Grass Valley, Calif.— Celebrate the season at Holidays at Empire Mine, on Saturday December 7th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.!
Tour the warmly decorated Bourn cottage with docents in festive Edwardian attire, and watch mining equipment demonstrated in the mine yard. Savor warm pasties, Christmas cookies, hot drinks, and freshly roasted chestnuts around the fire.
Don’t miss your chance to tell Victorian Santa and Mrs. Claus what you want for Christmas! There will also be historic children’s games, candle dipping and tin punching for young and old alike. See if you can find the Cornish mythical creatures hidden around the grounds!
Celtic harpists Soul-String Sisters, Old Soles, and local band Fire in the Kitchen will perform historical and holiday favorites in front of the clubhouse, and the Nevada County Tommyknocker Cloggers will perform their foot-stomping dance style that descended from the early coal miners. Inside the Bourn cottage, classical guitarist Heather MacAdam will provide musical ambiance for the season.
The park opens at 10:00 a.m., and the activities and entertainment begin at 11:00 a.m. Entrance fee is $5 per person; age 5 and under are free. Fourth Graders and their families get in free with the California State Parks Adventure Pass (please obtain pass prior to arrival; visit www.parks.ca.gov/AdventurePass for information)
This annual event is presented in cooperation between California State Parks and the Sierra Gold Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports educational and interpretive programs for the three California State Parks in Western Nevada County.
When: Saturday, December 7, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Doors open at 10 a.m.
Note: No longer held the days/weekend after Thanksgiving
Where: Empire Mine State Historic Park, 10791 East Empire Street, Grass Valley CA.
Directions:
From Auburn, drive 24 miles north on Hwy 49 to the Empire St. exit in Grass Valley. Turn right and follow Empire St. east to the Visitor Center parking lots or Penn Gate parking lot.
From Truckee, take Hwy 80 West to Hwy 20 West, exit and turn left on Hwy 174/Colfax Hwy, turn right on Empire Mine Cross Rd.
Cost: $5 per person; age 5 and under are free.
Fourth Graders and their families: free with the California State Parks Adventure Pass