Maple Ridge Rock and Gem Show

The Maple Ridge Lapidary Club puts on a Rock and Gem Show at Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall on Harris Road each year on the last weekend in February.

Last year the Abbotsford Rock & Gem Show happened at the Matsqui Community Hall on November 18th to 20th. In 2023 the Maple Ridge Lapidary Club has an event on February 25th and 26th.

Maple Ridge Lapidary Rock and Gem Show

The Maple Ridge Rock and Gem Show takes place in Pitt Meadows (so just a short ways down the Lougheed Highway from Maple Ridge). In 2020 the event was going to be on the weekend of February 22-23.

Had it not been cancelled, the 2020 show would have run from 11 am until 5 pm on the Saturday and from 10 am until 4 pm on the Sunday.

When it doesn’t get cancelled, the event happens at Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall at 12460 Harris Road. The show takes place on two floors in the historic community building and features a couple of dozen tables featuring everything from polished stones to jewellery to natural rocks with crystals inside.

The Gem Show is a “free event” with admission by donation. It’s a fundraising event for the Maple Ridge Lapidary Club which celebrated its 61st show in 2019. (Note: “Lapidary” is a noun or adjective that means “related to gems, stones and the art of cutting, polishing and engraving of stones.”)

Gem Show Carvers and Artists — Carvers and Artists at the Gem Show

What to Expect

At the Maple Ridge Rock and Gem Show you can expect to see a good number of lapidaries, rock collectors, artists and other folk who love rocks.

At Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall, on the ground floor, there are usually up to half a dozen vendor tables and a canteen where you can buy food. Upstairs there are up to about 20 or so other vendors, displays and tables with stone and gem cutters demonstrating their skills. There is also a silent auction, a raffle and hourly door prizes.

The Maple Ridge Rock and Gem Show is an interesting event, even if you aren’t a lapidary or avid collector of rocks and gems. If you’re in the Maple Ridge or Pitt Meadows area, it can be worth checking out.

Tips and Advice

Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most out of your visit to the show.

TIP #1: Expect to stay for anywhere between 15 minutes and a couple of hours. Your estimated length of stay depends on your interest in rocks.

TIP #2: The event is fairly educational and can be interesting to people of all ages including children.

TIP #3: If the weather is good, combine your trip to the show with a visit to other places of interest in the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Area. Some of the region’s top spots include Kanaka Creek Park, North Alouette Regional Greenway, Maple Ridge Park and Golden Ears Provincial Park. For people interested in history, there is also Haney House and the Maple Ridge Museum.

TIP #4: You can’t take your dog to the Gem Show. There are, however, lots of other venues where you can take your four-legged friends in the area. For ideas on places to go with your canine companion some other time, see our article about Maple Ridge Dogs, Parks and Patio Restaurants.