  3. "Gem show draws crowds, tourism numbers up". Tucson News Now. January 26, 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  4. "The Tucson gem show is back next week, starts April 5". kold.com. April 3, 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-26.

32°07′50″N110°34′58″W / 32.1306°N 110.5827°W / 32.1306; -110.5827