With gold selling at almost $1,200 an ounce, what better time is there for the Fifth Annual Gold Panning Championships at Fort Steele, which takes place this weekend?

Billed as a “fun event” for the whole family, there is even training offered for novice gold seekers and all you need to do is arrive early in the morning for the two-day event with registration beginning 10 a.m. Saturday.

A pancake breakfast also accompanies the event and entrants are asked to pay the regular gate admission and a $5 fee to enter the competition. The competition fee is waved for members of the Friends of Fort Steele Society.

Once 10 panners sign on, the first round of competition begins and will continue until everyone has had a chance to find some of the elusive yellow metal. The main event of the Fort Steele Gold Panning Championship will take place on Sunday at noon.

In addition to the panning competitions, there will be fun, gold-rush themed games, as well as draws, and a silent auction. Games include Gold Pan Toss, Cherry Pit Spit, Claim Stake, Nail Drive, Root Beer Chug, and Gold Rush.

The 2nd annual Chilli Cook Off Competition takes place on Saturday at 1:00pm. Visitors can sample the submissions and vote for their favourite. On Sunday from 9:30am-5:00pm, there is shopping at the Farmer’s and Crafters market. The Market is located just outside of the Visitor Reception Centre, and no admission is required.

Also on Sunday, there are free-guided tours of Fisherville offered at 11:00am and 1:00pm. Tours begin at the Wild Horse Creek trailhead located 5km from Fort Steele Heritage Town. Stop at Fort Steele for a map and directions. After the tour, you will have an opportunity to try gold panning on historic Wild Horse Creek.

The discovery of gold on the Wild Horse Creek lead to the 1864 Kootenay Gold Rush and the establishment of Fisherville. At its peak, Fisherville was home to over five thousand miners, six general stores, four saloons, a brewery, two butcher shops, a blacksmith shop, and a large number of miner’s cabins.