GPAA to host 20 Gold & Treasure Shows in 2012

 

The Gold Prospectors Association of America will more than double the number of Gold & Treasure Shows on its nationwide tour in 2012.

 

GPAA Event Manager Amber White said the theme of next year’s shows will be education and returning to our roots.

 

One way for the GPAA to reach out to members is by holding more Gold & Treasure Shows in more locations. The shows are designed to teach people how to prospect, an outdoor activity they can enjoy with their friends and families, and introduce them to the kinship of the GPAA community.

 

“This year we had nine shows and next year we are stepping up to 20,” White said.

 

“Some of them were high demand places that our chapters really pushed for and the local chapters did much of the legwork. We have our select few that we do every year, such as Pomona, Mesa, Puyallup and Las Vegas, but other locations were selected based on the high demand.”

 

More than doubling the number of Gold & Treasure Shows is a way of showing appreciation to GPAA and Lost Dutchman’s Mining Association members and reaching out to them. Even though the price of gold has tipped the scales at $1,900 per ounce, many of our members are still reeling from the downtrodden economy and may not be able to travel as far to the shows.

 

“We’re trying to get into different areas, so we can get out there to our members. We’ve got a lot of members in these different places where we’ve never gone before and they need our presence out there and our support. If they’re going to support our club, then we need to be out there for them,” White said.

 

“We’ve had a huge, huge response — lots of excitement. For example, Rapid City, South Dakota is really excited we’re coming there. We have many venues competing for our business in Rapid City and other locations because they so want us to go there.”

 

“One city we haven’t done in a couple of years is Denver, Colorado and they’re ecstatic to have us back. Butte, Montana is also really excited to see us back. They just said all of our people are wonderful and it was a fabulous show. It was really something unique to their facility. They don’t get a lot of shows like ours, so there was a great response.”

 

Others cities that are really thrilled to see return of Gold & Treasure Shows are Salt Lake City, Utah and Boise, Idaho, which both promise to be popular, well-attended shows.

 

“Spartanburg, South Carolina is brand new. We’ve been in the Carolinas, but we’re going to give Spartanburg a run this time. We’re looking forward to doing a show there,” she said.

 

 

Besides major prizes, including the Alaska Gold Expedition, and the usual family fun and entertainment, White said there will be a renewed focus seminars at the 2012 Gold & Treasure Shows.

 

“One of our members said it best. He said he sat down with George Massie for 30 minutes and learned more in that 30 minutes than he did in his entire life prospecting, so that is really what we want for our members who are coming out to the gold shows. It is about the vendors, the equipment, where to go and how to be mindful miner. We really want to extend that message to people,” White said.

 

In addition to expanding the Gold & Treasure Show circuit, the show’s events will also have some new twists — including all-day Gold Panning and Mucking Contests.

 

“They will be all-day events. You can try as many times as you want for $5 a shot. They will go all day and anyone can join in,” she said.

 

“There will be a few changes here and there, but we’re really highlighting the educational value of the gold shows where people can learn something new or expand on something they already know.”

 

There will be a focus on more hands-on, how-to seminars with better audio and visual presentations to demonstrate gold prospecting, small-scale mining and metal detecting techniques.

 

“It’s our chance to really teach people about prospecting. We’re trying to give the lectures more educational value so not only are they learning it, but they are seeing it and hopefully we can incorporate some live demonstrations into the seminars,” White said.

 

“More importantly, it’s about trying to extend the legacy of George Massie — to teach people about prospecting, to teach them about the history of mining,” she said.

 

The Gold & Treasure Shows also present an opportunity to inform people about their rights to prospect for gold and other minerals on public lands and help them to understand that the GPAA is fighting to protect their rights. GPAA founder Goerge "Buzzard" Massie’s mission was to foster the spirit of the North American prospector. His son, Tom Massie, host of Gold Fever and CEO of the organization, is committed to carrying on his father’s legacy through the GPAA.

 

 

”One thing that we’re really promoting is the pre-registration. A lot of people don’t know they can pre-register online and get in free. They can register 60 days prior to the event and each person who pre-registers gets in free,” she said.

 

To pre-register, go to www.goldandtreasureshow.com

 

“We want everybody to have a chance to come out and this is their opportunity to come out — at no charge — to see what we’re all about,” she said.

 

Pre-registration is now being accepted for the 2011 fall shows in Onalaska, Wisconsin and Fletcher, North Carolina to held in October. And, there will be East Coast Shows in the lineup for 2012 as well. The exact locations for those shows have not yet been announced.)

 

Here are the first 12 shows in the 2012 Spring Gold & Treasure Show schedule: (More shows will be announced at a later date.)

January 21 – 22, 2012
Pomona, CA
Pomona Fairplex
1101 W. McKinley Ave
Pomona, CA 91768
Building 6

February 11 – 12, 2012
Mesa, AZ
Mesa Convention Center
201 N. Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85211
Convention Hall

February 18 – 19, 2012
Albuquerque, NM
Expo New Mexico
300 San Pedro NE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
Creative Arts Building

March 10 – 11, 2012
Red Bluff, CA
Tehama District Fair
650 Antelope Blvd
Red Bluff, CA 96080
Tyler-Jelly Building

March 17 – 18, 2012
Puyallup, WA
Puyallup Fair & Events Center
110 9^th Ave SWPuyallup, WA 98371
Expo Hall

March 24 – 25, 2012
Salem, OR
Oregon State Fair
2330 17^th Street NE
Salem, OR 97303
Columbia Hall

March 31 – April 1, 2012
Fresno, CA
Big Fresno Fair1121 S. Chance AvenueFresno, CA 93702-3707Commerce Building

April 21 – 22, 2012
Las Vegas, NV
South Point Hotel & Casino
9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89183
Exhibit Halls C & D
Group Code: GOL0419
(Cutoff Date for Group Discount March 23, 2012)
Rm. Reservations: 866-791-7626

April 28 – 29, 2012
Spokane, WA
County Fair & Expo Center
404 N. Havana Ste 1
Spokane, WA 99202-4663
Bay 3

May 5 – 6, 2012
Boise, ID
Expo Idaho
5610 Glenwood
Boise, ID 83714
Center Expo Building

May 12 – 13, 2012
Salt Lake City, UT
Utah State Fairpark
155 North 1000 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Grand Building

May 19 – 20, 2012
Reno, NV
Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center
1350 N. Wells Ave
Reno, NV 89512
Exhibit Hall

To inquire about getting a Gold & Treasure Show in your area, please contact GPAA Event Manager Amber White:
Amber White
P.O. Box 891509 – Temecula, CA – 92589
Fax: 951-699-4062
Email: goldshows@goldprospectors.org