The Maple Ridge Lapidary Club is hosting its first one-day outdoor market.

Over 30 vendors will be at the event selling everything from rocks, gems, minerals, metaphysical supplies, jewelry, tools and books and anything rocks and minerals related.

“It’s not like our usual rock and gem show,” said former club president Walt Pinder.

“So we won’t have all of the business that we do at our salon, but it will involve most of the vendors in our salon as well as brand new ones,” he explained.

The outdoor market was driven by the need to recover from the pandemic, Pinder said.

“We went two years without our rock and gem show. We were hoping to have one in February, but the new center in Albion was not ready. We postponed until April, but they still couldn’t guarantee it would be ready. So we went without a show this year,” he said, referring to the new Albion Community Center, a 20,000 square foot multipurpose community center co-located with cusqunela elementary that is in the final stages of construction.

However, he said, they are looking forward to next February when they hold their usual rock and gem show at the new center.

Market guests can expect to see a demonstration or two and there will also be a silent auction featuring items like: a driftwood sculpture of two dogs; ammolite; a BC jade block; a handmade sterling silver chain; a quartz crystal; a soapstone sculpture of an owl; slice of polished Brazilian agate; a cluster of quartz crystals; a broom cast sterling silver pendant necklace; and an agate geode with mining diorama.

The market takes place from 10 p.m. to 5 p.m. on June 18 at the Albion Fairgrounds, north of the Lougheed Highway on Jim Robson Way.

Admission is by donation and parking is free.

For more information on the Maple Ridge Lapidary Club, visit mapleridgelapidaryclub.com.