The thing about miners and loggers is they generally aren’t keeping a close eye on their watches (or phones in the modern area) awaiting their precisely-timed shift breaks. And such is the way of things for many of the traditional contests and activities scheduled for the 33rd annual Juneau Gold Rush Days on Saturday and Sunday at Savikko Park.
“There are no scheduled times for specific adult competition events,” the official schedule notes. “The timing of events depends on the number of contestants and speed of competitors.”
Organizers estimate about 5,000 people — a mix of locals and tourists — attend some portion of the weekend’s festivities. The traditional events — including the competitions in men, women, kids and teens categories, plus various activities such as an excavator for kids to operate and dozens of vendors — start at 9 a.m. Saturday with the official opening ceremony and 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Saturday
8 a.m.: Registration opens.
8 a.m.-5 p.m.: Vendor tent, raffle sales (raffle proceeds benefit Juneau Gold Rush Days).
9 a.m.: Opening ceremony.
9:30 a.m.: Mining events — jackleg drilling, women’s spike driving, men’s spike driving, women’s hand mucking, men’s hand mucking, 12b overshot mucking, team drilling.
10 a.m.: Bouncy house opens (weather permitting).
10 a.m.: Mini excavator challenge.
Noon: Kids hand mucking.
1 p.m.: Teen events — teen spike driving, teen hand mucking.
1 p.m.: Kids carnival.
1 p.m..: Gold panning.
1 p.m.: Beer garden.
1 p.m.: Live music by Landon Lake at Pioneer Pavilion.
4 p.m.: Live music by Dude Mtn at Pioneer Pavilion.
6 p.m.: Closing time.
Sunday
8 a.m.: Registration opens.
8 a.m.-5 p.m.: Vendor tent, raffle sales (raffle proceeds benefit Juneau Gold Rush Days).
8:30 a.m.: Logging events — women’s & men’s axe throwing, women’s & men’s team hand bucking, coed team hand bucking, women’s & men’s stock power saw bucking, women’s & men’s speed climbing, men’s vertical chopping, women’s choker setter race, team choker setter & hook tender relay, women’s & men’s obstacle pole buck, women’s horizontal chopping, women’s & men’s log rolling, miners vs. loggers tug-of-war.
10 a.m.: Bouncy house opens (weather permitting). Closes at 4 p.m.
10 a.m.: Mini excavator challenge. Closes at 4 p.m.
Noon: Kids choker setter race.
1 p.m.: Teen choker setter race.
1 p.m.: Kids carnival. Closes at 3 p.m.
1 p.m..: Gold panning. Closes at 3 p.m.
1 p.m.: Beer garden.
1 p.m.: Live music by Landon Lake at Pioneer Pavilion.
3 p.m.: Live music by DJ Ph.D Javiii at Pioneer Pavilion.
Awards ceremony will follow final event.
