(Helena, MT) – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) is announcing today that Bannack State Park will be holding its popular, annual ‘Bannack Days’ special event on Saturday, July 21 and Sunday, July 22.

Bannack is Montana’s best preserved ghost town.

This year marks the “Sesquicentennial” 150th Anniversary of the discovery of gold on Grasshopper Creek and the founding of Bannack, Montana’s first territorial capital. Bannack became a state park in 1954.

“This will be the biggest and best Bannack Days yet,” said Chas Van Genderen, Administrator for Montana State Parks. “We are excited to see families out having fun and celebrating Montana’s heritage at this great state park.”

See the old west come alive again! There are fun activities for everyone, including costumed re-enactors, crafts and plenty of food and drinks.

‘Bannack Days’ Events:

Saturday, July 21: 9am – 5pm

For early birds, breakfast will be served from 7am – 10am at the Hotel Meade.

Horse and wagon rides, shootout re-enactments, gold panning, candle making, and black powder shooting demonstrations. Visitors can also enjoy cowboy poetry, old time music, an 1800s surveying demonstration, celebration of pioneer life: mountain men camp, chuck wagon cooking, the Great Debate on women’s suffrage and an 1800s U.S. Cavalry camp.

Sunday, July 22: 9am – 4:30pm

For early birds, breakfast will be served from 7am – 10am at the Hotel Meade.

All the activities listed above plus old time church services at 9am and 10:30am and the popular stagecoach hold-up demonstration at 2pm.

*Sunday is a great day to come to Bannack Days as the crowds are smaller

Location: Bannack State Park is located 25 miles southwest of Dillon, four miles off of highway 278.

Additional information: Carpool if possible, parking is limited. There is a special event fee of $5 per car to help cover the cost of this event. This fee will apply to resident and non-resident vehicles.

Please, no smoking and no dogs in Bannack town site.
Vendors will accept cash and checks, no credit cards.

Bannack State Park is Montana’s best preserved ghost town. More than 50 buildings, weathered by the seasons, still stand in Montana’s first territorial capital and the site of Montana’s first major gold discovery on July 28, 1862. In the summer season of 2011 (May-August) more than 21, 500 people visited Bannack State Park.

Visit Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) and enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, boating and more and discover some of the greatest natural and cultural treasures on earth.

Connect with Montana State Parks on Facebook
Twitter @MTStateParks

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A Division of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
stateparks.mt.gov

Contact:
Jennifer Lawson,
Marketing and Communications Manager,
Montana State Parks
(406) 444-3818
jlawson3@mt.gov

Contact:
Tom Lowe
Assistant Park Manager,
Bannack State Park
(406) 834-3413
bannack@smtel.com