Field Trip Information
There will be four Field Trips over the course of the show. There will be no Field Trips on Sunday of the Show.
Little Diggins : $ 15 Per Person only on Saturday of the show
Big Diggings : $25 Per Person on Every Day of the show
Two more to be announced
Volunteer’s Needed!!
If you would like to volunteer to help out contact Shirley at ShirlBarter@gmail.com
See positions we need help with
Rockhound Roundup March 12-15, 2026 9am.-5pm.
At the SOUTHWESTERN NEW MEXICO STATE FAIRGROUNDS
4100 Raymond Reed Blvd. Deming, New Mexico
Public Invited
Free Admission
In January of 1965 a young, ambitious club was founded, dedicated to the pursuit of rockhound interest. The members, rock minded individuals, of the Deming Gem & Mineral Society immediately jumped into producing a rock show, they called it a Roundup.
The Roundup was held at RockHound State Park, 240 acres in the Little Florida Mountains donated to the state by Deming Ranchettes. Gov. Jack Campbell noted in his keynote address that the park was one of the few public areas from which visitor were encouraged to take something besides pictures and memories. Anna Belle Tavernier, one of the original 41 members, recalled that about 20 dealers arrived at the park and spread out their wares on the picnic tables and the Rockhound Roundup was off and running.
The event was later moved to the Southwest New Mexico State Fairgrounds and was co-sponsored by the Deming Chamber of Commerce. It featured competitive and noncompetitive exhibits prepared by members and visiting exhibitors. Awards were given for excellence in several categories of mineral collecting, lapidary, fossils, artifacts, jewelry making and faceting. The Roundup is still held at the SWNMSFG and currently occupies 2 buildings and the fairgrounds.
Over the years the venture has escalated into the largest club sponsored Gem & Mineral Show of the Southwest. The event puts Deming on calendars across the nation for the 2nd weekend in March and has an economic impact for the Deming community. It has attained national recognition and attracts over 10,000 visitors from across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The event host over 120 vendors with minerals, gems, jewelry, lapidary equipment, rocks of all kinds, basically everything a visitor or hobbyist could want. We offer daily guided field trips, cash raffle with grand prize $500, displays, demonstrations, Friday night silent auction and Saturday night live auction. During the day you can pick and buy a geode and members will saw it for you to reveal what’s inside. For the kids, there’ll be mineral display each day , educational tables, a 25-cent spinning wheel and Admission and Parking are free!!
The Roundup supports the club’s yearly costs, shop upgrades and community donations. As a club we depend on member participation for hosting the Roundup and having a successful event. It’s a lot of work, but also a lot of fun.
