Find gold, really, at Snoqualmie's Railroad Days event, starting this Friday and running through the weekend. Whether you treasure community, street food, demonstrations of skill, the arts, the outdoors, history, or cold glittery riches, you'll find it at Railroad Days, but you may have to work for the gold.
 
The Bedrock Prospectors Club of Puyallup will make a first-time appearance at Railroad Days, offering an honest-to-Pete gold-panning experience for children.
 
"There was mining in the mountains all around here, so that's part of the history here," said Peggy Barchi, the Northwest Railway Museum marketing manager. "They will have real gold," she promised.
 
Barchi is excited about bringing in the prospectors for the weekend, as well as bringing back the living history group from Fort Nisqually on Sunday, because both groups provide answers to the question that she, and the Railroad Days Committee, ask every year.
 
"What can we do that makes Snoqualmie Railroad Days unique from every other festival," Barchi asked. One answer was the community's history, "So we've tried to find little tidbits to make sure that Snoqualmie history is shown."
 
Also, for the first time in years, she said, several local logging companies will be featured during Saturday's parade. Elements of logging have been featured for a couple of years in the timber sports demos on Saturday, presented by David Moses and family, but this year, Moses will do the program on Sunday, too.
 
Local bands, selected with the help of local venues and coordinated by Jeff Warren, are featured on the main stage.
 
Although it wasn't intentional, Railroad Days will also pay tribute to Snoqualmie's more recent history, the year long Railroad Avenue construction that is very nearly, but not quite complete. Barchi had planned to locate vendors on the new boardwalk in front of the depot, but was told last week that until the city of Snoqualmie officially accepts the boardwalk portion, it can't be used for official purposes.
 
Schedule of Events
 
Friday, Aug. 14
 
11:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Steam train rides, all weekend
 
5 to 8 p.m. Vendors are open on Railroad Ave.
 
5 to 8:45 p.m. Arts Stage performances
 
5 to 9 p.m. Wine garden is open
 
5 to 9 p.m. Arts in the Park
 
5 to 10 p.m. Beer garden is open
 
6 to 9:15 p.m. Main Stage music
 
Saturday, Aug. 15
 
7 to 11 a.m. Pancake breakfast, Snoqualmie Fire Hall
 
8:45 & 9 a.m. Kids 1K start & 5K/10K fun runs start, Railroad Ave.
 
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Plein Air Paint Out
 
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Model trains, American Legion
 
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vendors are open
 
11 a.m. to noon Grand Parade, Railroad Ave.
 
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kids' Paint Junction, Railroad Park gazebo
 
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Arts in the Park
 
11:45 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. Main Stage music
 
Noon to 3 p.m. Free wagon rides at Carmichael's
 
Noon to 5 p.m. Children's Field of Fun at the depot
 
Noon to 8:45 p.m. Arts Stage performances
 
Noon to 9 p.m. Wine garden is open
 
Noon to 10 p.m. Beer garden is open
 
1 & 3:30 p.m. Timbersports shows, Sandy Cove Park
 
3 p.m. Plein Air Paint Out artist reception at Black Dog Cafe
 
Sunday, Aug. 16
 
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Legends Car Show
 
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. History Comes Alive, Railroad Park
 
9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Arts Stage performances
 
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors are open
 
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Model train show, American Legion
 
10:45 a.m. Snoqualmie Depot 125th celebration
 
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Arts in the Park
 
11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Main stage music
 
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Beer garden is open
 
Noon to 4 p.m. Wine garden is open
 
Noon to 5 p.m. Children's Field of Fun at the depot
 
1 p.m. Timbersports show, Sandy Cove Park
 
Three days, three stages: Entertainment schedule
 
Friday, Aug. 14 Main Stage
 
6 to 7:15 p.m. The Crud Guns, metal
 
7:45 to 9:15 p.m. Redwing Blackbirds, indie rock
 
Friday, Aug. 14 Arts Stage
 
5:30-6 p.m. The Sno-Valley Winds
 
6:30-7p.m. Tina Cooley
 
7 to 8 p.m. Scott Balsai
 
Saturday, Aug. 15 Main Stage
 
11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Clan Gordon, pipes and drums
 
1 to 2 p.m. River City Steel, alt blues/pop
 
2:15 to 3:15 p.m. Strong Sun Moon, Pacific Northwest/South American folk
 
3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Ask Sophie, acoustic/Americana
 
4:45 to 5:45 p.m. Left Coast Gypsies, folk/blues/country/rock
 
6 to 7:00 p.m. Shotgun Kitchen, Americana
 
7:15 to 8:15 p.m. Payson, folk/Americana
 
8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Story Boxx, rockpopulana
 
Saturday, Aug. 15 Arts Stage
 
12 to 12:30 p.m. Cascade Dance Academy
 
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Hejira
 
1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Rygrass
 
2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Eric Fridrich
 
4 to 5 p.m. Tyler Dobbs
 
5 to 6 p.m. Alex Ivy
 
6:30 to 8 p.m. Cascade Jazz
 
Saturday, Aug. 15 Kids Stage
 
12:30 to 1:15 p.m. Brian Vogan
 
2 to 2:45 p.m. Nancy Stewart
 
3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Eric Ode
 
Sunday, Aug. 16 Main Stage
 
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Blake Noble, acoustic/roots/world/rock
 
1:30 to 3 p.m. Bob Antone, Northwest music and folklore
 
Sunday, Aug. 16 Arts Stage
 
10 to 11:30 a.m. Future Voices of the Valleys
 
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dylan Cragle
 
12:30 to 1 p.m. Alessandra
 
1 to 2 p.m. Larry Murante
 
2 to 3 p.m. Ron Wiley
 
3 to 4 p.m. Susanna Fuller
 
Sunday, Aug. 16 Kids Stage
 
11 to 11:45 a.m. Eric Ode
 
12:30 to 1:15 p.m. Brian Vogan
 
2 to 2:45 p.m. Nancy Stewart