Bristol Gem & Mineral Club

Club Meeting
2026-04-14 19:00 (America/New_York)
Judy will have Game Night.
Beals Senior/Community Center, 240 Stafford Ave., Bristol, CT

Club Meeting
2026-05-12 19:00, 2026-06-09 19:00, 2026-07-14 19:00, 2026-09-08 19:00
Beals Senior/Community Center, 240 Stafford Ave., Bristol, CT

Club Meeting
2026-08-11 19:00
Beals Senior/Community Center, 240 Stafford Ave., Bristol, CT
Manganese Megafauna: “Mexico’s Hidden Treasures”
Presented by Mike Girard
You absolutely have to come to this one! On August 11th, we are honored to host a special presentation by Mike Girard.
The Discovery
In 2023, a massive cache of Ice Age megafauna fossils was discovered deep within a cave system in Mexico. The site is a logistical nightmare for traditional exploration, featuring a suffocatingly tight vertical entrance, long crawls, and deep, submerged passages.
This presentation documents the gripping efforts of a small team of explorers, led by cave biologist Dr. Luis Espinasa, as they attempt to retrieve these ancient remains using a specialized ROUV (Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle).
The Big Questions
The expedition sets out to solve a profound scientific puzzle: how did thousands of bones from mammoths, giant ground sloths, camels, glyptodonts, wolves, and prehistoric cats all end up concentrated in this single cave? Could this be definitive physical evidence of the work of Ice Age human hunters?
The presentation will explore the intersection of deep-time paleontology, technical cave diving, and the primary geological and archaeological clues that point to early human activity.
Get a Sneak Peek
Can’t wait until August? You can watch the project online right now to prepare for the meeting:

The 3-Minute Trailer:Watch on YouTube

The Full 44-Minute Documentary (“Crypt of the Megafauna”): Watch on YouTube (Features both Mike Sandone and Mike Girard)

Club Meeting
2026-10-13 19:00 | Douglas Beals Senior/Community Center, 240 Stafford Avenue, Bristol, CT, United States

Bristol Gem & Mineral Show
2026-10-17 - 2026-10-18 | Douglas Beals Senior/Community Center, 240 Stafford Avenue, Bristol, CT, United States
Mark your calendars! Come down to our 54th Annual BRISTOL GEM & MINERAL CLUB SHOW… “Connecticut Rocks”.. Located at the Beals Community Center, 240 Stafford Ave. , Bristol, Ct.

Saturday: 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
