Kaleidoscope Gem Shows will be holding the next installment of their popular, thrice-annual Gem, Mineral, Fossil, Bead, and Jewelry Show at the Freeport Recreation Center this April 15-16, which represents the 48th year for the popular collector’s event April outing.

Catering to rock hounds, crystal collectors, jewelry enthusiasts, and more, the Freeport Gem, Mineral, & Jewelry Show boasts just about anything you could want of a sparkly nature, offered by some of the most well-established names in the field with decades of experience.

This April’s event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 16. Admission is just $5.50, but attendees that mention this article will receive a $.50 discount at the door. In addition, children under the age of 12 get in free when accompanied by an adult.

In addition to their regular April extravaganza, the Freeport Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show is also scheduled to return for its regular August (26-27) and October (28-29) engagements as well.

This is a fantastic event for both adults and children where families can enjoy an inexpensive afternoon. Children love rocks, minerals, fossils and crystals. Event promoter Evelyn Gose said, “They love to reach into their bag of goodies and show me the special treasures they have purchased.”

Evelyn noted that a fun event over the years has been the show’s hourly giveaways held on both days, along with a single grand prize drawing at the end of each day, giving attendees a chance to walk away with free merchandise…and in today’s economic times, who wouldn’t welcome that?

“Every hour, we hold a drawing for a $10 gift certificate that can be used at any of our vendors,” she said. “When you arrive, you fill out a door prize slip, and it’s put in a drawing bag. And from that bag, we draw two $10 gift certificate winners every hour.”

“In addition, every slip from the hourly prize drawing is put into a bag at the end of the day, and one is chosen for the grand prize, and that prize could be just about anything,” Evelyn continued. “It could be a mineral, crystal, or any number of other nice things.”

Therefore, attendees have the chance to win one hourly drawing prize a day, in addition to being eligible to win the grand prize that day as well!

“It’s always nice to win a prize!” Evelyn said.

The show can be a captivating experience, with the many beautiful displays set up by the various sellers serving as eye-catching and memorable, featuring estate pieces, crystals, minerals and fossils from around the world, as well as exciting varieties of beads and more. There are also many inexpensive items to be found, as well as collector pieces.

However, Evelyn notes that beyond the visual aesthetic and the ability to buy many one-of-a-kind items, there is also a distinct learning component for attendees as well.

“The dealers are more than happy to share their knowledge with the customers,” she said. “When they leave, they have a much deeper appreciation for the fine items on display and a smile on their face.”

With April’s show fast approaching, Evelyn expressed her extreme appreciation for the hard work of her many fine vendors, as well as the loyal patronage of the attendees that come each and every year, ensuring that the Gem, Mineral, Fossil, Bead, Crystal and Jewelry show will remain a mainstay of the Freeport Recreation Center for years to come.

“We really want to thank our customers, as well as the Recreation Center for supporting us all these years…the admissions to the show help to support the Rec Center, which is a good thing” she said. “It’s a wonderful feeling as people stop by when leaving and say, ‘this was great. Thank you.’ That makes all the effort put into the show more than worth it.”