Gold Discovery Days celebrates the creation of Custer and founding of gold

CUSTER, S.D. (KEVN) - It’s a nearly one-hundred-year-old tradition.....and the pandemic couldn’t stop it. Custer’s 97th annual Gold Discovery Days started July 17th, with a weekend full of events.

Gold Discovery Days celebrates the creation of the town of Custer and the discovery of gold in 1874. The annual event was in limbo like many others, but the Custer Chamber of Commerce was excited to move forward with it this summer.

"We really just kind of waited to see how everything was going to play out and once we kind of saw that South Dakota was fairing very well, we wanted to make sure we were still able to celebrate all together as a community," said Dolsee Davenport, Custer Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Davenport said, with a few exceptions, the event is basically the same as years past. She also said it was a relief to have this year's celebration.

"We kind of feel like we're getting back to normal as much as we can. So it's just fun to see everybody together, see ing the kids enjoying the carnival and out at the parade getting candy," said Davenport. "It was just so fun and kind of makes us feel really happy and good to be able to do that again."

The event is a way to bring community members together and Davenport said tourists enjoy the event as well.

"This is a great time for locals to come out and get together and celebrate. Again because of the reunions, we're getting some of the people who are technically local or were at one time but they've come back home, and then, of course, we have those lucky tourists who just maybe happen to be here and it's Gold Discovery Days," said Davenport. "So they get to celebrate too."

Gold Discovery Days continues with a fun run, golf tournament, craft fair, and carnival through July 19th.