DIVIDE GOLD RUSH DAYS
September 10 – 11, 2016
What is Divide Gold Rush Days? Divide Gold Rush Days is a 2-day living history event in Georgetown, California and will kick
off the WORLD GOLD PANNING CHAMPIONSHIP, being held at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville, California which is
bringing over 600 competitors from all over world. This is all part of El Dorado County Gold Week where many Gold Rush related
events will be happening all around our county.
The settlement was new in 1849 so communities were housed in tent cities. Living history encampments from the year 1849 will be
recreated showcasing the pioneers who came to capture the dream of
“gold.” Encampments will include miners, their families, native peoples
and Chinese. These encampments will be set up throughout the Nature
Area in Georgetown.
Picture a pioneer school in the newly started mining camp with wooden
toys, old books, wooden crates for shelves and desks, chalk boards and tree
stumps for stools. Visualize the saloon complete with proprietor, bartender
and the dance hall girls! Of course the encampment will need a general
store with mining supplies, everyday sundries, clothing and fabrics for the
ladies, along with a shopkeeper.
There will need to be the assay office,
with an assayer to assess the quality of gold. Imagine being able to see
the miners in real time panning for gold and telling their stories, along with the native peoples telling their own stories, accompanied
by music from the era, loggers cutting wood, and so much more. There will be all kinds of encampment tents populated by those
who would have lived during the day. You can see ladies visiting over a precious cup of coffee, children running through the streets
and an entire village that will come to life. The villagers will welcome visitors and share what life really was like during 1849!
Come join us and help put this dream together. Volunteer with your friends, families, organizations, youth groups, schools
and church groups! Let’s make this a great memory for the roughly 1500 - 2000 people that will be coming to Georgetown, many of
whom will be from other countries coming to compete in the “INTERNATIONAL GOLD PANNING COMPETITION.” There are
so many exciting volunteer activities, and here are just a few! Your group could set up and staff the general store or school; be part
of a group that performs music or sings; or have your own encampment!
We have many volunteer needs such as setting up and taking down stages, sound system needs, setting up chairs, helping vendors,
signs, helping people pan for gold, traffic control or parking.
We are organizing long time Divide families to share their history and show pictures of those times, as well as native
dancers, crafters, artists, drummers and period music groups.
MORE ACTIVITIES will be occurring in Georgetown on the 10th and 11th, like stage performances by well-known artist, Sourdough
Slim, as well as many craft booths, wagon rides, a children’s area, The Divide Restaurant events, and a dinner dance on Saturday
night. Watch Divide Gold Rush Days Facebook page as we add many more fun and exciting events!
VENDORS COME JOIN US, either in our living history area or the Georgetown Park, where we will have many different kinds of
craft and food booths. (See attached VENDOR FORM)
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Please visit our Facebook page at Divide Gold Rush Days, where regular updates can be found.
For information please contact:
Judy Habig
Encampment Organizer
Vendor and Entertainment Chair
530-333-0402
[email protected]
Traci Preble
Volunteer Coordinator
530-334-0299
[email protected]
Patti Babish, Chairperson
Divide Gold Rush Days
530-334-6333
[email protected]
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR JOINING THE EVENT! IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET OUR PLANNING
ORGANIZED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND WE NEED TO KNOW IF WE CAN COUNT YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION
AMONG THE ENCAMPMENT PEOPLE OR VOLUNTEERS.
WITH YOUR HELP DIVIDE GOLD RUSH DAYS WILL BE A GREAT EVENT!
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