Welcome to annual GDD!

It’s going to be a good time in the old town this Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday as the oldest town in the Black Hills celebrates its annual Gold Discovery Days (GDD)! The event commemorates the discovery of gold near Custer by the expedition led by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer in 1874.

The GDD carnival will kick things off Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and operate for the next three days starting at noon. The Arts & Crafts Festival  starts Friday  at 11 a.m. and operates for all three days with that starting time.

Special entertainment you won’t want to miss is the At-the-Hop Drive-in Concert Friday from 7-8 p.m. in the Custer High School parking lot. It will showcase the local dance talent of Luke and Lizzie Anderson  along with the ever-popular Orion and Stacey Potter from Rapid City. A light and laser show will be held at Crazy Horse Memorial at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Early risers will have the opportunity to see a number of hot air balloons launch from Pageant Hill in Custer at 5:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. As always, the scheduled events will be held “weather permitting.” 

On Saturday there will be an 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. archery shoot (Sunday also),  8:30 to 2 p.m. car show, 10 a.m. big parade, 1 p.m. volleyball tourney and 2 p.m. cornhole tournament. There will not be a Friday or Saturday Fireman’s Ball this year for obvious reasons.

Sunday caps off the celebration with a fun run on the Mickelson Trail at 8 a.m., Way Park church service at 9 a.m. and golf scramble at Rocky Knolls at 1 p.m.

A complete schedule of events is found elsewhere in this newspaper. Much planning and effort has gone into the planning of these happenings and we urge you to take in as much as you can.

Not to be forgotten are the many class reunions taking place this weekend in Custer. We welcome back all Custer High School graduates. We hope you and everyone else has a great time during Gold Discovery Days!