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NC Mineral and Gem Festival July 31 to August 3

Spruce Pine Festival Celebrates 51 Years

Story by Kathleen McFadden
Jewelry, mineral and gemstone dealers from across the country take over the Pinebridge Center in Spruce Pine for four days every August to present the North Carolina Mineral and Gem Festival. The 51st annual festival is happening this year from Thursday, July 31, through Sunday, August 3. Photo courtesy of the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce
The North Carolina Mineral and Gem Festival—the Queen of the Gem Shows—is coming back to the Pinebridge Center in Spruce Pine to celebrate its 51st year from Thursday, July 31, through Sunday, August 3. City and county officials will be on hand to celebrate the opening of the festival at a special ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday.

Festival hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $3, although Thursday is Senior Citizen Day with seniors admitted for $1, and Sunday is Mitchell County Day with all Mitchell County residents admitted for $1.

The four-day event attracts 50 to 55 dealers from all over the country. If you love jewelry, gemstones, minerals, rocks, fossils, crystals or anything related, you’ll love the NC Mineral and Gem Festival, according to coordinator Patti Jensen who is marking her eighth year of organizing the festival.

An average of 4,000 people attend the show each year, Jensen said, and “a lot of people are from the High Country area. Many people have dealers they come to see each year. They walk straight to them.”

Inside the Pinebridge Center, festival attendees will find jewelry, mineral specimens, lapidary supplies, gem-faceting demonstrations, custom jewelry makers and historic mining exhibits. The Pinebridge Center has plenty of free parking and for those who need to take a break, extended food service and a sit-down dining area.

The North Carolina Mineral and Gem Festival in Spruce Pine features a huge selection of merchandise. Photo courtesy of the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce In addition to the action in the Pinebridge Center, mine tours are a popular feature of the festival. This year, KT Feldspar is sponsoring fluorescent mine tours on Friday and Saturday. “Hyalite opal glows in the dark,” Jensen explained, “and the tour operators take in super-bright black lights. The opals glow green and the tour participants can pick them up and take them home.” Jensen said people come to the festival from out of state just to take the mine tours each year. “The tours typically fill up pretty fast,” she said, “so although you can sign up at the festival, we encourage people to call and reserve a spot.” The cost for the mine tour is $15 and includes shuttle service from the Pinebridge Center to the mine, about a 15-minute ride. To make a tour reservation, call 828-765-9033.
Since the early 1950s, rock hounds have found their way to the Spruce Pine Mining District, a major commercial supplier of feldspar and ultra-pure quartz. The Spruce Pine Mining District has yielded 57 different minerals, including small quantities of gem-quality aquamarine and emerald.

For more information about the festival, contact the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce, sponsors of the event, at 828-765-9033 or 1-800-227-3912.

Want To Go?
Dates: Thursday to Sunday, July 31 to August 3
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday to Saturday/12:30 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday
Location: Pinebridge Center, Spruce Pine
Cost: $3