Sarah Atkins
seatkins05@gmail.com
Although the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce will not host the N.C. Mineral and Gem Festival this year, the Grassy Creek Mineral and Gem Show will still take place, carrying on Spruce Pine’s tradition as “The Mineral City.”
The Grassy Creek show will run July 27 to Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day on the hill above Skyview Circle on N.C. Highway 226 South. Parking and admission are free.
Most summers, Spruce Pine hosts two completely separate mineral and gem events, one indoors and one outdoors, with overlapping schedules. The indoor North Carlina Mineral and Gem Festival is run by the Chamber of Commerce and it has been canceled for this year.
Coordinated by Parkway Fire and Rescue, the Grassy Creek Mineral and Gem Show has run alongside the N.C. Mineral and Gem Festival for over more than decades. The show began in 1984, growing steadily over the years and drawing vendors and visitors from across the region.
“We’re glad we have the space to be able to provide this opportunity not only for Mitchell County but also for the area and for the mineral and gem show community that enjoys this and looks forward to this,” said Chief Kevin Hughes of Parkway Fire and Rescue.
This year marks the show’s 41st anniversary and is expected to feature more than 60 vendors. Visitors will be able to browse outdoor booths featuring a diverse array of minerals, gems, fossils, jewelry and lapidary goods.
While the cancellation of the N.C. Mineral and Gem Festival leaves a gap in the county’s usual summer tourism season, the Grassy Creek Mineral and Gem Show will continue to celebrate Mitchell County’s rich mining heritage and support the vendors and businesses that rely on seasonal traffic.
“This brings in people from all over,” said Hughes. “They’re not only buying products at the gem show, but they’re buying food here in Mitchell County, they’re buying gas and lodging in our motel rooms that we have locally available… As far as the Parkway Fire and Rescue goes, it is our largest fundraiser. It helps us afford our equipment and be able to continue to operate year by year.”
Indoor show cancellation
For 65 years, the North Carolina Mineral and Gem Festival has put Spruce Pine on the map and showcased the region’s rich mining heritage. Since 1959, the festival has endured, bringing tourists and vendors to the town, but this year will be different.
The Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce announced the cancellation of the 2025 N.C. Mineral and Gem Festival in June. Repairs from damage caused by Hurricane Helene have not yet been completed at the festival’s planned venue, and no other available space can accommodate the festival’s size and capacity.
As a result, the Chamber’s board of directors decided to cancel this year’s event.
“It was our sincere desire to move forward with the festival as a way to support recovery and economic revitalization. However, circumstances beyond our control have made that impossible,” said Nikki Presnell, president of the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, in the Chamber’s announcement last month.
Some festival-related activities will still continue, including the Top to Toe 5K on July 26, where participants will run from the top of Quartz Corp. mine to downtown Spruce Pine. The festival’s Mine Tours will also continue as scheduled from July 31 through Aug. 2. to all visitors.