Forget the velvet ropes. The best room in Vegas this weekend is full of rocks.
Viva Las Vegas Rocks! is back at Santa Fe Station for its fifth year. Today, Saturday, November 7, is the long middle day, and it runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Today Is the Long Middle Day
The Southern Nevada Gem & Mineral Society hosts the show in the Grand Centennial Ballroom at Santa Fe Station Hotel and Casino, 4949 N. Rancho Drive. Friday ran from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday closes it out from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Here is the part most people miss. One ticket covers all three days.
So a pass bought today still gets you back in on Sunday. That turns a quick browse into a two-day plan, with time to compare prices before you commit.
The New Tent Is the Reason to Go
New this year is the Fluorescent Rocks Tent, hosted by the Society's Kids Club. Rocks that look plain under normal light glow under the right light, and this tent is built to show that off.
The rest of the floor covers gems, minerals, fossils, and handcrafted jewelry. Free demos run through the show, so you can watch how a rough stone becomes a finished piece.
There are also hourly silent auctions and daily door prizes. Time your walk to the top of the hour and you will catch each new auction round.
Classes and presentations run alongside the sales floor, and the full schedule is posted online before you go. That is the smart move for first timers, because the floor is easy to wander and easy to rush.
Slow down instead. Pick one class, work the tables around it, and leave the fluorescent tent for when you can actually stand and watch the colors change.
How to Work It for $10
Admission is $10 for a three-day pass, and children under 18 are free with a paid adult. Parking is free.
That math is hard to beat. A family pays for the adults, the kids get in free, and the pass is still good tomorrow.
- Go early today, Saturday, for the full 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. run.
- Hit the Fluorescent Rocks Tent first, before the floor fills up.
- Check the classes and presentations schedule at sngms.net/vivalasvegasrocks before you go.
- Use today to scout, then use Sunday's 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. hours for your final picks.
Vegas does big and loud every weekend. This one does small, sparkly, and genuinely different.
Ten bucks. Three days. Rocks that glow in the dark. Done.
