Thanks to strong 2026 attendance and exhibitor requests, the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) is keeping the five-day length for its GemFair Tucson show but will open on a Sunday and end on a Thursday starting next year.
AGTA has set GemFair Tucson dates for the next three years: Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, 2027; Jan. 30–Feb. 3, 2028; and Jan. 28–Feb. 1, 2029. The organization adopted the shorter, five-day format for GemFair Tucson this year, though the show ran from Monday through Friday (Feb. 2–6).
“During the show, we surveyed our exhibitors, and a very strong majority expressed a clear preference for maintaining the five-day format. In response, the board elected to adopt a Sunday-to-Thursday schedule, with the strategic objective of reengaging the more than 150 companies that did not participate in 2026 and that have historically favored weekend dates,” said AGTA board president Bruce Bridges in a statement.
“The five-day format proved highly successful this year, with the vast majority of exhibitors reporting exceptional results,” Bridges said. “Buyer attendance increased by 7% in 2026 compared to the same five-day pattern in 2025.”
GemFair’s opening Toast to Tucson Party will take place on Sunday with the new schedule, according to the AGTA statement. The show will still include two days of seminars, as well as the Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards gala on one evening. Exact date for those events are yet to be determined.
“I am thrilled that AGTA has set the format and the dates for GemFair Tucson for the next three years, allowing our attendees to plan their schedules and coordinate their travel,” said the group’s CEO, John W. Ford Sr., in a statement.
Top: On the AGTA GemFair show floor (photo courtesy of American Gem Trade Association)
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