Rockhounds and fossil hunters are getting a long-running Macomb County tradition back next weekend, as the 80th Greater Detroit Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show returns to Warren Oct. 9-11 after sitting out last year. The show, themed “Quest for Quartz,” will fill 60,000 square feet at the Macomb Community College Sports & Expo Center with dealers selling everything from raw crystals to finished jewelry.
According to ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4, the event marks 80 years of the show and promises visitors a hands-on experience of natural history through fossils and gems. The station reports organizers have lined up 71 vendors showing off jewelry, gems, fossils and crystals, though the Michigan Mineralogical Society lists the figure differently on its own show information page, describing 70 gem, jewelry, mineral and fossil dealers. Either way, it is a sizable lineup for a show returning after a one-year hiatus, as littleguidedetroit.com notes.
What's on Display, From Yooperlites to Quartz
Quartz, the theme mineral for this year's show, happens to be the most abundant mineral in the world, per the seed reporting. Among the specimens expected on the floor are Yooperlites, the Michigan-found stones that glow under ultraviolet light, a detail ClickOnDetroit highlighted in its coverage of the show's return. The event is being held at the Macomb Community College Expo Center, located at 14500 E. 12 Mile Road in Warren, according to the Michigan Mineralogical Society's show information.
Beyond the dealer tables, the weekend includes activities built for both kids and serious collectors. The Michigan Mineralogical Society's listing describes lectures, panning for real gold, a fossil dig and free giveaways as part of the programming. The first 250 attendees each day are set to receive a free Arkansas quartz crystal, according to littleguidedetroit.com.
Tickets, Pricing and Who Gets In Free
Admission is structured by age and ticket type. Children 14 and younger get in free with a parent or guardian, per the Michigan Mineralogical Society. Adult tickets run $10 at the door or $9 online, while seniors 62 and older and students both pay $5 at the door or $4 online, according to the Macomb Community College Sports and Expo Center listing. Military members with identification can attend at no cost, the same listing notes.
Organizers are also changing how multi-day visits work this year. The Michigan Mineralogical Society's ticketing page states that single-day passes are being offered for Oct. 9, 10 or 11, but that two- and three-day passes are not available for the 2026 show. The event is presented by the Michigan Mineralogical Society and sponsored by the Cranbrook Institute of Science, according to littleguidedetroit.com.
