7th Annual Gold Strike Festival in Arvada June 21, 2008

7th Annual Gold Strike Festival
Historic Olde Town Arvada Association will celebrate Arvada’s history as the site of the first documented gold strike in Colorado in 1850 with the 7th Annual Gold Strike Festival on Saturday, June 21 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, June 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Grandview Avenue in Olde Town.
Arvada’s History will be explored at this year’s Festival with the “Treasures of Olde Town” Treasure Hunt. Festival patrons will pick up clue sheets listing the participating merchants at McIlvoy House, 7307 Grandview Avenue. The “Treasures” will be located in Olde Town’s historic buildings and patrons will be asked to match today’s business with the one located in that same building in years gone by. All entrants will receive a gift for participating and be eligible for a drawing for two gift baskets; one donated by the Arvada Historical Society and one provided by Historic Olde Town Arvada.
Experience life on the American Frontier in Town Square on Saturday, June 21st. Visit a frontier village where festival patrons can participate in the daily life of the brave men, women and children who settled our nation. Children's games, militia troops, and fife-and-drum parades will be featured. All brought to us by Colonial Living History, an organization of historic re-enactors.
The Arvada Historical Society celebrates Arvada’s history and the 158th Anniversary of Colorado’s 1st gold strike with presentations throughout the weekend at the Arvada Library, 7525 W. 57th Avenue.
The roots of Arvada, Colorado go back to June 22, 1850, when Lewis Ralston made the first documented discovery of gold in Colorado. By 1870, the Colorado Central railroad had reached this far West, and enough people had moved into the area, that an official U.S. Post Office was requested. The leading citizen, Benjamin Franklin Wadsworth, asked his wife Mary Ann to name their new community. Her sister had married a man named Hiram Haskins. Hiram's mother had chosen his middle name off a map in their old Scofield Bible, And so Arvada was born, named for an island off the coast of Syria.
On Saturday the Paws ‘N Play Pets & Kids Parade begins at 10:00 a.m. and will be followed by an Awards Presentation from the Main Stage. Register for the parade at 9:30 a.m. in the Town Square.
Olde Town Tavern & Grill will host this year’s Classic Car Show in their parking lot at 7355 Ralston Road on Sunday, June 22 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. They will offer burgers and brats for about $2, a DJ spinning music and awards going to the top vehicles.
Saturday’s Main Stage Music includes Railbenders at 12:30 p.m., Kicked to the Curb at 3 p.m., Dotsero at 5:30 p.m. and the Indulgers at 8 p.m. Sunday’s performances include Steel Pennies at Noon John Adams at 1:30 p.m. and the Rebecca Folsom Band at 3:30 p.m. On Sunday in the Town Square the Jeffco Brass Band performs at 3 p.m.
Additional weekend activities will include bungee jumping, carnival rides and inflatable fun, Story Time at the Library each hour, over 80 food and craft vendors an Ice Cream Social on the lawn at McIlvoy House and a beer garden.
For more information about The Gold Strike Festival or other HOTA sponsored events, please call the Historic Olde Town Arvada association office at (303) 420-6100. www.historicarvada.org
Historic Olde Town Arvada Association
7th Annual Gold Strike Festival
Free events all weekend.
Saturday, June 21 \ 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, June 22 \ 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Olde Wadsworth Blvd & Grandview Ave. in Olde Town.

Official Website: http://www.historicarvada.org