Golden Days Parade facts for kids
The Golden Days Parade is a super fun event that happens every July in Fairbanks, Alaska. It's part of the Golden Days Festival, which is a big party lasting several days. This festival celebrates the history of Fairbanks, especially its gold rush days, the brave Alaskan pioneers, and how the city started way back in 1901. The parade is one of the most exciting parts of the whole festival!
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About the Golden Days Festival
The Golden Days Festival started as a way to remember Fairbanks' amazing past. It grew to include the exciting story of the Fairbanks gold rush. A man named Felix Pedro found gold on July 22, 1902. He found it in a creek about 12 miles north of E. T. Barnette's trading post. The Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce organizes the Golden Days celebration. It always takes place in the July week closest to July 22. The Chamber of Commerce calls it "Fairbanks' most co-operatively produced summer event."
This festival is the biggest summer event for people visiting Fairbanks. It happens right when lots of tourists come to the city.
Key Dates in Festival History
The year 2001 was very special for Fairbanks. It was the 100th anniversary of the city's founding! This marked a century since the paddleboat Lavelle Young landed on the banks of the Chena River. That spot became what we now call Fairbanks. This year was also the 50th anniversary of Golden Days. The festival was first started in 1951 by a pioneer named Kay Kennedy.
In 2002, people celebrated the 100th anniversary of Felix Pedro finding gold. The festival theme that year was "Days of Gold, 100 Years Old." The year 2003 marked another important milestone. It was the 100th anniversary of Fairbanks officially becoming a city.
In 2020, something unique happened. The parade was a "reverse" parade! This meant the floats stayed still, and people drove by them.
What Happens at the Festival?
The Golden Days Festival lasts for five days in Fairbanks, Alaska. It's a big celebration of Fairbanks' history and its gold rush. During the festival, everyone in the city is encouraged to dress up! People wear "wild west" or Victorian style clothes to show their support.
There are so many fun things to do during the festival! Both tourists and local people can enjoy:
- A lively Can-Can show
- The famous Golden Days Parade
- Special luncheons honoring Alaskan pioneers
- The exciting Rubber Ducky Race
- The challenging 16.2-mile Golden Discovery Race
- Visiting Pioneer Park (which locals sometimes call Alaska-Land)
- Taking part in fun contests, like the Hairy Man Contest
- Exploring the downtown street fair
- Visiting one of the old gold dredges (machines used to dig for gold)
- Attending a stand-up comedy show
You can find a list of all the events for the festival at the Chamber of Commerce.
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