Educational opportunities for children and free demonstrations as well as workshops will take place this Saturday starting from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium, 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City.
Jette Sorensen, one of the workshop leaders said that in previous years, visitors have traveled from Southern California and beyond to attend this annual event. There will be no charge to attend and parking is free.
This will be the 57th year for the Fiesta of Gems and the featured gem is jade.
Janice Metz, the public relations coordinator of the Culver City Rock and Mineral Club, shared her enthusiasm about this event because it provides free hands-on geological lessons for children and anyone who wants to learn.
She said, “the main purpose of the event is to offer science lessons about gemstones and to introduce the world of geology to the youth.”
In past years, both Boy and Girl Scouts troops were in attendance.
Skilled jewelry makers will offer workshops featuring specifics on how to make hand-made jewelry and opportunities to win hourly prizes are also on the schedule, said Sorensen.
She also said that the workshops will be offered for a fee of $60-$80.
The participant will leave with a product to take home and if they have not finished it, they can have access to the leader’s phone number to ask questions and receive guidance on completing their jewelry, according to Metz.
The first two workshops will begin simultaneously on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. One workshop is on metalsmithing-fusing on Argentinian silver rings, and the second workshop will demonstrate how to make a Byzantine Chainmaille bracelet.
On Saturday from 2:15 to 6 p.m., an enamel basics demonstration is being offered and again on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A crystal healing workshop will take place on Sunday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A stone-on-stone workshop is planned for Sunday, 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Finally, on Sunday, a netting bracelet beading workshop will go from 1:45 to 5 p.m.
According to Metz, hands-on opportunities will be available for kids to break open rocks to determine if it is actually a geode, which would mean there is a crystal inside. Children will also be taught to identify different types of rocks. Forty vendors are scheduled to come to offer free demonstrations, stated Metz, who has been involved in lapidary for 20 years. She mentioned that a representative from the Gemological Institute will be in attendance as well.
As in years past, a portion of the proceeds from the workshops will be donated to a Culver City charity.
