Drumheller has always been known for its unique geology with different rocks found in the valley compared to other places in the world, let alone the fossils found throughout our region.
With the uniqueness an Alberta based rock and gem company thought that Drumheller would be a great place to host a rock and gem show. CanGems holds Rock N’ Gem shows all across Canada and their next stop is the Drumheller Memorial Arena this week. Chris Robak, one of the owners of CanGems shares why they believe Drumheller is a great spot to bring the show. “Because every single individual in Drumheller is essentially a fossil enthusiast and rocks are ingrained in the local community quite heavily. It just makes sense to bring a gem show to Drum.”
The venue, the Memorial Arena, is quite large and Robak notes that with the amount of rocks and gems they will have on hand, they needed a large space. “My wife says ‘when you do something Chris, you either go big or go home’. We’re bringing about 100,000 pounds of rocks, gems, and minerals to Drumheller, as well as some awesome independent vendors that have come from as far away as Vancouver. Drumheller is the core of the rock hunting community in Alberta and why we have never been there kind of baffles me. It is going to be worth attending.”
There is going to be some things that will be different than what people may expect according to Robak. “We are going to be bringing a lot Canadian material that has never been seen in Drumheller as well as a lot of international stuff.” Robak also notes that this show is good for everyone, no matter the budget. “We get little kids that walk in the door with their 10 dollar budget all the way up to the high end collectors that are looking for the five, six, seven thousand dollar specimen for their living room, and all price points in between. Whether it is the rock or minerals you like, the jewelry, the beads, the fossils, whatever it is you’re interested in the gem and mineral industry, you will find it at the event.”
One of the great parts of being able to host events like this is the introduction of rocks and gems to the younger generation, admits Robak. “One thing I love about hosting these gem and mineral shows is when you get the little kids that come through and you see that spark in their eye. Bringing a show to Drum, Drum is where it all started for me. You have a little shop across the bridge, called the Fossil Shop. When I was a little boy, that is where I got my spark. It is kind of cool that I can bring that full circle and really happy to bring the show to Drum.”
The show is at the Drumheller Memorial Arena on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 AM to 8 PM daily. It is only 3 dollars per person to attend, 7 dollars for a family ticket, and 5 and under are in for free. For more information, check out their website or Facebook page.
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