45th Annual Rockhound Gemboree

Thursday, July 31st, 10 am 7 pm
Friday, August 1st, 10 am – 9 pm
Saturday, August 2nd, 10 am – 7 pm
& Sunday August 3rd, 10 am – 5 pm

Head to the “Mineral Capital of Canada” July 31st, August 1st , 2nd  & 3rd  for the Rockhound Gemboree, chosen to be in the top 100 Festivals & Events in Ontario. Canada's largest gem & mineral show brings together over 110 dealers of fine mineral specimens, gemstone jewellery, and lapidary supplies. Highlights of the show include gold panning booth, rock and mineral talks with geologists from Natural Resources Canada, a swapping area, a mineral display and expert mineral identification services offered by Malcolm Back of the Royal Ontario Museum, and geologist-led mineral collecting field trips.

Also running in conjunction with the Rockhound Gemboree is the Mineral Capital Stone Carver's Show. This show reaches out to sculpture exhibitors, suppliers of stone and equipment, plus artists of all levels of experience. There will be booths for artists to display and sell their work, outdoor sites to carve before the public, plus workshops for artists to learn about techniques and style development. There will also be an opportunity to talk to the artists about starting to carve yourself.

Join Rocky the Rockhound, rockhounds from all over North America and beyond, and those that are simply curious, at the Rockhound Gemboree.

Bancroft
Bancroft is nestled in the York River Valley on the southern edge of the Canadian Shield. The region is known around the world for its variety and quality of mineral specimens. Local specimens grace displays far and wide, including many national museums.

The rock beneath Bancroft is between 1.0 and 1.2 billion years old, and has been subjected to volcanic activity, glacial scouting, extreme heat and pressure, and intense faulting and folding. The result of all this is a rich and varied array of semi-precious minerals which provide a paradise for rockhounds. They travel from all over the globe to examine the amazing geology and to collect unique specimens.
Field Trips
Nothing equals the excitement of finding your own mineral treasures. Geologist-led mineral collecting field trips are conducted daily during the Gemboree:

Thursday to Sunday - 9:30 a.m.
plus afternoon trips on
Friday & Saturday - 1:30 p.m.
Registration for the trips is at the North Hastings Senior Elementary School beside the arena. Field trips visit open pits, exploratory trenches and cuts associated with past mining and prospecting activities, and usually last three hours. Participants require their own vehicles.

If you are unable to make it to Bancroft during the Gemboree, check with the Chamber of Commerce office for additional field trips offered every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday during the summer. These trips are conducted by Chamber staff who are available to identify the minerals found and provide information on the geology of the area.

You can collect on your own with the Bancroft & District Mineral Collecting Guidebook available at the Chamber office. It lists 30 collecting sites and includes maps.

Be sure to visit the Bancroft Mineral Museum at our location.