Excitement is building for the upcoming Grenfell Gold Fest on September 27th from 10am to 2pm. There are now more opportunities for people to participate in the day; whether it’s trying to crack a stock whip, panning for gold or turning your hand at being a wheelwright. The program is continuing to evolve; and a number of demonstrations have been confirmed. There will be a saddler, wheelwright, pin striping, bodger who makes bush furniture, stock whip maker, blacksmithing, millinery, lace making and gold panning where real gold nuggets will be found. There will be a back to back demonstration where a sheep will be blade shorn, the wool spun into yarn and then knitted into a garment all in one day.
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Local band Threefold Arts will play live music throughout the day in Main Street. There will be a free guided walk ‘Scandal and Seduction’ starting at the Albion Hotel’ at 10am. Hear the stories of the gold rush from guide Geoff McClelland.
If you haven’t planned your costume from the 1860’s, it’s time for some last minute effort; polish your boots and dig out your akubra, you don’t need to be 100% original, just have a bit of fun. There is $500 in cash to be won in the Period Costume Competition. Four classes are planned: Young Master/ Young Miss (for children) with $100 and a certificate to the winner, Young Lady for all women ($100 and certificate), Young Gentlemen for all men ($100 and certificate) and Vintage Couple for two people with $200 and a certificate for the winner. If you are interested in hiring a costume, Margaret Thornhill from Harden can be contacted on 6386 5867.
The bushranger artefact exhibition will be in the Community Hub Building. Local historians Stephen Ryder, Dennis Burns and David Walker as well as Mark Thurtell from Young and Bobby O’Keefe from Dubbo will display their private collections including antique pistols, bottles, coins, belt buckles, buttons, leg irons and more. This is a great opportunity to talk with informed local residents about Grenfell’s history and to learn stories about the town that aren’t widely known.
There will be two bushranger re-enactments. Although blank ammunition will be used in the re-enactment, shots will still be very loud and lifelike.
The holdup will be at 10.30am and again at 1.50pm, so make sure you are down in the street for this; it will a living history display of life in the gold fields during the 1860’s.
It’s not only entertainment from the 1860’s; the Grenfell Art Gallery, Grenfell Museum and Wallangreen Sculpture Garden will all be open from 10am to 4pm on the 27th of September. Historic Iandra Castle at Greenethorpe will be open from 10am to 4pm on Sunday September 28th. Start inviting your friends and family now as this is sure to be another great weekend in Grenfell and a terrific tourism opportunity to promote our town.
More information and programs will be available on the Gold Fest website www.grenfell.org.au/goldfest or by contacting the tourism officer Auburn Carr on 02 6343 2855.