
Gold Rush Days 2025
May 8 @ 4:00 pm – May 10 @ 10:00 pm

Gold Rush Days celebrates Helena’s rich gold mining history, showcasing the diverse cultural influences brought together during the gold rush era through reenactments, historic demonstrations, and storytelling. With activities designed for all ages, the event is family-friendly, offering something for history buffs, kids, and families alike. The event fosters community engagement and supports local businesses, while preserving and educating visitors about the city’s unique historical and cultural legacy.
Building on the success of Gold Rush Days in 2023 and 2024, this year’s festival will celebrate: (1) the history of Helena in engaging, interactive, and community-building ways, (2) the history and beauty of Last Chance Gulch (and all of the businesses and people that bring such vitality to it), and (3) the unique role of Reeder’s Alley in our community & sense of place it offers, historically (as Helena’s oldest intact piece of early Helena and hub for cosmopolitan thinking/activities) and today (as a place of community, living history, and joy).
The festival will offer activities in the downtown and Reeder’s Alley area for people of all ages including gold & sapphire panning, Pioneer Cabin Living History & Tours, historic walking tours, live music & beer gardens, quick draw art auctions, Montana history movies, Stories from our Elders, Pioneer music, Can Can Dancers, hands-on craft activities & games for kids, a gold nugget hunt, and more!!!
We are THRILLED to be on the organizing committee with some great peeps once again for this year’s Gold Rush Days. Last year was a hit, and this year, we plan to elevate it even more! And to help with this & make things even more exciting, our organization was awarded a $25k economic impact and destination event grant from the Department of Commerce so that we, along with others, can really give it wings!