While not in the same boat as the Gold Rush of 1849, residents of Elizabethton and Carter County, along with out-of-towners, have the chance to discover “gold” this weekend.
Sponsored by the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Department and City of Elizabethton, the second annual Tweetsie Trail Treasure Trip and Celebration hits the area Saturday, Sept. 3.
The treasure excavation gets underway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the Celebration is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. at Covered Bridge Park.
Fun will be on tap for all ages, according to Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Director Mike Mains.
“This event, in particular, is great fun for everybody and a great way to have people come out, enjoy time together and experience the Tweetsie Trail,” Mains said, adding the event is free and requires no registration.
While walkers and bike riders are encouraged to maneuver through the entire trail, participants can expect some added intrigue at the “Golden Trail” section. The section begins at Dixon Park, directly across from Sycamore Shoals State Park, and goes to Downtown Elizabethton. Various businesses will set up at the five different “Tweetsie Trail Depots,” giving away promotional items, ice cream and much more.
The five depots: Sycamore Shoals State Park (Dixon Street Park), Elizabethton Parks and Recreation (West Towne Shopping Center), Elizabethton City School System (Elizabethton High School), Chamber of Commerce (behind Prosound) and Downtown Business Association represent a unique treasure found in Elizabethton and Carter County. Participants will be challenged to complete a task with the treasure at each location. If they complete it, they will qualify for a gift associated with the stop and have their passport, given out at the start of the “trip.” If individuals get their passport stamped at each location, they will qualify for a cash and prize drawing worth $500 at the evening celebration with attendance required to win.
While providing fun, the stops also provide a lesson on what makes Elizabethton and Carter County great, Mains added.
The family friendly celebration features three different bands, including the Railroad Angels, Retroville and the Fugitives. Along with live entertainment, food and inflatables will be on hand.
“This is our second year doing this event,” Mains said. “This is just one of the many new events we’ve started to offer to help showcase our area. We’re proud of being able to do this and we’re hoping to do a lot more.”
The Elizabethton Parks and Recreation stayed busy throughout the summer offering a variety of events, including 14 outdoor concerts throughout the Covered Bridge Jam series. To cap off the year, the department, the Lions Club and WBEJ worked together to put on the first outdoor movie event that saw hundreds descend on Covered Bridge Park.
“We’ve got so much going on this weekend,” Mains said. “I believe the Car Show is still going on Saturday, the treasure trip, the family celebration, Sunday’s Big Splash Event at the Franklin Pool and minor league playoff baseball. We just want everyone to see what our area has to offer and we hope to see all these events, along with new ones, continue to grow to better serve our community.”