Friday, 21st September 2007 (1973 views)

The town of Dahlonega, Georgia is getting ready for its annual Gold Rush Days festival next month, which celebrates the town's colourful gold rush history.

Organisers predict that over 200,000 visitors will attend the event, which takes place during the third weekend in October.

Several unique events are scheduled for the weekend, including a gold rush-themed parade, a hog calling contest, gospel singing, a buck dancing contest, wheelbarrow races and gold panning.

The Dahlonega area is considered to be the "true beginning" of the first US gold rush, according to Georgia State Parks.

Gold was discovered in the north Georgia town in 1828, 20 years before the famed California gold rush.

According to the Dahlonega Gold Museum, at the height of the town's prosperity between 1838 and 1861, a US Mint operating in the area coined over $6 million (£2.97 million) in gold.

Georgia's Southeast Tourism Society has ranked the festival as one of the top 20 events in the south-east region of the state.

 

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