Crater of Diamonds Newsletter

On Saturday, May 21, Crater of Diamonds State Park, in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, will host a brand new family event called Prospectors’ Gemboree, a celebration of diamond miners in Arkansas! This event will feature a day full of fun games and activities for all ages, including the Murfreesboro Memory Makers photo scavenger hunt and the annual Treasure Hunt, a contest to find painted bottles buried in the search area for valuable prizes!

From 9 a.m. to noon, the annual Famous Crater Diamonds Exhibition, in the Diamond Discovery Center, will provide visitors the rare opportunity to see many of the Crater’s most beautiful diamonds, from both finders and collectors.

On May 21 and 22, the park will also host the 2^nd Annual Crater Gem and Mineral Show. Gem and mineral dealers from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas will display their beautiful rocks, fossils, minerals, and faceted gems. In addition, visitors will be able to watch craftsmen facet stone, wire wrap gems, and create beautiful, one-of-a-kind jewelry. On both days the show will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Diamond Discovery Center.

Families attending Prospectors’ Gemboree will have a chance to enjoy two other great local events, as well! The Murfreesboro Diamond Festival, on Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21, will feature live entertainment, food, crafts, contests, and more. Also on Saturday, the 3^rd Annual Swaha Diamond Drag, on beautiful Lake Greeson, will feature an exhibition of classic cars and trucks from throughout the 20^th century.

Those attending all three events are invited to take part in the Murfreesboro Memory Makers family photo scavenger hunt! Participants with a digital or cell phone camera can pick up a list of required photos at any event. Prizes will be awarded for photos taken at each location, and those who complete the scavenger hunt will be entered into a drawing to win a Murfreesboro Weekend Getaway package and other valuable prizes!

April 17 - Jai’ Jai Goldstein, St. Louis, MO, 18 pt. brown; Bob Grabon, Cedarburg, WI, 22 pt. white

April 18 - Jenna Williams, Tulsa, OK, 1 pt. white; Daniel J. Kinney III, Sault Ste. Marie, MI, 8 pt. white; Carol Swanson, Newaygo, MI, 6 pt. white; Nick Penner, Bentonville, AR, 1 pt. brown, 34 pt. white; Thomas Grove, Mechanicsville, MD, 15 pt. yellow; Kenny French, Mechanicsville, MD, 42 pt. white

April 19 - Rodney Stewart, Tullahoma, TN, 14 pt. white; Faith Roland, Cedar Springs, MI, 19 pt. white; James Powell, Newaygo, MI, 9 pt. white

April 20 - Laurie Stephens, Plant City, FL, 2 pt. yellow; Scott Michelich, Morrow, OH, 48 pt. white; Carol Swanson, Newaygo, MI, 20 pt. white; Cecelia Romanick, Cedar Springs, MI, 13 pt. yellow

April 21 - Kenny & James Anderson, Ocean Springs, MS, 21 pt. brown; Tucker Family, West Valley, UT, 34 pt. white; Kenneth Shoemaker, Murfreesboro, AR, 3 pt. white; Daniel J. Kinney III, Sault Ste. Marie, MI, 6 pt. yellow

April 22 - Betsy Swyres, Ellington, MO, 5 pt. white; Jeffery Engle, Victoria, TX, 10 pt. white

April 23 - Kenneth Shoemaker, Murfreesboro, AR, 28 pt. white; Tim Pittman, Jacksonville, AR, 3 pt. brown, 5 pt. white, 6 pt. brown, 6 pt. white, 7 pt. yellow, 10 pt. white, 15 pt. brown, 40 pt. white; Mike Ellison, Kings Mountain, NC, 3 pt. brown, 5 pt. white; David Hinzie, White Bear Lake, MN, 15 pt. white, 22 pt. white; Janet Keller-Gleason, St. John, KS, 1.71 ct. brown; Dane Salazar, Waldorf, MD, 21 pt. white, 33 pt. white