Everett gem show rocks for families

Published 12:01 am Friday, February 25, 2011

One thing definitely happens every year at the annual Everett Gem, Jewelry and Mineral Show: They move a lot of rock.

And it would figure, what with the many hard-rock activities going on during this weekend event, with stones, gems and minerals walking out the door by the pound.

The s

how’s organizer, Mel Buhr, described the event as a beehive of activity.

Buhr is the spokesman for the Everett Rock & Gem Club, a nonprofit educational and recreational rockhound group that puts on the show each year.

The activities include more than two dozen exhibits and five different demonstrations, along with almost nonstop activities for children and their families.

Family events include a spin-the-wheel game and a critter-making activity area for creative play.

In mineral bingo, instead of numbers, the caller calls out names of rocks. When players fill an entire bingo card, they get a gem stone “so it’s really a lesson in naming of rocks and gems,” Buhr said.

Each child also receives a free polished rock when they arrive at the show.

This year’s demonstrations include specialists in wire wrapping, silversmithing and stone shaping. There will be a demonstration of “entargia,” the art of cutting a variety of rocks and then joining the pieces to form one rock, similar to making a jigsaw puzzle, Buhr said.

Twelve commercial dealers will sell items including exotic fossils and shells, large stone vases and polished spheres and bookends. Also, there will be vendors selling tools and equipment such as picks and chisels.

This year’s featured club member and artist is Karen Keith, who designs and makes jewelry using a process called “broom casting,” in which molten silver is poured onto broom straw, Buhr said.

The Everett Rock & Gem Club has turned its annual fundraiser into a premier Puget Sound rock and gem show that last year attracted a record number of more than 4,000 visitors.

“People came out in droves,” Buhr said. “We have a reputation for having a high quality show — this is not flea market stuff.”

The 58th Annual Gem, Jewelry and Mineral Show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Washington National Guard Armory, 2730 Oakes Ave., Everett.

Admission is free. For more information call Fritz Mack 425-232-0809 or go to www.everettrockclub.com.

Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424; goffredo@heraldnet.com.