NC Mineral and Gem Festival vendor Gaangun Wang (left) waits patiently at his booth for customers. Wang sold a variety of pendants, beads and rocks, most of which he made himself. (MNJ photo/Ariana Maniatis)
SPRUCE PINE — The annual NC Mineral and Gem Festival brought scores of people to the former Roses building this past week, resuming after being canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The indoor festival ran from Thursday, July 29 through Sunday, Aug. 1. Much like the neighboring outdoor Grassy Creek Mineral and Gem Show, the festival featured a myriad of vendors selling minerals, fossils, rocks and more.
The festival also had vendors selling a variety of jewelry, some handmade, including rings, necklaces, bracelets and beads. Some side rooms were reserved for quartz and ruby and showed displays of different gems and crystals.
Vendor Gaangun Wang has sold jewelry at the festival for about six years.
“I have rock beads and pendants and several rocks,” Wang said. “I have made many of these pieces myself.”
Wang also sold large sculptures with Asian origins in multiple minerals.
The festival draws locals and out of town visitors alike. Visitors like Catrina Devro love to simply look around.
“We came two years ago, and the pandemic struck, so this is our first time being back since then,” Devro said. “I really like opal and raw crystals are usually what I shop for. I really just like to come and browse.”
Spruce Pine resident Olivia Rhea said she relies on the annual festival for most of her jewelry.
“There is just so much to choose from,” she said. “I have so many rings already and everything is just so gorgeous that I can’t help but want more.”