Gemfest

Annual sapphire festival

August 16, 2019

Every August the big local festival, Gemfest, is held at Anakie. Months of preparation culminates in 4 days of fun. Lots of sapphire jewellery is on display and sale, as well as associated lapidary supplies and equipment. There is also music, food and craft displays - this year blacksmiths, a sculptor who carved logs with a chainsaw, a potter and a metal scupltor who welded steel bits and bobs into sculptures.

We intended to only go one day: to look around, have lunch and photograph the craftsmen. Unfortunately we chose the day it hit 30C and I wilted rapidly, having to go home after just an hour. So we went back a second day and I did a bit of shopping, buying some rock slabs and splurging on a cabbing machine so that I can avoid the queues at lapidary club during tourist season.