Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

╳Discussions

💬 Home 🔎 Search 📅 Latest

Groups

Recent Images in Discussions

GeneralQuartzsite, Arizona

21st Jun 2015 03:26 UTCSophiaJoy MB

What is Quartzsite, Arizona mineral show like?

Is it easy for visitors to find a hotel to stay? What kind of minerals do they have? Are there many stores and suppliers at the show?

Any information is appreciated.

Thanks!

21st Jun 2015 06:43 UTCBob Harman

My impression of the Quartzite show is from about 10 years ago. It was, simply put, the largest flea market I have ever been to. There was row after row of tables and small tents and cars with attached trailers all selling all matter of stuff. More totally non rock related stuff than rock related. Of those selling rock related stuff there was mostly jewelry and lapidary items; some of it "ok" and much of it imported mass produced lower end items. Very little truly artisan quality material was there, but there was some if you looked.

Of those selling minerals, it was lower end and common examples. Stuff that I saw included lower end Brazilian amethyst cathedrals and many many broken pieces from these amethyst cathedrals. Also much lower end examples of Arkansas quartz and irradiated quartz being passed off as smoky quartz. Lots of agates and dyed agates including book ends and Mexican geodes and metaphysical crystal dealers. There were vendors with flat after flat of calcites and other common minerals from common localities. The general quality was low with chipped and dinged examples everywhere. I suspect these were purchased wholesale elsewhere and marked up for sale at the Quartzite show.

The vendors also do have lapidary and mineral supplies such as display boxes, stands, and cases, tools for wire working, and cleaning solutions. I did see spot cleaning guns; if nothing else you can get an idea or two about what is available out there for the hobbyist.

If you are a mineral collector of modest means, let me hasten to say that with diligent searching you might just find one or two nice examples, but for most of us modest means collectors, we would quickly become bored and tired of the offered items.

I don't specifically know of nearby motels, but being a vacation area, I suspect there are all levels of reasonable accommodations nearby.

For me, the bottom line was: I went once and never again. CHEERS……BOB

21st Jun 2015 06:53 UTCDesert Messenger

There are many rock & gem shows in Quartzsite during the winter season. Over a thousand vendors set up all over town in swap meets and vending locations. There's 3 motels PLUS over 60 RV Parks Plus 11,000 acres of BLM Long Term dispersed camping areas. Plus Quartzsite has the largest Gem & Mineral Club with a gorgeous workshop.

Oct. 31, 2015 - March 1, 2016 Quartzsite Market Place Street Fair

Oct 01, 2015 -March 31, 2016 Tyson Wells Market Center Swapmeet

January 02 - January 15, 2016 Prospectors Panorama

January 01 - February 28, 2016 Desert Gardens -Gem & Mineral

January 01 - January 10, 2016 Tyson Wells Rock & Gem Show

January 15 - January 24, 2016 Tyson Wells Sell-A-Rama

January 16 - January 24, 2016 Sports, Vacation & RV Show

January 20 - January 24, 2016 50th Anniversary QIA Pow Wow - Gems, minerals & jewelry

January 29 - February 7, 2016 Tyson Wells Arts and Crafts

For more information visit:
http://www.desertmessenger.com/about-quartzsite.html

Quartzsite Business Chamber: http://www.quartzsitebusinesschamber.com

QIA Pow Wow Rock & Gem Show http://www.QiaArizona.org

Roadrunner Gem & Mineral Club qrgmc.org

~Shanana Rain BearCat

Publisher Desert Messenger, Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper

22nd Jun 2015 22:33 UTCHolger Hartmaier 🌟

My wife and I were in Quartzsite for the first time in 2014. We've attended the Tucson Show a couple of times previously, so we thought we would see what Quartzsite was like. Friends of ours travel down from Canada every year with their motorhomes and fifth wheels and camp out on the BLM lands surrounding Quartzsite. They stay there on and off from early January to mid-April. We booked a room at one of the local motels. We were there in the last week of January, so we missed some of the earlier shows listed above on the post by Desert Messenger. The QIA Pow Wow Show was on and there was a semi-permanent show at the Desert Gardens RV Park. A few dealers have storage bays where they sell at "wholesale" or "keystone" rates to the public.

