Rockhound Gemboree & the Bancroft Gem & Mineral Club Annual Mineral Show

Bancroft is known as the “mineral capital of Canada” for a reason.  Around 1600 varieties of minerals have been found in the area.  Although the veins of minerals are small, the quality is high.  In fact, marble from the Bancroft area was used in the parliament buildings in Toronto and Ottawa.  To read a summary of the minerals found here and mining in the area, visit the Bancroft Ontario website.

The Rockhound Gemboree

The Rockhound Gemboree is an annual event in Bancroft.  This year, it is celebrating it’s 51st event from July 31 to August 3.  It takes place at the North Hastings Community Centre and at the Curling Club. A “Top 100 Festival & Event” in Ontario, the Rockhound Gemboree attracts thousands of people to the Bancroft area. Whether you’re a collector, a “rockhound”, a geologist, or just curious, you’ll find something fun going on here.  Visit exhibits of minerals, gems, and fossils. Buy supplies or specimens for your own collection.  Shop for unique jewellery and art.  Interested in getting your hands dirty?  Why not attend a workshop or go on a mineral collecting field trip?  For more information about the field trips or other events, visit the Rockhound Gemboree website.  You can also find them on Facebook.

Bancroft Gem and Mineral Club Annual Mineral Show

The Bancroft Gem and Mineral Club also hosts an annual mineral show.  It takes place on July 27 at the Bancroft Legion Hall.  All proceeds from this event support the Bancroft Mineral Museum.  Admission for the show is $3.00 for an adult, or $5.00 for admission to the show and to the museum.  Children and students up to age 18 are free. Located in the restored train station, the Bancroft Mineral Museum houses more than 400 mineral specimens.  It features displays of minerals and of Bancroft’s mining history.  If you are interested in learning about mineral collecting or the history of mining in Bancroft, a stop at the museum is a must.

For more information about the Bancroft Gem and Mineral Club Annual Mineral Show, call 613-332-1032. For an interesting read about the restoration of the Bancroft Mineral Museum, check out this article by David K. Joyce Minerals.