Crater of Diamonds Newsletter

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! We had a great time celebrating diamonds in Arkansas during the 2013 Prospectors’ Gemboree and Famous Crater Diamonds Exhibition on June 15. Dozens of families from all over the U.S. searched for diamonds and participated in a variety of games and contests on this special day. Below is a list of this year’s prize winners. Though you may not recognize the names, see how many different home states you can count:

1st: Jason Lea (Texarkana, TX) & Connor (Holcomb, MS) 2nd: Landon & Cameron (Winnfield, LA) 3rd: Ace & Adam West (Nashville, AR)

Egg Toss

1st: Jason Lea (Texarkana, TX) & Connor (Holcomb, MS) 2nd: Haylee & Madison (St. Joseph, MO) 3rd: Tuan Tran (Dallas, TX) & Jazlyn (Alma, AR)

Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest

Many visitors captured memories of their day at the park while competing in the Facets of Fun Photo Scavenger Hunt. Those who completed the hunt were entered in a prize drawing at the end of the day for gift cards and certificates to Brookshire’s, McDonald’s, Simple Simon’s and Subway. This year’s grand prize, a Lake Greeson party barge rental from Swaha Lodge & Marina, was awarded to the Boudreaux family, of Huffman, TX!

12 red painted rocks and six orange painted bottles, containing certificates for valuable prizes, were hidden throughout the diamond search area for our famous Prospectors’ Treasure Hunt. Visitors who found red painted rocks and won “door prize” certificates or merchandise this year include Allison & Michael Shipman, of Searcy, AR; DeAnna & Jacob Dillard, of Clinton, MS; Ace Nixon, of Nashville, AR; Amy Lipscomb, of Bossier City, LA; Melissa Lightner, of Omaha, NE; Cattie Westra, of Abilene, TX; William Pardon, of Hollandale, MS; Sara Holzrichter, of Austin, TX; Jean Harper, of Little Rock, AR; and Alicia Ray, of Little Rock, AR.

Though no orange bottles were found during Saturday’s Gemboree, four were soon discovered following a hard rain on Sunday. Marissa Martin, of Port St. John, FL, found Bottle #1 and won a genuine rough Crater diamond, a free one-night stay at Queen of Diamonds Inn, an Igloo Playmate ice chest from Murfreesboro Hardware, a decorative vase from Ivan Smith Furniture, a $20 gift card to Campbell’s Family Restaurant, a free round of mini golf at Diamond-in-the-Hole, and a Fruit n’ Yogurt certificate from McDonald’s.

Zeb Smith, of Royce City, TX, uncovered Bottle #4 and won an electric sander from the Home Improvement Center of Nashville, adult and child hats from D&R Marine & RV Service, a gemstone mining kit from Caddo Antiques, a throw pillow from Tollett’s Gifts, a $15 gift certificate to Los Agaves, a free round of mini golf at Diamond-in-the-Hole, and a Fruit n’ Yogurt certificate from McDonald’s.

Gavin McNeil, a resident of Justin, TX, discovered Bottle #5 and won a $50 Walmart gift card, a candle and John Deere trivet from Tollett’s Gifts, a $15 gift certificate to Los Agaves, a free round of mini golf at Diamond-in-the-Hole, and a Fruit n’ Yogurt certificate from McDonald’s.

Brittney Spann, of Dahlgren, VA, located Bottle #6 and won a Razorback tote from Power Pharmacy, sunglasses and case from Farmers’ Association of Nashville, a flashlight from Western Auto, fashion jewelry from Glynda’s Fashions, a large pizza certificate from Pizza Hut, a free round of mini golf at Diamond-in-the-Hole, and a Fruit n’ Yogurt certificate from McDonald’s.

Two bottles have yet to be discovered at the park. The finder of Bottle #2 will win a genuine rough Crater diamond, a locket and necklace set from Jeanine’s Fine Jewelry, a Bubba Keg from Murfreesboro Hardware, a jewelry box from Nashville Drug, a $20 gift card to Western Sizzlin’, a free round of mini golf at Diamond-in-the-Hole, and a Fruit n’ Yogurt certificate from McDonald’s. The person who finds Bottle #3 will win a depth finder from Futrell Marine, a candle from Nashville Flowers & Gifts, a photo album from Nashville Drug, a $20 gift card to Western Sizzlin’, a free round of mini golf at Diamond-in-the-Hole, and a Fruit n’ Yogurt certificate from McDonald’s.

To help find the two remaining bottles, in each week’s article we’ll provide clues to their locations until both are found (only one prize bottle will be awarded per family). To narrow the search a little this week, look near the Uncle Sam Diamond marker and the north sluice box in the diamond search area. Happy hunting!

Crater of Diamonds would like to thank everyone who came to this year’s Prospectors’ Gemboree and Famous Crater Diamonds Exhibition. If you had a good time, make plans to attend Prospectors’ Gemboree again on June 21, 2014! We also have many other workshops, events, and activities planned for 2013. Visit the calendar of events on our web site at www.CraterofDiamondsStatePark.com to see what’s coming up, and join us for your favorites!

June 19 - Jim Graham, Prescott, AR, 2 pt. yellow, 5 p. white, 5 pt. brown, 7 pt. white, 9 pt. white; Timothy Gray, Royal, AR, 3 pt. yellow, 24 pt. white

June 21 - Cubby, Daytona Beach, FL, 6 pt. white; Kristine Duran, Houston, TX, 15 pt. yellow; Edward Gonzalez, Great Falls, MT, 9 pt. white

June 22 - Richard Meador, Midland, AR, 7 pt. brown, 14 pt. yellow; Zachary Weenink, Tyler, TX, 6 pt. white, 11 pt. white; Becky Zito & Laura Huckaby, Rogers, AR, 36 pt. white