Dahlonega's 50th Gold Rush Days this weekend

DAHLOENGA - It's the 50th year for Gold Rush Days in Dahlonega, which has envolved into one of the largest fall festivals in the country.

Annually attracting around a quarter million people, Gold Rush Days started small and now includes two jam-packed days, filled with music, food, arts & crafts (more than 300 exhibitors), gold panning, and more.

It celebrates Dahlonega's 1828 discovery of gold and this year's edition will be staged Saturday and Sunday.

The activities also include a 5K road race, children's activities, fashion show, gold panning contest, wheelbarrow race, King and Queen Coronation, hog calling, buck dance contest, gospel singing, wrist wrestling, and more.

Schedule of Events (according to the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce Web site):

SATURDAY OCTOBER 16

8:00 Traffic thru Sqaure will be stopped

10:00 Children's Treasure Hut

10:30 Fashion Show

11:30 Wheelbarrow Race

12:00 King & Queen Coronation

1:00 Hog Calling Contest

1:15 Liar's Contest

1:30 Beard Contest

2:00 Parade Through Town Square

3:30 Cross-Cut Saw Contest

4:00 Buck Dance Contest

4:00 Gold Panning Contest

6:00 Traffic Permitted Through Square

SUNDAY OCTOBER 17

10:00 Traffic Thru Square will be stopped

12:00 Gospel Singing

12:45 Pipe Smoking Contest

1:00 Balloon Throwing Contest

1:30 Jump Rope Exhbition

2:00 Clogging Contest

3:15 Wrist Wrestling

4:00 Gold Panning

6:00 Traffic Permitted Through Square

But, Dahloenga's is not the only Gold Rush Days. "Google" Gold Rush Days on the Internet and you'lll find such celebrations from A-Z, well, A-W, anyway, Alaska-to-Wyoming.