Gold Rush Days Coming Back To Old Sacramento After Drought Forced Hiatus

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Gold Rush Days will be coming back to Old Sacramento after a one-year hiatus due to the drought.

Sacramento city officials unveiled their plans to hold the event without wasting water over Labor Day Weekend.

Dianna Newborn and other merchants are glad the Wild West Scenes will be coming back.

"I've done Gold Rush every year that they've been here; I miss it," she said.

The event was canceled in 2014 because it would have taken 3,000 gallons of water each day to dampen dirt used to recreate the authentic atmosphere.

In its place was the Americana Festival, which didn't quite pan out.

"The amount of people who had come in it was less than usual for that particular weekend," said Thamer Amahd.

Now organizers say they can still make Gold Rush Days glitter without wasting water, and Jody Ulich says this year's event may even feature some shiny new nuggets.

"We're talking about bringing in a dance floor out there, the Phil Op has offered to come out and play. They won't do that when there's dirt down there," she said.

Organizers hope to cover part of K Street with dirt, and use about 20,000 gallons of reclaimed water to wash it down.

So while the cobblestone streets may not be entirely covered with paydirt, Old Sacramento merchants are still hoping to strike it rich.