Boom Days is a long standing tradition in Leadville and the surrounding areas, that many look forward to every year. Festival goers enjoy all kinds of local foods and the craftmanship of local designers. Unfortunately, in order to help curb rising cases in the pandemic, this is one Colorado event that has been postponed until next year. Seems sad, but it gives you an entire year to prepare for the 71st Boom Days in 2022. Continue reading for what you can expect to see next year.
What to Expect in 2022
Leadville Boom Days is a Colorado Mountain Festival and historical celebration of the Old West, with gunslingers, contests of mining skill, and a street fair with over one hundred food and craft booths. One of the big attractions is the burro (donkey) race. If you want to participate in the race remember to check out the rules first. According to the Boom Days website, "Each burro will be required to be equipped with a regulation pack saddle packed with prospector’s paraphernalia and must include a pick, shovel, and gold pan." Historically, this event has always been on the first full weekend in August, so expect next year's dates to follow this pattern.
If you're coming from out of town, Leadville will be a great place to visit. Leadville is located in the heart of the Colorado Rockies and is two miles above sea level. Leadville got it's start as a mining town back in 1877. Leadville has a lot of history as the biggest gold and silver boom town in Colorado, which is where the festival gets it's name. Mining in the Leadville area began in 1859 when prospectors discovered gold at the mouth of California Gulch. By 1872, placer mining in California Gulch yielded more than $2,500,000, roughly equivalent to $47,674,478 today. The mountains in the area are so high that they are snow covered most of the year.