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www.shelbyinfo.com Our 43RD Year • Issue No. 9 • March 4, 2026
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Gaston Gem and Mineral Club to host 47th Annual Show March 14-15 By Paula Vess Have you ever gone for a walk in the woods and come home with a pocket full of rocks? Whether you’ve built a collection over many years or you’re simply curious about what might be glittering in a creek bed, you’ll find plenty to discover at the Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show in Gastonia on March 14–15 at the Gastonia Farmers Market. The show will be open on Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Hosted by the Gaston Gem and Mineral Club, the annual event has become a wonderful family outing and one of the largest shows in the Piedmont. This year marks the club’s 47th show and its second year at its larger indoor home, the Gastonia Farmers Market. The show will feature 25 vendors offering a wide variety of items, including rough rocks and gems, cut specimens, handmade jewelry, and more. Admission is free. Visitors can roll up their sleeves and try sluicing or watch a geode being cracked open to reveal the crystals inside. New this year is an educational area designed for all ages, where guests can learn more about rocks, minerals, and gems. Visitors can also bring their own mystery rocks, and club members will do their best to help identify them. The show is the main fundraiser for the Gaston Gem and Mineral Club. Founded in 1977, the club is a nonprofit organization created to foster interest in geology, gems,
Gaston Gem and Mineral Club annual picnic. A club member demonstrates how to make a cabochon. (Photos provided)
The Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show will be held on March 14–15 at the Gastonia Farmers Market. The show will be open on Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Shown above is the 2025 Gem Show set-up before folks arrived. (Photos provided) minerals and the lapidary arts. Today, it has approximately 125 members from Gaston and surrounding counties, and they have a wide range of interests. Some members specialize in topics such as fossils, luminescent minerals, or crystals. Others enjoy activities such as gem faceting, cabochon cutting, tumbling, and metalwork for finished jewelry. “We have a welcoming and enthusiastic group of people at the Gaston Gem and Mineral Club,” says Eric Clymer, club president. “You can always find someone with similar rock-related interests who is willing to share their knowledge and experience.” The club meets monthly at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. Meetings typically include a presentation on a gem or mineral topic, time to share personal finds, and planning for upcoming field trips. There are plenty of adventures to plan. North Carolina is home to more than 300 different gems and minerals, and the club organizes field trips for almost every month of the year. Members travel to public and private sites across the Southeast in search of treasures, but most trips are within about a two-hour drive from the Gastonia area. “The field trips and events are opportunities for us to bond as a community of like-minded individuals, despite our diverse ages and life experiences,” said Clymer. In recent years, field trips have yielded
finds such as pink and red rubies in Marion, green emeralds around Hiddenite, deep red garnets in the mountains, and purple amethysts from several regional sites. The group has also found clear and white quartz crystals at sites in North and South Carolina, and they even go gold panning. The goal of the club is to share knowledge, Field trip to Spruce Pine. learn new things, and experience the thrill of discovery together. That’s why annual dues are kept affordable at $20 per family or $15 for individuals. The monthly meetings are free, and visitors are welcome. Bring the family and join us at the Gem, Mineral and Field trip to Due West, South Carolina. Jewelry Show on March 14-15. Enjoy Gaston Gem and Mineral Club is a good the activities, explore the vendor booths, fit for you. Also, you can connect with us and meet some of the club members. It’s anytime online at gastongem.org, or on a great opportunity to discover whether the Facebook or Instagram.
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