Sacramento Gold Rush Days 2013
Every Labor Day weekend, Sacramento's Gold Rush Days welcome droves of locals and visitors into a yesteryear celebration. From Old Sacramento period costuming to watermelon eating contests, this event is designed for the whole family.
About Gold Rush Days
Every Labor Day weekend you'll find an array of activities and entertainment all over Old Sacramento. More than 200 tons of dirt are brought in to cover the paved streets and provide an authentic feel of what life was like in the 1800s.
Costumed performers walk through the area, representing celebrities and other personalities from the 1850s, along with regular people holding down the everyday jobs that kept Sacramento going in those days.
Gold Rush Days are divided into a few different genres - activities, entertainment and educational exhibits. The main attraction is Tent City, a detailed recreation of "city life" including saloons, gambling, homemade sarsaparilla, wine tasting and more.
Activities include gold panning, where children can find "gold" and trade it in for special Gold Rush Days currency, stage coach rides and arts & crafts stations.
Visitors of all ages can learn about blacksmiths and lace making, along with other vocations that are far from common in modern-day Sacramento. Explore the lost art of hat making and admire some embroidery styles from the Wild West while you visit.
Entertainment varies each year but everything holds true to the time period Gold Rush Days pays homage to. Check out gun fights, parades and melodramas along with many other entertainment options.
K Street is where you'll find most of the action, complete with an outdoor comedy troupe "rescuing" maidens from a burning building. Prepare yourself for plenty of laughter with spontaneous street performers, and then wind down in the late afternoon with bands of all flavors.
Finally, attend Gold Rush Days on September 1 for an outdoor screening of the classic John Wayne film, "In Old California."
Food at Gold Rush Days
In the Tent City you will find a variety of food and beverages for purchase. The BBQ dinners are by far the most popular, as is the homemade sarsaparilla. Other period-appropriate food including candies and other treats are available throughout Gold Rush Days. Alcoholic beverages are also for sale. If you wish to enjoy some entertainment as you eat, head over to the Save Mart BBQ Patio and Live Music Roundup, located at Front & L Streets.
On Friday evening, Old Sacramento hosts a pub crawl complete with dining discounts. Many regularly operating restaurants and bars will also be open for patrons.
Admission and Hours
Admission to Gold Rush Days is free. There is a fee for the Gold Rush Beer Crawl, as well as rides on the river cruise, stage coach or train.
Hours of operation are Friday from 11:30am-6pm (followed by the pub crawl); Saturday from 10am-7pm; Sunday from 10am-8pm (followed by Movie on the Lawn) and Monday from 10am-4pm. Check for updates via Gold Rush Day's official site.
Complete Schedule
Courtesy of the Sacramento Convention and Visitor's Bureau, the following is a tentative schedule for this year's Gold Rush Days:
11:30 AM
Pony Express Relay - J Street
12:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
12:30 PM
Virginia Reel - 1849 Scene
1:30 PM
River Cruise -
Pony Express - J Street
2:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
3:00 PM
River Cruise -
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
3:30 PM
Pony Express - J Street
4:30 PM
River Cruise -
6:00 PM
Gold Rush Days Beer Crawl -
Saturday
10:00 AM
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
Squatter's Riot - K Street
10:30 AM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Scene
10:45 AM
Women's Suffrage Parade & Rally
11:00 AM
Michael Beck Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
11:30 AM
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Raising of the Streets - K Street
12:00 PM
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
12:30 PM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Scene
1:00 PM
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
1:30 PM
River Cruise
Freckle Contest - Sutter's Embarcadero
Pony Express - J Street
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
2:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Abolition Parade & Rally
2:30 PM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Lawn
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
Watermelon Eating Contest - Save Mart BBQ Patio
3:00 PM
Kenny Frye Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Squatter's Riot - K Street
3:30 PM
Pony Express - J Street
4:00 PM
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
4:30 PM
River Cruise
5:00 PM
5:30 PM
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
6:45 PM
Squatter's Riot - K Street
Sunday
10:00 AM
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
Squatter's Riot - K Street
10:30 AM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Scene
10:45 AM
Women's Suffrage Parade & Rally
11:00 AM
Buck Ford - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
11:30 AM
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Raising of the Streets - K Street
12:00 PM
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
12:30 PM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Scene
1:00 PM
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
Contra Dance in the Big Four Building
1:30 PM
Live Auction - Sutter's Embarcadero
River Cruise
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
2:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Abolition Parade & Rally
2:30 PM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Lawn
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
2:45 PM
Watermelon Eating Contest - Save Mart BBQ Patio
3:00 PM
Kenny Frye Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Squatter's Riot - K Street
3:30 PM
Pony Express - J Street
4:00 PM
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
4:30 PM
River Cruise
5:00 PM
Squatter's Riot - K Street
5:30 PM
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
6:45 PM
Squatter's Riot - K Street
8:00 PM
Movie on the Lawn - In Old California, Starring John Wayne
Monday
10:00 AM
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
Squatter's Riot - K Street
10:45 AM
Women's Suffrage Parade & Rally
11:00 AM
Kenny Frye Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
Little Buckaroos Day - Crocker Art Museum
11:30 AM
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Raising of the Streets - K Street
12:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
California Mormon Pioneer Band - 1849 Scene Trees
12:30 PM
Pie Eating Contest - Sutter's Embarcadero
12:45 PM
Watermelon Eating Contest - Save Mart BBQ Patio
1:00 PM
Brodie Stewart Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
1:30 PM
River Cruise
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
2:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Abolition Parade & Rally
2:30 PM
Pie Eating Contest - Sutter's Embarcadero
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
3:00 PM
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
3:30 PM
Pony Express - J Street
4:00 PM
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
About Gold Rush Days
Every Labor Day weekend you'll find an array of activities and entertainment all over Old Sacramento. More than 200 tons of dirt are brought in to cover the paved streets and provide an authentic feel of what life was like in the 1800s.
