Festival notes
Short, sourced answers to the questions people ask before the weekend.
Gold Rush Days with kids: what is actually on the schedule
The 2026 Gold Rush Days schedule has no children’s area and no item marked for kids. It does list a pie eating contest at 10:15 AM, apple bobbing at 1:15 PM, a talent show…
Sunday at Gold Rush Days: what is on the second day
Sunday, October 18, 2026 opens at 9:00 AM with eight scheduled items, including gospel music at 10:30 AM, the Cross-cut Saw Competition at 11:15 AM and the Arm Wrestling Tournament at 3:00 PM. There…
Is Gold Rush Days still on if it rains?
The parade is: the organizer says the 3:00 PM Saturday parade will proceed rain or shine. For the rest of Gold Rush Days there is no published rain policy. Check the organizer’s website on…
One day at Gold Rush Days: a Saturday plan built from the schedule
For one day at Gold Rush Days 2026, pick Saturday, October 17. Park outside the closed downtown streets and walk in for the 9:00 AM opening. The contests run from 10:15 AM to 1:45…
1828 or 1829: when did the Dahlonega gold rush start?
The Georgia gold rush began in 1829. The first documented evidence of gold in Georgia is a newspaper notice of August 1, 1829, and by late that year thousands of prospectors were in the…