In general, many of the vendors appear to be part-time collector/dealers, and smaller scale "mom and pop" type operations. It's a great place for browsing. There is a vast assortment of just about anything mineral and lapidary hobby related for sale, but you have to know what you want. As Bob mentioned, there is a definite "flea-market" type atmosphere. Most of the booths are outside, under tents and there are generally no "high end" dealers as you would find at the Tucson shows. However, being there for the first time, all the vendors were new to me, so I spent a lot of time browsing and managed to find some decent quality specimens at reasonable prices. We found that the period between the end of the QIA PowWow and the start of the Tucson Shows was kind of a dead period, as a lot of the vendors move out to Tucson. I think their strategy is to sell at Quartzsite in January and use the proceeds to buy in Tucson.

We subsequently spent the first two weeks of February doing all the Tucson area shows and found some of the dealers we saw at Quartzsite there, with basically the same material.

The number of vendors was noted by all to be down in 2014 compared to previous years, as were the number of visitors. That may be a reflection of the general economy. Being a one-time visitor, I can't provide you with more than this snap-shot impression. All I can say is we are planning a return trip in the future as we enjoyed ourselves during our limited stay. For our next trip, we are planning to come earlier in January and stay for the full Quartzsite-Tucson experience.

I would recommend you visit the Quartzsite show(s) and formulate your own opinion. A friend of ours who is a serious mineral collector keeps coming back to Quartzsite every year, just because you never know what you may find.

23rd Jun 2015 00:56 UTCJim Robison

My impressions of the show come from driving through Quartzite on the Interstate, and stops there for gasoline and a burger at the McDonalds. During the show season, as you come into the valley from the east, the impression is of a sea of white trailers and fifth wheels. I've heard that the population jumps from several hundred during most of the year to over 100,000 during the series of shows. Traffic is beyond thick, and parking if you are in a car is problematic. The town is about 2 miles in length and the shows are spread around. Motel reservations should probably be made very early (think months before the show). Regardless, it is a very popular destination as witness the tens of thousands of visitors. If walking a lot is not an issue for you, then I think it could be a lot of fun. We aren't mobile any more, so pass on stopping for one of the shows.

24th Jun 2015 07:11 UTCRock Currier Expert

Quartzite is a giant flea market and is fun for about a day if you are a serious mineral collector. You are not likely to find accommodations in town and if you plan to spend more than a day and don't want to camp out you will probably have to go to Blythe just across the border in California for the night and travel the ten to 15 miles back and fourth each day to and from Quartzite. The traffic in town is horrendous and I now try and avoid going into town for gas or to get something to eat because of the amount of time you need to negotiate the traffic in and out of town. Many years ago I used to go to the show to look for stuff and for a few years we set up and sold stuff there as well, but I don't think I ever found anything there to add to my collection. If you are buying or selling rough stone for lapidary purposes you will probably have more luck than with mineral specimens and some of our customers who do the rough stone business still go there for that kind of thing. Today we blast through Quartzite on the interstate on our way from Los Angeles to Tucson on our way to the big show there. I think a lot of the dealers who used to do that show have quit doing Quartzite and now just do the Tucson show or at least they break down early in Quartzite and move to a sales venue in Tucson. Over the years it seems that the sea of campers and moble homes (mostly snow birds from the northern states that come south to spend time in a warm climate during the winter) that seem to pave the desert has been shrinking compared to the early years. I think the breaking point for me was when they stopped selling deep fried Twinkies in Quartzite. (just kidding).

24th Jun 2015 21:18 UTCDave Owen

I go to Quartzsite every year for the pow wow and catch the end of Desert Garden show. I almost go there exclusively for cutting material. Not much in the way of quality specimens but can find a surprise occasionally. I also enjoy a few days of camping and a bit of collecting near by.Super 8 is the only motel blythe has lots 1/2 hr away. You can avoid the traffic somewhat if you use the interstate and avoid the frontage rd. Can be an enjoyable outing for a few days especially if you live where there is winter

27th Jun 2015 05:27 UTCSophiaJoy MB

Thank you so much!

I'm very interested in the town because of the name, Quartzsite, lol. I thought I could go there instead of Tucson show, but I guess Tucson show is much better if I want some nice minerals. But I like flea markets, too, so I still want to visit there sometime!

Mindat.org is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2024, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: April 19, 2024 12:04:05

Go to top of page