Costumed performers walk through the area, representing celebrities and other personalities from the 1850s, along with regular people holding down the everyday jobs that kept Sacramento going in those days.
Gold Rush Days are divided into a few different genres - activities, entertainment and educational exhibits. The main attraction is Tent City, a detailed recreation of "city life" including saloons, gambling, homemade sarsaparilla, wine tasting and more.
Activities include gold panning, where children can find "gold" and trade it in for special Gold Rush Days currency, stage coach rides and arts & crafts stations.
Visitors of all ages can learn about blacksmiths and lace making, along with other vocations that are far from common in modern-day Sacramento. Explore the lost art of hat making and admire some embroidery styles from the Wild West while you visit.
Entertainment varies each year but everything holds true to the time period Gold Rush Days pays homage to. Check out gun fights, parades and melodramas along with many other entertainment options.
K Street is where you'll find most of the action, complete with an outdoor comedy troupe "rescuing" maidens from a burning building. Prepare yourself for plenty of laughter with spontaneous street performers, and then wind down in the late afternoon with bands of all flavors.
Finally, attend Gold Rush Days on September 1 for an outdoor screening of the classic John Wayne film, "In Old California."
Food at Gold Rush Days
In the Tent City you will find a variety of food and beverages for purchase. The BBQ dinners are by far the most popular, as is the homemade sarsaparilla. Other period-appropriate food including candies and other treats are available throughout Gold Rush Days. Alcoholic beverages are also for sale. If you wish to enjoy some entertainment as you eat, head over to the Save Mart BBQ Patio and Live Music Roundup, located at Front & L Streets.
On Friday evening, Old Sacramento hosts a pub crawl complete with dining discounts. Many regularly operating restaurants and bars will also be open for patrons.
Admission and Hours
Admission to Gold Rush Days is free. There is a fee for the Gold Rush Beer Crawl, as well as rides on the river cruise, stage coach or train.
Hours of operation are Friday from 11:30am-6pm (followed by the pub crawl); Saturday from 10am-7pm; Sunday from 10am-8pm (followed by Movie on the Lawn) and Monday from 10am-4pm. Check for updates via Gold Rush Day's official site.
Complete Schedule
Courtesy of the Sacramento Convention and Visitor's Bureau, the following is a tentative schedule for this year's Gold Rush Days:
11:30 AM
Pony Express Relay - J Street
12:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
12:30 PM
Virginia Reel - 1849 Scene
1:30 PM
River Cruise -
Pony Express - J Street
2:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
3:00 PM
River Cruise -
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
3:30 PM
Pony Express - J Street
4:30 PM
River Cruise -
6:00 PM
Gold Rush Days Beer Crawl -
Saturday
10:00 AM
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
Squatter's Riot - K Street
10:30 AM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Scene
10:45 AM
Women's Suffrage Parade & Rally
11:00 AM
Michael Beck Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
11:30 AM
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Raising of the Streets - K Street
12:00 PM
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
12:30 PM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Scene
1:00 PM
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
1:30 PM
River Cruise
Freckle Contest - Sutter's Embarcadero
Pony Express - J Street
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
2:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Abolition Parade & Rally
2:30 PM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Lawn
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
Watermelon Eating Contest - Save Mart BBQ Patio
3:00 PM
Kenny Frye Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Squatter's Riot - K Street
3:30 PM
Pony Express - J Street
4:00 PM
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
4:30 PM
River Cruise
5:00 PM
5:30 PM
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
6:45 PM
Squatter's Riot - K Street
Sunday
10:00 AM
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
Squatter's Riot - K Street
10:30 AM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Scene
10:45 AM
Women's Suffrage Parade & Rally
11:00 AM
Buck Ford - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
11:30 AM
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Raising of the Streets - K Street
12:00 PM
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
12:30 PM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Scene
1:00 PM
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
Contra Dance in the Big Four Building
1:30 PM
Live Auction - Sutter's Embarcadero
River Cruise
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
2:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Abolition Parade & Rally
2:30 PM
Red Circle Dancers - 1849 Lawn
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
2:45 PM
Watermelon Eating Contest - Save Mart BBQ Patio
3:00 PM
Kenny Frye Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Squatter's Riot - K Street
3:30 PM
Pony Express - J Street
4:00 PM
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
4:30 PM
River Cruise
5:00 PM
Squatter's Riot - K Street
5:30 PM
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
6:45 PM
Squatter's Riot - K Street
8:00 PM
Movie on the Lawn - In Old California, Starring John Wayne
Monday
10:00 AM
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
Squatter's Riot - K Street
10:45 AM
Women's Suffrage Parade & Rally
11:00 AM
Kenny Frye Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
Little Buckaroos Day - Crocker Art Museum
11:30 AM
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Raising of the Streets - K Street
12:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
California Mormon Pioneer Band - 1849 Scene Trees
12:30 PM
Pie Eating Contest - Sutter's Embarcadero
12:45 PM
Watermelon Eating Contest - Save Mart BBQ Patio
1:00 PM
Brodie Stewart Band - Save Mart Stage & BBQ Patio
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
1:30 PM
River Cruise
Pony Express Relay - J Street
Patent Medicine & Variety Show - K Street
2:00 PM
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Abolition Parade & Rally
2:30 PM
Pie Eating Contest - Sutter's Embarcadero
Sutter vs. Brannan Trial - K Street
3:00 PM
River Cruise
Cannon Firing - 1849 Scene
Gold Rush Baseball & Games - K Street
3:30 PM
Pony Express - J Street
4:00 PM
Burning of the Brothel & Fire Brigade - K Street
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