I am contemplating going to the Denver Gem Show in September, and
would appreciate some input from those of you who have been there
before. Since it’s only 3 days I am guessing it isn’t that large.
My interest is cabs and pearls. I’ve never been to the Tucson Show
so have nothing to compare it to and am not locating much info
regarding this show online.
Thanks,
Liane Redpath Worlund
Since it's only 3 days I am guessing it isn't that large
The Denver show is 2nd only to Tucson in the US. It usually takes me
three days to see everything. It’s in three different locations.
The Denver Merchandise Mart houses the rock show put on by the
Denver clubs at 58th and I-25. Also a wholesale only show there in
the other exhibition hall put on by Intergem. You need a tax license
to enter but I’ve never seen anyone checked. You have to fill out a
card and you could write any number on it. There is also a fossil
show in an adjacent expo hall. You have to pay separate admission to
the Denver Clubs show and the wholesale show although you get free
passes to the show after you fill out one card. I would allow at
least a day or day and a half for the merchandise mart shows.
Then there is a show that starts on Wednesday at the Holiday and
Best Western hotels at the intersection of I-25 and I-70. You have to
take 58th street to get over I-25 then I can’t remember the name of
the street but it goes by a bunch of furniture stores. Parking is
always a problem at the hotels so the best thing to do is park at the
merchandise mart and ride the free shuttle. Allow at least one day
for the two hotels and parking lot tents. That’s where I do most of
my buying of rough and cut stones.
Then there is a show at the National Western hall of education at
I-70 and York. Last year this show was kind of dead. It’s set up with
just rows and rows of tables. Mostly rock products for resale. A
couple of lonely lapidary dealers. And beads and beads.
There is also a bead show at a hotel at I-25 and 120th the same
weekend.
Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
Rocky Mountain Wonders
Colorado Springs, Colorado
rockymountainwonders.com
For the 5 years that I lived in Wyoming (I left 7 years ago), I went
to the Denver show every September. It’s quite large, back then it
was the second largest show after Tucson. It sprawls over into the
hotels and motels, in private rooms, in the ballrooms, outside in
tents. There are always many fossil dealers, a separate exhibit area
for them. You can find about anything you want there, dealers attend
from across the US. I used to stay for 2 days and couldn’t take in
everything I wanted to see. The June show is much smaller.
Donna in VA
Liane,
The Denver Show" in September is actually 6-7 shows that all show
during the same time period. (Wend. - Sun.) It is somewhat like a
mini Tucson. You can find pretty much anything there that is in any
gem show.
Most are loose “wholesale” shows, one is Wholesale only and you need
to prove your business status, one is retail (the Denver Mineral Club
Show).
Since I live in Colorado, this is my show(s) of choice. Sometimes the
prices are higher than Tucson, sometimes not. You can find what you
want but be prepared to shop. Wear comfortable shoes and carry a
water
bottle. In the past, I have found some very cool stuff! Feel free to
contact me off-list.
Later, Mark
Mark Thomas Ruby
SunSpirit Designs
The Denver show is not as large as Tucson, but it is a large show.
You might not get around to all the vendors in 3 days. However, the
show actually starts earlier as some people are set up and selling
earlier in the week.
The Denver rock and gem club puts on a really great show, lots of
displays and a lot of good dealers. There are a lot of mineral,
fossil, and specimen dealers. At different show locations there are
many people who come from overseas, India, China, Australia as well
as some dealers from Mexico with huge inventories. At hotels, the
parking lots are filled with tents with dealers selling anything and
everything you can imagine.
Because I live here in Denver, I do not go to Tucson as I can always
spend more money than I need to. There is a lot of rough material for
cabbing, faceting material, cabs, and jewelry.
There are some tool and equipment dealers, but not like Tucson. I
find that asking dealers for best price does not hurt. Some do and
some don’t. The more you buy, the better the price.
September is a great time to come to Denver, but bring clothes so
you can layer. Temp can range 20 degrees variation over night, or
same day. Althought you will be here to shop, Denver has an amazing
quantity of really good restaurants, with really great food at what I
think are very reasonable prices.
Richard Hart
Hi Rick and others…
The Bead Show you mentioned at I25 and 120th moved to I70 and
Chambers in the Holiday Inn, last year, and it will be there again
this year.
This is a wonderful grouping of shows, and as you say, is next to
Tucson. Many wonderful Vendors come from Tucson.
I have been a member of the Show Committee for the past three years.
It’s a blast even for the folks who put it on!
Rose Marie Christison
Denver has an amazing quantity of really good restaurants, with
really great food at what I think are very reasonable prices. I’m
going to be in Denver (first time) for Cherry Creek, so I’d love to
hear what restaurants you especially recommend. Also other things–
galleries, rock shops, rock hounding sites…
Noel
Liane,
I live in the area and have gone to that show for years and it is
plenty large. It is held in three or more locations(every year there
is an add on) You can find anything you want there and it isn’t so
large that you are overwhelmed like Tuscon. Plenty of cabs beads
wholesale and retail.
Cheers
J Morley/Goldsmith and Laser welding
Thanks again for great input regarding the Denver Show. I’ve gone to
the Colored Stone website and found nothing there…at this time.
Since the price of airfare continues to climb, I was hoping to find
the ‘shuttle route’ to pick out a hotel which has this service and
bundle it with my airfare. However, I haven’t been successful in
locating this.
Anybody know where this might be found?
Thanks,
Liane Redpath Worlund