Tucson Gem Show - Public Shows
It’s that time of the year again, time for the Tucson Gem Show! For all the newbies out there, the Tucson Gem Show is a showcase featuring sellers from all over the world who specialize in gemstones, beads, cabochons, minerals, fossils, decor and much more. It takes place in multiple locations all throughout Tucson. Some locations are only accessible for wholesale buyers and some are open to the public.
We’ve heard from a number of our students that they would love to go, but they don’t have a wholesale business license and/or don’t know which shows they can attend. We get it. There are over 40 different locations so it’s very easy to get overwhelmed. But we’ve got you covered! There are plenty of places for you to get your gemstone fix even if you don’t have your license! Keep reading to learn about the shows we recommend and for detailed instruction on how to view a complete list of shows open to the public.
Recommended public shows to attend:
22nd Street Show – A great show that features a little bit of everything. Fossils, cabochons, art, finished jewelry, dinosaurs, gems, and specimens are just a few of the things you will find there. Wear you comfy shoes because this show spans 20,000 square feet!
GIGM/Howard Johnson Gem & Mineral Show – Another great show with a large variety of offerings. You’ll find gems, minerals, fossils, metaphysical, jewelry, and meteorites.
Kino Gem & Mineral Show – A show perfect for the geode, mineral, and crystal lovers. You’ll find geodes small and large (and by large we mean quite possibly as tall as you are).
Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show – Located at the Tucson City Center, you’ll find lots and lots of unique dealers with specimens, crystal points, and more. Not only is there a main ballroom with tons of sellers, sellers staying at the Days Inn also convert their hotel rooms into mini store fronts. This website has more information: https://www.mzexpos.com/tucson
JOGS – One of the leading shows for gem and jewelry buyers in North America. It costs $20 to attend for those who do not have a business license, but it is well worth the cost. Organized into color coded pavilions, each pavilion features a different theme. There is a different pavilion for amber, turquoise, gemstones, stone/mineral decor, silver, southwest, and much more!
For a complete list of shows open to the public, follow these instructions:
1. Go to https://xpopress.com/
2. Click the “TUCSON” link
3. Click “Admission Requirements”
4. Click the “Open to Public” column to sort the shows by if they are open to the public or not. Clicking twice will make the shows that are open to the public appear at the top of the page.
5. Double check whatever show you choose is open for either “Retail” or “Both” wholesale and retail by reviewing the third column.
6. Make a list of what shows you want to attend and have fun!
