Gem and mineral show to be held today at Ishpeming Elks Lodge
Event includes field trip opportunity on Sunday
BRANDES
(Courtesy image)
BRANDES
(Courtesy image)
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ISHPEMING -- The 50th annual Upper Peninsula Gem and Mineral Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today at the Ishpeming Elks Lodge, located at 597 Lakeshore Dr.
Following the show, event programming will begin at 7 p.m. at the Elks. There is no admission charge, and a field trip event will be held on Sunday.
Saturday evening's programming will be based on gathering around the cracker barrel in the old country story. Attendees can exchange ideas, ask questions and meet fellow rock hounds. There will be a live auction, and guest speaker Paul Brandes will discuss minerals from the Great Lakes State.
Sunday's field trip will be to Lindberg's Quarry to collect kona dolomite, leaving from the Negaunee Township Hall at 12:30 p.m. sharp (or attendees can meet at the quarry at 12:45 p.m.). Interested parties can sign up for the field trip at the gem and mineral show.
"This year, our annual show marks its 50th anniversary of 'Rockin and Swappin,'" said Kirsten Maki, show coordinator and president of the Ishpeming Rock and Mineral Club, in a news release. "(What started) as a small rock swap between local rock hounds working from the backs of their pickup trucks at Tourist Park in Marquette in 1975 (yes, that is 51 years, but there was no show in 2020 due to COVID-19), we have become the largest one-day show in the Midwest. Over the years, the event has grown and moved several times, from the park to the Ishpeming Armory and elsewhere to finally, the Ishpeming Elks Lodge, which has been its home for at least 15-20 years.
"This year, we welcome returning favorite speaker Paul Brandes, author of Michigan Rocks, to speak at our Crackerbarrel. For those who have ever wondered why we call our evening program the Crackerbarrel, it is an homage to when the gentlemen (and sometimes ladies) in a small, rural town would gather at the local general store to chat and share stories. Usually, they pulled up crates or chairs around the barrels containing product, such as pickles and -- you guessed it -- crackers. I don't know why Ernie chose to honor that tradition when he first began the evening speaker and live auction, but it is a tradition that has stood the test of time.
"Now, here we are celebrating 50 years of Rockin and Swappin' at the 'Largest one-day show in the Midwest.' Here's to 50 more."
For more information and a full list of field trip rules, visit ishpemingrocks.org.