The string of shows along the Freeway are a good place to start – most open Jan. 30th – easy to do on foot – the Congress St. Parking Hub is just around the corner on Congress just a block west of Freeway Ave.
One nice thing about these shows is that everything is in one place – the food is good (ranges from Carl’s Jr. to Bennigans) – there are areas to sit to give your feet a break – you can find gems, jewelry, rough, mineral specimens, african trade beads, clothing, rugs, etc.
This group of shows start at the DaysInn:
date: 01/30/2009 – 02/15/2009
time: 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
location: Days Inn Convention Center
address: 222 S. Freeway Ave.
This show features a really great variety of items and is open to the public…great spheres, a good Fire Opal dealer and American Pearl.
date: 01/30/2009 – 02/15/2009
time: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
address: 292 S. Freeway Ave.
The vendor to check out here is one you won’t miss Rock Your World – will do just that!
date: 01/31/2009 – 02/12/2009
time: Jan. 31-Feb. 11: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Feb. 12: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
address: 350 S. Freeway Ave.
I have to report a little bias here – this is my favorite of the “Freeway” shows – in the tent they have several Award Winning Gem Carvers – great OOAK Beads – some of the best Opal available – and along the outside they have funky foreign jewelry around the pool – along the hotel rooms there are rough gem dealers and I love to sit under a heat lamp by the pool early in the morning or later in the evening enjoying a coffee!
Somewhere around here I would get on a shuttle – there is a whole group of hotels along this stretch – tell the shuttle driver you want to go to the last show on Freeway that he goes to – along the way look at the shows going by and make a notation of the ones you want to check out.
Start walking back down – utilize the shuttle if some don’t appeal to you. Along this strip is a Metaphysical Show – not sure where since it moved last year and I missed it.
Start walking back down – utilize the shuttle if some don’t appeal to you. Along this strip is a Metaphysical Show – not sure where since it moved last year and I missed it.
Howard Johnson Gem & Mineral Show
What: Jewelry, silver, minerals, gemstones, lapidary, metaphysical objects/art, beads
When: Jan. 31-Feb. 14, 2009
Where: 1010 S. Freeway Ave.
…along your journey – don’t miss The HoJo Show (Howard Johnson) has one of the most interactive online vendor maps available – easy to look for folks you want to visit…may I suggest one? Taj Imports – http://www.tajcompany.com/ this company has booths in all of the big Wholesale Shows (AGTA, GJX, Holidome) – this is your opportunity to get more time to talk with them in a more casual setting.
Explore – have fun and tune in to see where I am…