Mark your calendar for the Daisy Mountain Rock and Mineral Show taking place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 2 at Anthem School, 41020 N. Freedom Way in Anthem. The popular family-friendly event features more than 45 vendors and more than 3,000 specimens ranging from rocks, slabs, and crystals to fossils, jewelry, beads and geodes.
Other highlights include raffles every 20 minutes, Kid’s Row, which features games and prizes, and a special appearance by “Dr. Rock,” a geologist who will look at all the rocks brought in by visitors for examination so they can learn about their finds.
Bill Freese, president of Daisy Mountain Rock & Mineral Club, said the show appeals to a variety of people, from individuals and young couples with children to seasoned collectors.
“We’re proud of how our event has grown since our first show in 2014,” Freese said. “We attract about 2,000 people over the weekend, and they can find decent prizes as well as some high-end specimens.”
Show helps to fund educational programs
A portion of proceeds from the show will fund the club’s two annual scholarships; one to a graduating high school senior and the other to a university student currently enrolled in a recognized geoscience program. Funds raised by the show are also used to purchase refreshments at monthly meetings, pay for room rentals each month at the Anthem Civic Center, and fund other club events.
The club offers weekly field trips throughout the state where members can hunt and dig for various rocks and minerals that can be used in lapidary and silversmithing projects or become valued yard rocks in the garden.
“Our field trips take people off-road to places few in this state will ever see or experience,” Freese said. “One wonders how in the world the valuable minerals were once found in such remote locations we frequent off the beaten path.”
Freese said the show could not happen without the help of the club’s volunteers.
“I’m very proud of our dedicated volunteers, who love to share their passion for rocks and minerals with others,” he said. “We have volunteers who come from all parts of the Valley, and it takes 120 club members working together on 18 different committees to pull the show off.”
Admission to the event is $5 for adults and $4 for seniors, veterans and students. Children 12 and younger are free with an adult ticket. For details, visit dmrmc.com.
