Small-town Victor hosts big-time mining competitions during Gold Rush Days
Courtesy of Victor Gold Rush Days
Victor Gold Rush Days is a little quirky — but so is the town of Victor.
“It’s an eclectic group of people,” said Ayden Mestas, committee chair of the event. “We’ve got people who have been here for generations. We’ve got a great artist community here. Everybody’s a character.”
With a population of less than 500, Victor’s small-town charm will attract an estimated 2,000 visitors to the 2018 edition of the annual mining festival.
Victor Gold Rush Days will be held at various locations Friday through Sunday. The Elks Lodge will serve up food and entertainment all weekend, while the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum and Victor’s Gold Camp Ag & Mining Museum will open their doors for special activities.
Attendees can try their hand at mining games 8-11 a.m. Saturday. Competitors can enter one game for $25 or take part in all three games for $60. More than $3,000 in cash prizes will be distributed. The events are free for spectators.
Festivities will kick off at 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday with a pancake breakfast served until 11 a.m. by the Victor Fire Department.
Live entertainment is scheduled throughout the weekend featuring artists such as Greg Brazill, Joe Johnson, Ponder the Albatross, Grant Sabin, Goinomadic, Two Faces West and more.
Weekend activities also include a vintage baseball tournament, tractor pull and wood-carving demonstrations.
“We’re very in touch with our history and we like sharing that with our guests,” Mestas said. “People can come here and see what we love about the area. It’s being in the mountains and being surrounded by the history. Everything has been well-preserved up here.”
Mestas said local businesses and the community at large are eager to host lots of newcomers.
“We are a really tourist-based economy up here, so everybody gets excited,” he said.
The atmosphere at Victor Gold Rush Days feels like a celebration, Mestas said.
“This is the one thing our community looks forward to every single year,” he noted. “It’s our party weekend.”
Haley Witt, The Gazette
