CANTON -- The St. Lawrence County Rock & Mineral Club will hold its 51st Gem & Mineral Show & Swap at the Canton pavilion, 90 Lincoln St., Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26 and 27.

General admission for the public is free.

This show will offer: handcrafted jewelry made with semi-precious stones for the jewelry lover, gemstone beads, jewelry making supplies, free lessons for the crafter, museum quality crystals, fossils, mineral specimens for the nature lover and art collector, handcrafted gift items, free mineral kits for the kids, mineral collecting trips to some of St. Lawrence County's famous rock-hunting sites for the serious and novice rockhound alike, fun and fellowship for rockhounds from all over the Northeast, and a different type of shopping experience for the general public.

Dozens of collectors from several northeastern states and southeastern Canadian provinces will be set up for selling starting Saturday at 9 a.m. They will offer part of their extensive collections for sale to the public on Saturday and Sunday. You’ll be able to purchase tickets for a chance to win a large Brazilian amethyst cathedral at $1 each or six for $5.

The winning ticket will be drawn Sunday at 2 p.m.

A fluorescent, “glow in the dark” mineral hunt for kids will take place after dark Friday, Aug. 25, in the evening. Children 11 years old or younger will be able to borrow a portable black light to search for samples of brightly colored fluorescent minerals. They will be able to keep all of the minerals that they find. There is no charge for this event.

Free wire-wrapping lessons will be given by Dave Millis, from Pennsylvania, has been a vendor at the show for several years. He is well known for his gem trees and wire-wrapped jewelry. He will give free demonstrations to anyone who wants to learn his craft on both days of the show. All lessons are free, but there will be a small fee for materials.

The food concession stand will be open Saturday and Sunday, serving hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks.

At 5 p.m. on Saturday there will be an auction with auctioneer Heather O’Hara of donated mineral specimens and other items of interest to rockhounds.

Anyone interested in swapping and/or selling gems, jewelry, rocks, minerals, fossils, etc, may reserve a space for a nominal fee.

Application forms and fee schedule are posted on the club’s website, www.StLawrenceCountyMineralClub.org.

Guided field trips are scheduled at Power’s farm, famous location for black tourmaline and quartz crystals on Saturday, and to the Bush farm, collecting location for brown tourmaline and tremolite on Sunday, leaving at 9 a.m. both days. The fee for collecting at each of these locations is $5 per day.

The Canton pavilion has extensive parking and is located on the banks of the Grasse River with convenient walking trails and benches, and a playground for children.

For more information, check the club’s website at www.StLawrenceCountyMineralClub.org, or contact club president Bill deLorraine at 315-287-4652, or wdellie@gmail.com.

Proceeds from events help sponsor mineralogy scholarships at SUNY Potsdam and St. Lawrence University, and the kids’ fluorescent mineral hunt.