Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "gold panning"

It's Gold Fever at Sutter's Fort -- August 20!

2011-07-19T18:32:06Z

Eureka!! There’s gold in them thar hills!

On Saturday, August 20, visitors to Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park (SHP) will have the opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement felt by early pioneers after gold was discovered in 1849. During a special “Hands on History: Gold Fever!” event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors will learn how the single discovery sparked a sweeping “gold fever” throughout the nation which dramatically impacted the area, changed the lives of early pioneers and shaped the future of California.

With hands-on activities like gold panning, pioneer bowling and listening to engaging tales of big gold nuggets, visitors will get a feel for how the passionate quest for gold and riches became a powerful force that led to changes, sparked heated debates and inspired lasting dreams of the golden land.

For more information about this fun and engaging “Hands on History” event, or other events and activities at Sutter’s Fort SHP, call 916-445-4422 or visit www.parks.ca.gov/suttersfort

Disclosure: Traci Rockefeller Cusack represents a number of businesses and organizations in the greater Sacramento area including the Capital District State Museums and Historic Parks.

Gold Rush Days 2011 -- Bigger & Better Than Ever Over Labor Day Weekend!

2011-07-05T20:08:14Z

Free to the public and a favorite Sacramento heritage celebration, Gold Rush Days 2011 promises to be bigger and better than ever before with all the popular period-appropriate attractions plus FREE ADMISSION to all Old Sacramento museums! Produced by the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation, the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Sacramento and California State Parks, Gold Rush Days 2011 is scheduled for Labor Day Weekend -- September 3 through 5 -- and will take place throughout the 27-acre historic district in Old Sacramento.   On Friday, September 2, some Gold Rush Days activities will be set-up for a preview “education day” -- primarily for school children -- but museum entrance will not be free to the general public on that day.

With 200 tons of dirt to help turn back time to the 1850s, the unique three-day event will feature crowd-favorite cannon firings, wagon, pony and train rides, historic re-enactments, lively entertainment and dancing to Gold Rush era music, period games and re-creations, hands-on children’s activities, gold panning, and the popular Embarcadero Tent City depicting daily life during the Gold Rush.   New this year, an Artisan Alley will be set up in the Freight Depot with local artisans -- such as candle dippers, soap tanners and silver smiths -- demonstrating their craft-making skills and showcasing their wares.

A favorite stop with lots of hands-on crafts and activities, the traditional Embarcadero Tent City in Old Sacramento State Historic Park offers a mercantile, boarding house, millinery, hardware store, bank, various saloons, the first theater, and even an old time doctor and pharmacist. In addition, visitors can pan for gold, sample real sarsaparilla, meet an old miner and his burro, discover lace making, hat making and embroidery, or simply enjoy dancing and music.

Of course, an impressive and varied line-up of free, live entertainment will be available on various stages throughout Old Sacramento, including a variety of bands playing many different genres in the popular Save Mart BBQ Patio & Farmers’ Market.

Presented by Save Mart Supermarkets and Wells Fargo Bank, admission to Gold Rush Days 2011 is free and event hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days.    New this year, admission to the five museums in Old Sacramento is also free to the public, including the California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento History Museum, California State Military Museum, Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum and the Wells Fargo History Museum. For a complete listing of activities or more information about Gold Rush Days, visit www.historicoldsac.org/goldrushdays or call 916-808-7059.

About Gold Rush Days
Gold Rush Days is Sacramento’s annual heritage celebration and is produced by the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation, the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Sacramento and California State Parks.

Disclaimer: Traci Rockefeller Cusack represents a variety of businesses and organizations located in the greater Sacramento area including the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation.

Sutter's Fort Presents "Hands on History: Mining the Miners" on July 16!

2011-06-20T21:47:31Z

Eureka!

With a continued effort to provide more interactive, hands-on opportunities than ever before, Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park presents “Hands on History: Mining the Miners” on Saturday, July 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fort visitors will experience how California’s early pioneers often participated in high-stakes games of chance while trying to strike it rich -- as if daily life on the frontier wasn’t enough of a gamble!

