The 37th annual Quartz, Quiltz, & Craftz Festival (QQC Festival) will bring three times the fun to Mount Ida October 13-15.
The event takes place annually on the second weekend in October at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Mount Ida, the “Quartz Crystal Capital of the World”.
For three days, three buildings at the fairgrounds each feature one of the three shows with additional Arts & Crafts booths, Gem & Mineral booths, and Food Vendors outside. Admission is Free. Attendees can enter a free drawing for door prizes which will be announced periodically throughout the day (must be present to win) and may purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win this year’s featured quilt.
Event Hours: Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The QQC Festival also features two quartz crystal digging competitions, the “World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig” and the “K-6 Kidz Dig”, providing opportunities for rockhounds of all ages to experience the joy of finding and taking home some of the finest crystals in the world.
The 30th Annual World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig is a two-day amateur crystal digging competition for Adults ages 18 and over and Young Miners ages 17 and under. The event takes place,October 13 and 14.
Entrants can dig at their choice of two participating mines, Twin Creek Crystal Mine and Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine. Over the course of two days, diggers get to keep all they find and submit their best point and best cluster each day to compete for crystal adorned award plaques and $2,250 in total prize money.
Members of gem, mineral and rockhounding clubs can also represent their club to compete for bragging rights and a chance to win a free entry to next year’s event. Two free entries will be awarded, one for the club with the highest score and one for the club with the most members competing.
There is a $100 Entry fee for the dig and is limited to the irst 200 diggers.. No refunds after October 1. Same day registration, if space is still available. Entry fees the day of the event will be $110. An wards banquet will be held Saturday evening, October 14 at 6 p.m.
The K-6 Kidz Dig takes place Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Grade school aged children can dig for crystals from Twin Creek Crystal Mine in a specially prepared tailings pile sponsored by Dixie Crystal Mining Co. There will be a $1 entry fee for this event per child.
Each child must have his or her parent or legal guardian present to participate. Participants get to keep all the crystals they find and submit their best point and best cluster to compete for awards and prizes including free passes to the Mid-America Science Museum. Awards presentation follows an educational talk by Sandra Chandler of the Arkansas Geological Survey.
The QQC Festival is produced through a collaborative effort between multiple parties, including: Mount Ida Area Chamber of Commerce, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Montgomery County Extension Service Homemakers Clubs, Montgomery County Fair Association Board Member Virginia Welchman, and Ouachita Artists.
For general QQC Festival inquiries and information/questions regarding Gem & Mineral Vendor or Food Vendor booths or the quartz crystal digging competitions, please contact:
Mount Ida Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
124 Hwy 270 W, P.O. Box 6
Mount Ida, AR 71957
870-867-2723
director@mtidachamber.com
www.mtidachamber.com
www.fb.com/MountIdaAreaChamberOfCommerce/
Founded in 1983, Mount Ida Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization.
30th Annual World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig
https://www.facebook.com/MtIdaCrystalDig
https://www.facebook.com/events/1530871983611290/
http://idigcrystals.us/
For information about the Quilt show, please contact:
University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture
Montgomery County Extension Service Homemakers Clubs
P.O. Box 430
Mount Ida, AR 71957
870-867-2311
https://www.uaex.edu/counties/montgomery/programs.aspx
For indoor Craft booths, please contact:
Virginia Welchman
870-867-4846
For outdoor Arts & Crafts booths, please contact:
Ouachita Artists Gallery & Studio
135 S West St
Mount Ida, Arkansas
(870) 867-3115
info@ouachitaartists.com
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Ouachita-Artists-152482198163228
Founded in 2011, Ouachita Artists is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
For information about our participating mines, please contact:
Twin Creek Crystal Mine
Owners: Bob & Dixie Fecho
870-867-4945
http://dixiecrystalcompany.com/
https://www.facebook.com/twincreekmine/
Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine
Owners: Randy & Becky Skates
870-867-0104
http://www.sweetsurrendercrystals.com/
https://www.facebook.com/tyedyedcrystalguy/
This event is free to the public to attend.
The Mount Ida Area Chamber of Commerce leases the buildings and grounds from the Montgomery County Fair Association in order to host this event. Montgomery County Fairgrounds is located at: 248 Fairgrounds Rd, Mount Ida, Arkansas 71957.
Sponsors who help make this annual event possible are Action Realty, Bates Sales & Service, Bear State Bank, Blue Moon Crystals & Jewelry, Bob’s Food City, Collier Creek Crystals, Diamond Bank, Dixie Crystal Mining Co., Fiddler’s Ridge Rock Shop, Greene Ridge Enterprises, Highway 27 Fishing Village, John Be Crystals, Lake Ouachita Vacation Rentals, Montgomery County Council for the Performing Arts (MCCPA), Mount Ida Flea Market, Mount Ida Pharmacy, Mount Ida True Value, Mountain Harbor Resort & Spa, Ouachita Kayak Tours, Real Earth Creations, Robin Smith Law Firm, PA, Royal Oak Inn, and Shangri La Resort.
