Cemetery tours will be given by costumed guides who will direct patrons during the 23rd annual Cemetery Crawl on Aug. 27 in Central City. Photo by Jim Prochaska, courtesy of Gilpin Historical Society
Submitted by GCHS
Visitors can enjoy a fun-filled day discovering the wonders of the past and the beauty of art in the present on Aug. 27 in Central City. The Gilpin County Historical Society and the Gilpin County Arts Association are partnering for the second time this year to present the 23rd Annual Cemetery Crawl, followed by the opening of the 2011 Fall GCAA Members Art Exhibit and Sale at the Gilpin County Arts Association Gallery. The Cemetery Crawl kicks off the festivities at 2 p.m. with a tour of the Bald Mountain Cemetery in Central City, followed at 4 p.m. by the public opening of the Fall GCAA Members Art Exhibit and Sale at the GCAA Gallery located in Washington Hall at 117 Eureka St. Free shuttles will be provided from the Central City Opera parking lot on Eureka St. to the Bald Mountain Cemetery and back starting at 1 p.m. All ages are welcome.
The 23rd Annual Cemetery Crawl is from 2 – 4 p.m. and begins with a brief introduction, followed by small group tours led by costumed guides. Each group then follows a different path to see a dozen costumed actors reenact the lives of pioneers buried in this hilltop location, all with entertaining stories of pioneer life. Tickets for the Gilpin County Historical Society’s 23rd Annual Cemetery Crawl are $12 for adults ($10 in advance) and free for children 12 and younger. Both checks and credit cards are accepted and tickets can be purchased at the gate or in advance. For more information or to purchase tickets in advance, call or email either the Gilpin County Historical Society at 303-582-5283 or gchs@wispertel.net, or the Gilpin County Arts Association at 303-582-5952.
Following the Cemetery Crawl, attendees are then invited to visit the Gilpin County Arts Association’s Central City Gallery at Washington Hall across from the Opera House to enjoy live bluegrass music provided by The Bolder County Boys, along with food, beer and wine in celebration of the opening of GCAA’s Fall Members Art Exhibit & Sale. The opening starts at 4 p.m. and continues until 7 p.m. The art being exhibited includes a broad range of media from jewelry to fabrics, photography to oils, and a vast selection of functional and decorative pottery and glass. In addition to a range of media, the work also represents an array of subject matter from that capturing the Central City historic mining era to contemporary pieces.
The show features artists from an open membership base in the expanded region of the Rocky Mountain West including Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. All artwork is available for purchase at various price levels. The exhibition runs through Oct. 1.
A 45-minute drive from Denver on the four lane Central City Parkway, a visit to Central City this time of year offers prime viewing of the fall colors. The Gallery is open Friday-Sunday, noon – 6 p.m. at 117 Eureka Street, Central City. Call 303-582-5952 or visit www.gilpinarts.org.
The Gilpin County Historical Society’s mission is to collect, preserve and interpret Gilpin County’s unique ultural heritage for present and future generations. For additional information, call 303-582-5283 or visit www.gilpinhistory.org.
