Walking into Westerner Park’s Stockmens Pavilion will be like taking a step into the past for the next couple of weeks.
The Red Deer Rock N’ Gem Show and Mesozoic Safari, both hosted by Silver Cove, began Friday morning and will run until Oct. 2.
The Mesozoic Safari features 20 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, a half-dozen dinosaur skeletons, interactive programs and more.
“It’s a neat facet we’ve added to the show this year. We had to fly in technicians from Vancouver to help set the whole thing up – it took seven days to complete,” said Chris Robak, Silver Cover co-owner.
“The event this year is more well-rounded than it has been in previous years. … As far as the dinosaurs go, I don’t know if we’ll do it again. It may just be the one year and eventually, it’ll become a permanent display somewhere.”
The Rock N’ Gem Show features gems, minerals, fossils and crystals from all over the world, Robak said, adding this year’s show has a “large focus” on African minerals.
“In previous years that focus has been on Brazil, Morocco, Greenland. But this year it’s Africa,” he said.
“The type of minerals you find (in Africa) are unique. There are copper-based minerals, there are a lot of rare minerals and things we traditionally don’t have here at the show. In past years when we have had them, they’ve been crazy expensive. But this year we’ve been able to provide competitive rates on them.”
Additionally, Canadian material mined and polished by Silver Cove is available at the Rock N’ Gem Show.
“We have full lines of Canadian products in this room that you won’t be able to see anywhere else. It’s pretty neat,” he said.
“Overall in the Rock N’ Gem Show, we have about 320 tables. It took us almost seven days to set up because of the sheer amount of new material that’s out this year.”
Silver Cove acquired a company based in the United States that ran shows with the animatronic dinosaurs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
People will get a chance to learn on both sides of the Stockmens Pavilion, said Robak.
“You’re learning more about our fossils and their history on the (Mesozoic Safari) side of the room, and on the (Rock N’ Gem Show) side of the room you’re learning more about the geology,” he said.
Both shows are fun experiences for families, Robak added.
“It’s awesome seeing the little kids’ faces light up when they see a dinosaur or when they see a really pretty crystal that blows their mind away,” he said.