“Mining the Miners” offers a fun day of games as well as the opportunity to experience the “buyer beware” culture of the Gold Rush era. Poker and roulette are familiar to us today, but have you played Faro, three-card monte, or chuck-a-luck? You’ll be able to pan for gold to get a “stake” and some local currency. Keep in mind, one bad poker hand could wipe out the dreams for prosperity and happiness. In addition, children will create hand-made crafts they can take home as keepsakes provided by the Friends of Sutter’s Fort.

For more information about this fun and engaging “Hands on History” event, or other events and activities at Sutter’s Fort SHP, call 916-445-4422 or visit www.parks.ca.gov/suttersfort

Disclosure: Traci Rockefeller Cusack represents a number of businesses and organizations throughout the greater Sacramento region including the Capital District State Museums and Historic Parks.

Sacramento's Gold Rush Days

2009-09-03T05:46:39Z

Old Sacramento will be transported back to the mid-1800s once again for its 10th Annual Sacramento Gold Rush Days this Labor Day weekend.

Two hundred tons of dirt will transform this already rustic landmark heritage site into the appropriate mid-1850s California Gold Rush setting. Walking along the dusty trail, be prepared to witness a flurry of time-piece bands, costumed Wild West reenactors, horse-drawn carriages and Gold Rush activities for all ages — such as gold panning.

Sloughs for gold panning will be located in a few different locations, by the Railroad Museum and Wells Fargo Museum. Bits of real gold can also be found for the lucky few, according to Mike Testa, vice president of communications for the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"This is a great place to get entertainment," Testa said. "If you have never seen Old Sac before, it is worth seeing it during this time," said Mike Testa.

This free event will be spaced out over four days starting September 4th. Returning attractions include gunslinging reenactors along K Street, such as the Blue Canyon Gang and the Black Coat Sierra Nevada Guns for Hire. Don't worry about missing a performance, they will be performing every day at almost every hour.

"All of the [gunslingers] are hired guns," Testa said. "Some of them do this professionally for a living. Some in fact have worked in Western movies out of Hollywood or in Universal Studios," explains Mike Testa.

The event kicks off on Friday with music on the Embarcadero Stage, located in front of the Railroad Museum on I Street, along with gunslingers and street performers. A lot of the special events are on going all day and will repeat each hour. Tents will be set up with vendors, period artifacts and storytelling. Storytellers are all local volunteer docents with a wealth of knowledge and collaborative love of the Gold Rush Era.

Attendees can expect a tantalizing feast of barbecue meats and grilled vegetables at the surrounding eateries. All the restaurants will be open in Old Sacramento, along with Old West-style cooking demonstrations.

"Unfortunately, we can't sell the [demonstration] food because of health food regulations, but we can demonstrate how it was prepared," Testa said.

Quite a few of the restaurants will be running specials to coincide with the Western theme. The Delta King on the Sacramento River will be providing some specials, as will the famous burger joint Fanny Anne's.

But really, "All of the [restaurants] in Old Sac get involved in something fun," Testa said.

The cultural and ethnic performances have also expanded this year. At the Embarcadero Stage, some of the cultural variety pieces being presented will include European, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, African-American and Native Californian, according to the Gold Rush Days website. All of the performances will be done in authentic Gold Rush-era garb.

Dancing and musicians will be on hand to create a lively, Wild West atmosphere. According to Testa, a crowd favorite return will be the Johnny Cash Tribute Band performing on the Save Mart Stage on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The Pony Express will be running the streets approximately three to four times per day. Visitors can expect uniformed postal workers on thundering horses galloping through the streets. A cannon-firing will take place each day at high noon at the Embarcadero Stage.

For a complete listing of performance times and scheduled events, please check the Sacramento Gold Rush website at Sacramento Gold Rush Days. Programs and walking maps will also be provided.

To help minimize parking issues, Testa encourages patrons to park at Downtown Plaza or use Regional Transit.

Photo courtesy of Sacramento History Museum.