Another GDD success story
By the size of the crowds for the main events, one can safely say that this year’s annual Gold Discovery Days was a rousing success. The pandemic the country is currently experiencing didn’t seem to faze the crowds coming from all over the state and country to enjoy the long weekend of reunions and fun in Custer.
A great Friday evening event was added this year. The “At the Hop Drive-In Concert” in the parking lot of the Custer High School featured the well-known Rapid City couple, Orion and Stacey Potter, along with Custer’s own sibling duo of Luke and Lizzie Anderson. They performed entertaining 50s song and dance routines for an hour and a half under near-perfect skies for between 400-500 audience members at the free-will donation event.
The helicopter flyover from Custer’s own air force, known as Black Hills Aerial Adventures, kicked off the start of the Saturday morning parade and it was great to see Mitch McLain as Lt. Col. George Custer leading off the parade down Mount Rushmore Road once again.
It was also fun to observe a bit of “civil disobedience” as the traditional water wars between the classes broke out along the parade route in spite of being nixed by the city council last year. It just doesn’t pay to try to legislate away some things when there is no way or no one to enforce such frivolity. Can you imagine a Custer County deputy leaving his post along the parade route to arrest an entire float of Custer High School reunion members for throwing a little water around? That would certainly make the news!
One lady from Rapid City was overheard saying there were two things she came here to see in the parade. One was the impressive helicopter flyover to kick off the parade and the other was the exciting water fights when the class reunion floats came by. Apparently news of these annual happenings has spread far and wide.
Throwing candy from the floats was another no-no this year for safety reasons, but the kids still got their full of it from people walking beside the floats and handing it, or throwing it, out to youngsters along the parade route. After all, what is a GDD parade without some candy being handed out?
The carnival and rides had their biggest day on Saturday as many of the parade watchers made their way to Washington Street after it was over. The annual, expanded car show also was flooded with auto enthusiasts who were treated to some great examples of historical and newer cars and trucks. Once again, exhibitors at the event came from near and far.
We missed some events like the bed races, but they should be back next year. That event always made for some great photos and lots of fun.
Thanks to the chamber and city for all they did to make this year’s GDD one to remember. It’s not every city that could pull off an annual celebration like this in the middle of a health crisis, but we managed to do it well and do it safely.
We trust everyone enjoyed it as much as we did!