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NC Mineral and Gem Festival in Spruce Pine, NC, August 2-5

By Hailey Blevins

The NC Mineral and Gem Festival has been around since the early 1950s. Visitors come from around the world to shop for a beautiful variety of jewelry, gemstones, minerals, beads, crystals, fossils and more. Dealers from across the country will be showcasing their merchandise at this festival.

Visit the festival for all your needs, from a display for your home to custom designed jewelry to an engagement ring. Gemstones, jewelry, and gifts are available for a range of budgets, so everyone can find something they love without breaking the bank. Just as their website says, the festival is “easy to get to and hard to leave.”

Friday evening, there will be a free concert at 6 p.m. in Downtown Spruce Pine. What better way to end a day shopping for beautiful gems than relaxing and listening to a free concert?

Or spend your evening after the festival on Thursday or Friday at a mine tour. From 7-9 p.m. both evenings, NC Mineral and Gem Festival is partnering with Quartz Corporation to offer mine tours. Just register for your spot in advance by calling 828-765-9033 or emailing pjensen@mitchellcountychamber.org. Admission for mine tours is $25 per person.

The mine tours will meet at the NC Mineral and Gem Festival site 30 minutes prior to the tour for safety training, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time and be there early. What makes this mine tour so exciting is that tour participants will be able to collect and keep what they find during the tour.

Just a few miles away, the Grassy Creek Gem Show will be at Parkway Fire Department. This show started on Sunday, July 29 and will continue until Sunday, August 5 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hours:

Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Senior Citizens Day. $1 admission for seniors.)

Friday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Mitchell County Day. $1 admission for residents.)

Admission:

$3 per person

Parking is free and shuttles are provided.

This event is handicapped accessible.