Eastern Indiana Gem Show Returns to Richmond, Showcases Rare Stones, Family Activities

The Eastern Indiana Gem & Geological Society’s 52nd annual Gem & Mineral Show runs March 6–8 at the First Bank Kuhlman Center on the Wayne County Fairgrounds, 861 N Salisbury Rd., Richmond, IN, bringing dealers, demonstrations and family programming to central Indiana. The show opens Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and concludes Sunday, March 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with adult admission $5, seniors 65 and older $3, children and teens 7–18 $1, children under 7 free and Scouts in uniform admitted free.

Exhibits and dealers will fill the Kuhlman Center with mineral specimens, lapidary materials, finished jewelry, beads and fossils, inviting collectors and casual browsers alike to inspect polished cabochons and display pieces. Demonstrators will present jewelry-making and lapidary processes, including live mineral slicing, Viking weaving, flint knapping and geode cracking, while food and drinks will be available for purchase on site.

Hands-on activities and classroom-aligned offerings are central to the weekend. Friday has been designated a children’s day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with young visitors able to learn about fossils, partake in a mining activity and use a kids activity area that guides identification of rocks, minerals and fossils. Organizers report the activities are qualified to meet educational requirements for classrooms, and the show’s mix of demonstrations and guided stations is designed for school groups and family visits.

Community donors and club members have provided marquee raffle and silent-auction items. An amethyst cathedral, donated by Brent Allred of Rock Daddy in Muncie, will be one of the raffle items. A chalcanthite donated by Ray Lahti of Rock N Opals and a red jasper pendant set in .925 sterling silver donated and made by Susan Kuhlman of EIGGS are also listed among prizes, alongside door-prize opportunities and a silent auction of specimens and lapidary materials.

The show also preserves a habit of featuring unusual and international stones; past editions have included Larvikite from Norway, Rhodochrosite from Argentina, Larimar from the Dominican Republic and Pietersite from Namibia, giving a sense of the range collectors may encounter. For practical information and updates, the Eastern Indiana Gem & Geological Society posts details on its site, eiggs.weebly.com.

Now in its 52nd year, the Richmond show remains a hands-on survey of collecting and craft, where a weekend’s walk past dealers and demonstrations can yield everything from a classroom-ready fossil to a handmade red jasper pendant, and where an amethyst cathedral in the raffle can turn a casual visit into a lifetime centerpiece for a collection.