Welcome to 87th annual Gold Discovery Days

We join in welcoming everyone to the 87th annual Gold Discovery Days in Custer City. The event marks the discovery of gold in the Black Hills near Custer City during the 1874 Custer Expedition to the Black Hills. We especially want to welcome returning alumni of Custer High School to their respective class reunions here. We’ll see you in the Saturday parade.

The three-day event will kick off Friday morning with the Arts and Crafts Festival in Way Park from 10 a.m. to 7 pm. The Custer Piecemakers Quilt Show exhibit opens at the YMCA from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. A first annual Custer Garden Club-sponsored flower show will be held from 2-4 p.m. at the Custer Senior Center.

Kids’ activities get underway at 5:30 p.m. with the Gold Nugget Hunt in Harbach Park followed by the popular Stick Horse Rodeo at 6 p.m. just across the street next to the Custer Chamber of Commerce building. It’s the adults’ turn to have fun next with the highly competitive Bed Races sponsored by Custer Regional Hospital at 7 p.m. on 7th St. next to the YMCA building. The Fireman’s Ball Street Dance will follow at 8 p.m. on 6th and Crook streets. A nightly Legends in Light Laser Show will be held at Crazy Horse at dark.

Saturday is the busiest day and will kick off early with the Hot Air Balloon Rally at 5:30 a.m. at Pageant Hill. The Lions Club Pancake Breakfast will be from 6-9 a.m. at Way Park. The 5 or 10K Custer Walk will be held from 7-10 a.m. with registration at the gazebo in Harbach Park. The popular Cool Pine Cruisers Car Show will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. around the chamber of commerce parking lot.

Saturday activities continue with the Custer YMCA 2-Man Scramble Golf Tournament with 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. tee times at Rocky Knoll Golf Course. A Shoot for Gold archery event will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on America Center Road three miles east and five miles northeast of Custer. The flower show continues at the senior center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. as does the quilt show at the YMCA from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The big Gold Discovery Days parade begins at 10 a.m. through the downtown area. The Arts and Crafts Festival continues from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Way Park. A Mixed Double Draw Horseshoe Tournament begins at noon just east of the tennis courts. The Jump-n-Fun Fair with inflatables for all ages runs from noon to 6 p.m. at Harbach Park. The volleyball tournament begins at 1 p.m. with registration from 10 a.m. to noon.

A challenge softball game featuring the Class of 2000 vs. the Class of 1990 is set for 3 p.m. at the high school softball field. A second Fireman’s Ball Street Dance starts at 8 p.m. at 6th and Crook streets.

Sunday begins with hot air balloons again at Pageant Hill at 5:30 a.m. Those more athletically inclined can sign up for the 8 a.m. Fun Run on the Mickelson Trail near the chamber building. The archery shoot continues from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on America Center Road, as does the quilt show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The final day of the Arts and Crafts Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A new event, a disc golf tourney, begins at 10 a.m. at Pageant Hill.

A pancake breakfast will be served before the 10 a.m. Crossroads Church service outside the YMCA. Custer alumni basketball games are set to begin at 1:30 p.m. in the middle school armory.

Everyone, including visitors and locals alike, should find something of interest in this great lineup of fun events this weekend. We’ll see you there!