Tucson Gem and Mineral Show 2021 Canceled Due to Coronavirus Pandemic

The Tucson Gem and Mineral show is not going to be held in 2021. Some venues may be open, but, due to the fundamental lack of science in this nation, the nature of pandemics themselves and the leadership of the nation, trade shows are not safe to hold in this environment. This hurts so many people who depend on this, financially. It is also a major mental health issue, as many of in the industry only see each other a few times a year at these shows. I miss some of my buddies! Here is looking to a bright 2022…even that was sad to write…

October 26, 2020 Dear TGMS Members; In 1955, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society (TGMS) put on the first Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® in a grade-school cafeteria. From such humble beginnings sprang what is now collectively called the Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase, which occupies over 50 venues around town from mid-January through mid-February. [In case you’ve missed it in all the hoopla surrounding the commercial shows, our Show, the Main Show, takes place in the Tucson Convention Center.] The Tucson Showcase is by far the world’s largest gathering of gem, mineral, fossil, meteorite and related earth science collectors, dealers and museum scientists. The Arizona Department of Tourism estimates it annually brings about $130 million dollars to the Tucson economy making it our biggest tourism-related event. TGMS takes parental pride in the economic/commercial juggernaut the Showcase has become, but we remain a local, volunteer-based, non-profit, Earth-Science education-focused group open to all comers. [Please visit www.tgms.org for more info.] Our Show is TGMS’s annual gift to Tucson…it is the only show by and for Tucsonans and we are extremely grateful for the support we have always received from our community. We hoped and planned for the best during these difficult days of COVID-19 but find events have conspired to force us to the painful decision to take 2021 off and focus on bringing things back at a higher level in 2022! As members of the Tucson community, we feel we should explain the reasoning behind this decision while emphasizing our full support for the remainder of the 2021 Tucson Showcase in whatever form it takes.

Most importantly, TGMS does not want to be responsible for a single COVID-19 fatality or serious illness. Our Show is run by volunteers and many of us are in high-risk demographics…as are many of our participants and attendees. Consulting closely with the Pima County Health Department, the Mayor and City Manager’s offices and the good folks who run the TCC, it is clear that applying the mandated COVID-19 protocols to reduce risk would mean drastically restricted attendance and curtailment of many of our programs. Second, our Show is much different from the rest of the Showcase. We are the public show with a unique combination of exhibits, school children visits, educational programs, scientific networking and family outreach. We annually create a world-class museum that magically disappears forever after just four days. Our equally enthralling “gift shop” includes a cadre of superb retail gem, mineral, fossil, meteorite, book and jewelry dealers, who complement the exhibits. This unique combination sets the TGMS Show apart from all the other shows in town.

Third, we expect that our Show dazzles everyone with displays of exquisite minerals, gems, jewelry and fossils brought by the worldwide Mineral and Gem Community. Restrictive COVID-19 travel policies mean many of our major domestic, and most of our international museum exhibitors and friends either won’t or can’t travel here. This effectively eliminates both our exhibits and educational programs. COVID-19 related risks clearly make it impossible for TGMS to put on anything more than a shadow of our accustomed vibrant event. So, we’ve decided that it makes more sense to conserve our resources and apply them towards a Blockbuster 2022 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®. We promise to pull out all the stops to bring you an unparalleled group of eye-popping fluorescent mineral exhibits, colorful minerals and gems from around the world, and some special surprises to shake everyone out of their post-Covid lethargy!!! See you in 2022!

Les Presmyk: TGMS President
Peter Megaw: TGMS Show Co-Chair
Richard Gottfried: TGMS Show Co-Chair
Patricia McClain: Executive Manager

So, with that, yes, one of our companies is REALLY sad not to be vending at Tucson, now our home city.
If you want some colorful minerals trapped in resin, come check out Parallel Power Products

Visiting the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show with the Staff from the Los Angeles Natural History Museum

Tucson Rock and Gem time again, from the end of January until well into the month of February tens of thousands of people involved in minerals, rocks and gemstones flock to Tucson for the annual three weeks of trade shows. During this time the buyers and the sellers need to be housed, fed, and entertained, in addition to the countless hours everyone spends going from one show to another, visiting with friends and going to dinner parties, it is a whole world apart for many individuals in this line of work.

Several people post updates about the Tucson show, like Jolyon Ralph of MinDat.org or John Veevaert of MineralShows.com.

The set of show reports we like the best are the ones from the ladies of the Los Angeles Natural History Museum.

Assoc. Curator Eloise Gaillou, work-study student Caroline Im and Collections manager Alyssa Morgan of the LANHM 2013

Assoc. Curator Eloise Gaillou, work-study student Caroline Im and Collections manager Alyssa Morgan (3/4 of team L.A. County)

In these three blog entries, Elouise, Caroline and Alyssa share with the general public the life of three los angeles museum workers during the Tucson show. Though, I am pretty sure no mention of the cramped sleeping quarters are mentioned.

The first report is on the AGTA and GJX gem shows
http://nhminsci.blogspot.com/2013/02/tucson-part-1-gem-shows.html

Red Beryl and Sapphire Bracelet on display at the GJX show in Tucson 2013

This is the bracelet I’d do terrible things for. Red Beryl and Montana Sapphires. Ouch.

The next blog entry is about the various mineral shows around the Tucson area, from the Inn Suites (Hotel Tucson) to Riverpark and onwards to some of the more…less visited areas of the Tucson Gem Show.
http://nhminsci.blogspot.com/2013/02/tucson-part-2-hotel-shows.html

Roy Foerster, donating a flat of Pyrite crystals the LANHM

There were neat pyrites from Merelani, Tanzania, with interesting morphologies. Roy Foerster, Gem and Mineral Council Treasurer bought us a flat of them. Thanks Roy!!

Then, finally, the BIG show, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society Show at the Convention Center, which caps off the whole event. A behind the scenes look at one of the important parts that makes the TGMS so legendary, the display cases.
http://nhminsci.blogspot.com/2013/02/tucson-part-3-main-show.html

Not to brag or anything, but you KNOW my team here in LA walked away with the GRAND PRIZE for professional educational exhibits

Los Angeles NHM Tucson Gem Show Exhibit 2013

So, while other show reports talk about what minerals are new, why prices are so high and so forth, these reports give you a much better look into the lives of the professionals who make Tucson their home, for a large percentage of their total lives, in the month of February.