DOWNIEVILLE — Downieville Gold Rush Days will return from August 1st through the 4th this summer. Following their successful event last summer after a 10-year hiatus, event organizers met Friday at Cold Rush Cafe in Downieville with members of the public to get their input and feedback. Sponsored by the International California Mining Journal (ICMJ), the event provides a brief opportunity to experience the California Gold Rush like it was in 1849. Last year’s four-day event drew over 1,000 people and dozens of gold mining and prospecting vendors demonstrating expert equipment. Taking over the Downieville School gym again, the events will include professional seminars on prospecting and mining techniques by real-life pros and geologists. Folks of all ages, from professionals to weekend gold panners, will also be able to pan the legendary Downie and North Yuba rivers, as the organizers have special access for the weekend. Like last year, the Sierra County Historical Society folks will provide historical tours, and the old-fashioned gunfight on Main Street will return. The ICMJ Prospecting and Mining Journal is available in print and digital format and distributed monthly to paid subscribers, newsstands, and trade shows. It has over 30,000 monthly readers and approximately 31,000 monthly website visitors, with subscribers in every state and 21 countries. The journal gives miners a voice, a marketplace for goods and services, and articles to help teach them something new. Josh Reinke and his wife Sherrie took ownership of the ICMJ in 2021, intent on bringing Gold Rush Days back to Downieville to highlight our region’s rich gold mining history. Beyond being well attended and injecting cash into our local businesses, the ICMJ donated $4,800 from the proceeds of last year’s event, distributed to the Downieville Schools and other non-profit organizations in the community. Learn more about Downieville Gold Rush Days here.