Unbeknownst to us before we arrived, Tucson is home to the most prestigious gemstone and mineral shows in the US. They run for 2+ weeks across a number of venues. We spent a few hours today at the Kino Gem and Mineral Show. We chose this one because of the size and the fact that it has free parking and no admission fee.

We had never seen anything quite like it and were completely surprised by the quantity and quality of the rocks and other items. It quickly became obvious to us that these shows are geared toward retailers, as most of the gems and minerals were sold in bulk quantities, presumably for jewelry making, artwork and gift shops. However, it wasn’t all about gemstones. Here and there were other unique booths set up selling everything from fossils to rugs to gongs.

It would take a couple of days just to go through all the tents and booths at this one location. After just a few hours it all became a little overwhelming and we decided to skip the event’s food court and head out for a late lunch at a local restaurant.