By BRAD JONES
GPAA Managing Editor
The Gold Prospectors Association of America is offering West Coast vendors and manufacturers a sweet deal to ship their wares to the Gold & Treasure Shows in the eastern U.S. this fall.
GPAA President Brandon Johnson said he will make room on the truck for vendors who want to help build the success of the three remaining shows of 2016 by having a presence in the eastern states.
“We have great support from our members and our vendors in the east,” Johnson said. “For the last few years when I was on the East Coast, a lot of them came to talk to be about how they really want to see the West Coast vendors and large brand names come out and be represented at the gold shows in the eastern states.”
“This year we are offering transportation assistance to West Coast—and really all of our vendors—to the eastern shows. Fuel costs aren’t as high as they’ve ever been, but they are still high,” Johnson said.
By making room on the 52-foot semi trailer, Johnson is hoping to make it more cost effective for West Coast vendors and manufacturers of prospecting and mining equipment.
“I’m doing this on the promise that our east coast members will come out and support the shows,” Johnson said. “The passion and demand for manufacturers to go east is there. It’s just a matter of dollars and cents. We are really trying to work closely with the manufacturers for it to make sense for them to come to the shows in the east.”
If there is enough response, Johnson said he would even consider adding an extra trailer or a second tractor and trailer to haul equipment eastward this fall.Three GPAA Gold & Treasure Shows are set for Nashville, Tenn., Dayton, Ohio and Concord, N.C. in October.
“Although we’ll be adding a little more competition among vendors, our members want to see more of the brand names that they see in our publications at the show,” he said. “They want to see not only the dealers but meet some of the manufacturers.”
Johnson has continued the tradition of hosting Gold & Treasure Shows started by GPAA founder George Massie. The shows provide a fun, family-oriented learning environment and offer a hands-on experience for newcomers to the world of gold prospecting.
“The GPAA Gold Panning Zone offers participants a golden opportunity for newbies to learn how to pan for gold and for experienced prospectors to hone their skills,” Johnson said.
Every show is also a great way for local GPAA chapters and state directors, mining rights advocates, leading industry manufacturers, dealers and experts to come together and welcome the public.
“For those who want to get out and find more gold, the shows include a wide range of seminars on gold-prospecting know-how from well-known experts,” he said. The lectures offer instruction on fine gold
recovery, local prospecting, geology, filing and maintaining your mining claims, metal detecting basics and techniques to name a few topics.”
The GPAA Gold & Treasure Shows also feature live product demonstrations from the best prospecting and small-scale mining equipment manufacturers in the industry. Dealers offer everything from gold pans, sluice boxes, highbankers and power sluices to drywashers, clean-up equipment, gold refinery kits, rock crushers, gold dredges and metal detectors.
“Our vendors contribute tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment to be raffled off at each show to benefit the local prospecting community and mining rights groups which are fighting to keep public lands open,” Johnson said.
The grand prize to be awarded each day of each show is a one-week stay at Roaring Camp in California’s Mother Lode country. For a full list of prizes, featured vendors and seminar speakers, go to the GPAA website.
Fans of the popular GPAA-produced TV series Gold Trails will get a chance to meet host Kevin Hoagland, who will be at each event to sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans.
Registration and advance tickets will be available at half the cost of the regular $10 admission. Children 12 and younger are admitted free.
“Come out and help your son or daughter learn to pan for real gold to take home as a souvenir of their experience,” Johnson said.
“To show our appreciation, members of the military receive free admission with a copy of an active military or veteran identification. The GPAA says thank you for your service and welcomes you to the prospecting community,” he said. “We look forward to seeing you, your family and your friends at the shows.”
Gold & Treasure Show updates will be posted on the GPAA website: www.goldprospectors.org/goldshows and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GPAAGoldShows
Attend a GPAA Gold & Treasure Show
For more information about the GPAA Gold & Treasure Shows, go to www.facebook.com/GPAAGoldShows. Then, click on the "Events" tab near the top of the page, and don't forget to invite your friends.
Fall Gold & Treasure Shows
• Nashville, Tennessee
Oct. 8-9
The Fairgrounds Nashville,
(Creative Arts Building)
625 Smith Avenue
Nashville, TN 37203
• Dayton, Ohio
Oct. 22-23
Montgomery County Fairgrounds
(In the Coliseum)
1043 South Main St.
Dayton, Ohio 45409
• Concord, North Carolina
Oct. 29-30
Cabarrus Arena & Event Center
4751 NC Highway 49 North
Concord, NC 28025
NOTE: For some GPS units, you may want to try: 4551 Old Airport Road, Concord, NC 28025
Brad Jones is the Managing Editor/Communications Director for the Gold Prospectors Association of America. He can be reached at bjones@goldprospectors.org