A giant woolly mammoth and other dazzling Tucson gem show highlights (with lunch options)

The mineral madness begins this week.

The Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase officially kicks off Saturday, Jan. 27 and runs through Sunday, Feb. 11, although a few shows are already rocking.

There are more than 40 shows this year with plenty of fossils, meteorites and crystals to ooh and ahh over.

The theme of the 64th Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is "Crystals and Crystal Forms," so we're expecting plenty of sparkly displays.

To plan your gem show day, download Visit Tucson's "Official Tucson Gem Show Guide" app, where you'll find a list of shows, transportation options and a map.

We chatted with Jane Roxbury, the director of convention services with Visit Tucson, who recommended parking at the parking hub off of Linda Avenue, west of Interstate 10 and south of Congress Street. You'll pay $5 to park there but have access to the free GemRide shuttles. (Or on a lovely winter day, walk between the shows dotting the I-10 corridor).

GemRide has three loops which will take you to shows in the downtown area, up Main Avenue/Oracle Road and down I-10 to shows around the Kino Sports Complex. There's also an express shuttle out to Casino del Sol, where you'll find several bead shows. The shuttles run between Saturday, Jan. 27 and Sunday, Feb. 11. The downtown loop starts Friday, Jan. 26.

To make the most of your time, explore the gem shows by area of town. We've even thrown in a few lunch recommendations, since nothing ruins a nice day faster than someone getting hangry.

Downtown

We have to start here. It's a gold mine of shows. Here are a few highlights.

At the Tucson Convention Center, you'll find the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show (Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 8-11). Admission is $13 for adults and free for kids 14 and under. Gloria Quigg, the show's publicity chair, is expecting some pretty spectacular displays in keeping with the show's theme "Crystals and Crystal Forms."

There's also a lot at this show for the kids. The Junior Education area gives kids a chance to do hands-on experiments with students from the University of Arizona's Society of Earth Science. Kids will also walk away with an egg carton full of mineral samples to start their own collections, Quigg says. Visit tgms.org/show/ for more information.

The downtown GemRide shuttle will also take you to the Granada Gallery, 338 N. Granada Ave., where a new exhibit called "The Shark Tank: A Journey Through the Evolution of Sharks" showcases shark fossils (it will be completely set up in the next few days). The show also has a fossilized clam shell weighing more than 500 pounds, according to Rudi Phol with the gallery. You'll also find some amazing, rare gemstones here. This show is open through Saturday, Feb. 10. Visit granada-gallery.com for more information.

Lunch: Eat at El Charro Café, 311 N. Court Ave., a few blocks east of Granada Gallery. This quintessential Tucson restaurant has been around since 1922, owned by the same family since that time. It's regarded as one of the oldest continually-operating Mexican restaurants in Tucson.

Main Avenue

To check out shows further north on Main Avenue, you can catch GemRide for the Mineral and Fossil Loop or park free at the Mineral and Fossil Marketplace, 1333 N. Oracle Road. This show is open Saturday, Jan. 27 through Sunday, Feb. 11. Here, you can check out meteorites and get up close with pieces of the moon or Mars. There are also enormous sea monsters out front to pose with. Visit mfmshow.com for more information.

Head a bit north for the Mineral and Fossil Co-Op, 1635 N. Oracle Road, for giant dinos! These fossils presented by GeoDecor will be on display from Friday, Jan. 26 to Sunday, Feb. 11. Highlights include a Tyrannosaurus Rex skull, an enormous woolly mammoth and — if they get shipped from Europe in time — a marine reptile (Ichthyosaur) fossil with FOUR babies still in her belly and a 23-foot-long Stegosaurus, says Christine Lindgren, executive vice president with GeoDecor. This is free to the public.

Here's a map if you want to explore other shows in this area.

Lunch: The Mineral and Fossil Marketplace where you parked will have food trucks on site.

