The Gilsum Rock Swap and Mineral Show

The Gilsum Rock Swap and Mineral Show is an annual event held at the Gilsum School each year. It always occurs on the last full weekend of June. Local miners and rock lovers from across the state and world bring their treasures to share and sell.

Who hasn’t bent over and picked up a rock that caught your eye and then spent some time pondering the wonders of Mother Earth? The Gilsum Rock Swap provides a weekend full of exploring those wonders!

The event supports a fundraising opportunity for the local Community Recreation Center. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Rob Mitchell was kind enough to provide me with an introduction piece for the video below. He does a great job of summarizing why this event is a fun outing for the entire family and how it also benefits the community of Gilsum.

Gilsum is an easy drive North along Route 10 and the event is always well-marked with signage. There is a gorgeous stone arch bridge along the way that is worth a quick side trip.

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Fossils

You can’t escape the Gilsum Rock Swap and Mineral Show without being amazed by the fossils on display! If you have never seen a genuine fossil up close and personal, The Gilsum Rock Swap will provide you with some “gems!” There is always a great variety of samples, you can find shark teeth, trilobites, Cephalopods, and more!

Kids’ Activities and Food

Rob Mitchell introduced me to two young miners, Isabelle, and Jocelynn, that were busy sluicing away for treasures at the sluicing booth. This area was buzzing with excited kids sifting through their bags of sand and rocks to reveal hidden treasures. Check out the video to catch the mining bug as well!

Bring your appetite to the Gilsum Rock Swap! There is no shortage of food and proceeds add to the fundraising options for the Community Recreation Center. We opted for breakfast during our trip. Depending on which day you come, you can hit the famous Ham and Bean dinner or the chicken barbeque. Both sound delicious and there is a shaded area to sit and enjoy your meal.

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Local Miners and Jewelers

One of the first booths we stopped at was Toveco New Hampshire Natural Gemstones. James Tovey was kind enough to spend some time chatting with us about his business and adventures. He was featured on an NH Chronicle episode that really is worth a peek! You will gain a real appreciation for how much labor of love goes into each piece he makes.

Mined and created with all New Hampshire materials by James Tovey!

Local Rock Hounds

The booths with local rock hounds and their treasures make the Gilsum Rock Swap a treat to wander through. Each of the vendors is passionate about what they do and generous in educating attendees about it all.  A woman at one booth explained how her husband and father-in-law have been rock hounds since he was a little boy and now share it in adulthood.

 Mica

 Mica

 Copper, Gold, Zinc, and other minerals are on display.

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I hope you enjoyed this post and video from The Gilsum Rock Swap and Mineral Show. I plug my calendar early with events I’m hoping to make each year so I don’t miss them! Feel free to leave a comment below on this post or some of your tagged events. I’m open to new adventures.

For another Monadnock Region treat, check out my post on Miller State Park and Pack Monadnock. It comes with an option to hike or drive to the top for some stunning views.

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Until the next post: “Live Free and Explore!”