You can pan for gold in Ontario’s mineral capital 3 hours from Toronto at Canada’s largest gem and mineral show
Treasure hunters can experience some of Ontario’s natural wonders by visiting Bancroft’s 60th anniversary Rockhound Gemboree, where kids can pan for gold.
Imagine finding breathtaking gemstones or even panning for gold right here in Ontario.
Treasure hunters can experience some of Ontario’s natural wonders by visiting Bancroft’s 60th anniversary Rockhound Gemboree, running from July 31 to Aug. 3 in the Hastings County community, about three hours north of Toronto.
Bancroft hosts Canada’s largest gem and mineral show soon
The event includes Canada’s largest gem and mineral show, with more than 100 dealers of fine mineral specimens, gemstone jewelry and lapidary supplies.
In a presentation to Festivals and Events Ontario, Robin Tait, planning and development co-ordinator for Town of Bancroft, said the retail gem and mineral show attracts thousands of visitors annually.
“We are known as the mineral capital of Canada,” said Tait.
The Town of Bancroft assumed control of the Rockhound Gemboree in 2019 and the event aligns nicely with the town’s civic motto, Tait added.
“It celebrates our geological significance in the earth sciences, specifically,” said Tait.
Four-day festival held during the Civic Holiday long weekend
The four-day festival, held during the Civic Holiday long weekend, includes value-added attractions, including a speaker series and a popular gold-panning activity for kids, Tait added.
Where and when is the event?
The show will be held at two locations in Bancroft, the North Hastings Community Centre (103 Newkirk Blvd.) and the Bancroft Curling Club (63 Newkirk Blvd.).
Shuttle service between venues will be provided by Bancroft Community Transit.
Show hours at North Hastings Community Centre are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hours at the Bancroft Curling Club are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What mineral is Bancroft known for?
Tait said Bancroft is best known for sodalite, a blue mineral that once captured royal attention. Back in 1901, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (later known as King George V and Queen Mary) were so impressed by the mineral during a visit to the World’s Fair in Buffalo that they ordered a large quantity to be mined from an area south of Bancroft. The mineral was shipped to England and used to decorate the interiors of Marlborough House, a royal residence in London.
Tait said the mineral is mostly used for decorative purposes today, as well as in jewelry and as a garden stone.
Other attractions
Along with the Gemboree itself, visitors to the Bancroft area can experience other natural wonders.
Examples of other minerals you could find in the Bancroft area include beryl, tourmaline, garnet, quartz, apatite and more.
The CN Rock Pile, across the road from the Town of Bancroft municipal office, contains materials brought in from a nearby quarry for the construction of the town’s railway. Anyone is free to collect minerals here to create or expand their collections, according to the town’s website.
The Bancroft Gem and Mineral Museum has more than 1,000 mineral specimens, plus a mining diorama that shows what it looked like to mine underground when uranium mines were operating in the area.
The Princess Sodalite Mine Rock Shop (31241 Hwy. 28 E., Bancroft) offers candle holders, bookends, wind chimes and stone carvings along with decorative minerals.