Mercado Area

This would be a lovely day. Park at Mercado San Agustín, 100 S. Avenida del Convento, and you're right by the beloved African Art Village — a move from its longtime location on Farmington Road. Check out about 125 African exhibitors from a variety of countries at the corner of South Linda Avenue and West Cushing Street. This show is open Friday, Jan. 26 to Sunday, Feb. 11.

Lunch: You've got options at the Mercado (Seis Kitchen, Sonoran Sno-Cones, Presta Coffee Roasters, etc.). Or you could sample something from a West African cook — think fried banana, chicken, lamb, fish and rice cooked in a savory sauce.

Interstate 10 Corridor

Along I-10 between Congress Street and 29th Street, you'll find a handful of shows. Park at the 22nd Street Mineral, Fossil and Gem Show for $3 and then walk to the others. (This is also part of GemRide's Downtown Loop). This show spans Thursday, Jan. 25 through Sunday, Feb. 11.

The 22nd Street show, 600 W. 22nd St., is massive. Also: meet "Ivan the Terrible," a 40-foot T-Rex and snap a selfie in front of a 25-foot dinosaur mural. Expect to see lots of meteorites and dinosaur fossils. Visit 22ndstreetshow.com for more information.

Lunch: The 22nd Street show has multiple food offerings, with food courts on the north and south end of the show. Here's the list of options.

Kino Area

GemRide's Kino Loop hits shows along I-10 as it heads east. Roxbury with Visit Tucson suggests the Kino Gem & Mineral Show for geodes. Park for free at the Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way, and then go geode hunting. Vendors at this show often have small, whole geodes and pick axes for your kids to reveal the glittery insides. This show is open from Friday, Jan. 26 to Sunday, Feb. 11. Visit as-shows.com for more information.

Lunch: Many of the shows in the area (including the Kino show) have food options on site, but we have the BEST idea. Wrap up your south Tucson gem show tour at the Kino show and then it's just a quick drive to the new(ish) Dave and Buster's, 1390 E. Tucson Marketplace Blvd., where your fam can nosh on burgers and play arcade games.

Casino del Sol Resort

We're giving the casino at 5655 W. Valencia Road its own category because there's nothing else gem-show related in the area, but the casino itself has three bead shows: To Bead True Blue, Colors of the Stone and the Tucson Bead and Design Show. There's also a GemRide express shuttle out to the resort from the downtown parking hub. You can also park on site for free.

The combination of the three shows means about 500 workshops will be offered at the resort from Saturday, Jan. 27 to Saturday, Feb. 3. Workshops cover a range of crafts, including clay jewelry, silk painting and jewelry photography. Some of these classes are "make and take" or miniature specifically for kids (and are mostly free). Prices for workshops range from $5 to $250. Here's a list of workshops offered. The shows are free, but everyone older than 17 should register online here.

For more information, visit colorsofthestone.com.

Lunch: There are a variety of dining options at the casino. Registering for the shows should get you some dining discounts, Roxbury says.

East Tucson

Sorry to say there's not much for you east-siders, but if jewelry-making is your thing, check out the Whole Bead Show at the Viscount Suite Hotel, 4855 E. Broadway from Friday, Jan. 26 to Tuesday, Jan. 30. Park for free at the hotel and check out this show that is more than 20 years old. This is where you go for all the beads — glass, vintage, handmade, porcelain. You name it, they probably have it.

Lunch: Grab a bite at Zivaz Mexican Bistro, 4590 E. Broadway. This is a counter-service restaurant with great burgers, salad and Mexican food.

Northwest

There are a grand total of two shows to explore on this side of town.

You can check out the Miners Co-op Rock Show (an outdoor show in Marana) or take a stroll through the Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort and Spa where the Fine Mineral Show sets up show. On Saturday, Feb. 3, Tucsonan Peter Megaw will be on hand showing off his impressive collection "Minerals of Mexico."

Lunch: Since Westward Look is on Ina Road between First Avenue and Oracle Road, we recommend Truland Burgers and Greens at 7332 N. Oracle Road. Get the sweet potato "tots."