Golden Days Part 1

Here in Fairbanks every year they celebrate what is called the GOLDEN DAYS. It is a really big deal. They have some type of activity going on all week long. July 25th we went out to see the parade, the fire station and see the big rubber duck race. It was a big day. The parade was so long, over 3 hours. for a small town! I think everyone who lives here and owns any type of business was in it. We weren't really sure what the whole celebration was all about so I looked it up. This is what I found;

Golden Days

What is it?

Golden Days began as a way of collectively honoring Fairbanks’ past. It is then that we celebrate the discovery of gold here. Felix Pedro struck gold on July 22, 1902, in a creek 12 miles north of E. T. Barnette's Trading Post. The celebration of Golden Days is coordinated by the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce and always takes place in the July week that is closest to July 22.

The summer of 2001 was the centennial of the founding of Fairbanks. It marked the 100th anniversary of the landing of the paddleboat Lavelle Young on the banks of the Chena River, in the spot which came to be called Fairbanks. This year was also the 50th anniversary of Golden Days, which was started in 1951 by pioneer Kay Kennedy.

2002 was the centennial of the discovery of gold by Felix Pedro, so the theme was "Days of Gold, 100 Years Old". The year 2003 was the centennial of the incorporation of the city of Fairbanks.

The Chamber calls Golden Days "Fairbanks' most co-operatively produced summer event." It is certainly the largest event for tourists, and the height of our season.

The landing of the Lavelle Young is the first of three centennials to be recognized in Fairbanks over the next three years. To commemorate the landing on the Chena River, the theme for Golden Days 2001 was "Founding the Future–the Lavelle Young Arrives!"

Since in 2001 we commemorated two anniversaries, the landing of the Lavelle Young and the 50th anniversary of Golden Days, two logos were designed; one was featured on the 2001 Golden Days pin and the other on the 2001 Golden Days button.

So since the parade was so long and we had nearly 200 photos of it these are the ones I chose to post.