For two weeks in late January and early February, every empty hotel lot and parking structure in Tucson fills with dealers from every corner of the world, selling minerals, fossils, jewellery, beads, and meteorites. The flagship is the four-day Tucson Gem and Mineral Show at the Convention Center; many of the satellite shows are free and open to the public.
If you are coming to Tucson in this window, book accommodation months ahead — the whole city is full. If you are coming any other time of the year, this is what the Convention Center waits for the rest of the year.