For the 65th year, the Four Corners Gem and Mineral Club will host its weekend-long Gem and Mineral Show at the La Plata County Fairgrounds.

Randy Ferris, current president of the club, which was formed in 1947, said this year’s show will have a bigger educational element to it, with displays from organizations such as Mesa Verde and Animas Museum. Ferris said education is a key part of the club’s mission, and the return of displays reflects that.

Ferris said the club’s – and show’s – popularity and longevity could be the result of geography.

“I partly attribute it to the type of people that come to Durango, who like Durango. People love the outdoors, we have fabulous geology around here – we have the mountains, we have the deserts, we have giant volcanoes that were once larger than any of the volcanoes around today,” he said. “It’s just a fascinating geologic area, and I think the people who want to live here love the outdoors, and gems and minerals are part of the outdoors. That would be my best guess.”

The club boasts between 200 and 250 members, with a core of about 50 people who are really involved, either in working for the club or going to the clubhouse in Brookside Park to work on projects, Ferris said, adding that everyone is welcome to join.

“It’s an awesome opportunity for people that want to try to polish stones or cut stones or try silver-smithing to be able to do it without making the initial investment in all that type of equipment for themselves,” he said.

The show will kick off Friday and run through the weekend.

katie@durangoherald.com