COTTAGE GROVE – Grovers are typically pretty familiar with the annual Bohemia Mining Days festival that spreads through Coiner Park in mid-July every year. After a slight decline due to COVID-19, a lack of volunteers, and a financial crisis, the organization that initially hosted the event shut down, and the Spirit of Bohemia Mining Days took over.
The theme for the festival this year could not have been more fitting – Striking Gold: A Legacy Reignited. “This year’s Bohemia Mining Days is actually shaping up to be probably one of the best that’s ever been,” said Matthew Hewlett, executive director.
“There’s going to be a wide variety of things for people to do and purchase,” Hewlett said 100 vendors will be there. “We actually had to shut down vendor applications a couple of weeks ago because the history of Bohemia Mining Days has never had 100,” he said.
Food and drink vendors like Bates Catering, Home Made Fried Bread, and Bittle Brew Coffee Co. are making an appearance. A taste of the shopping options includes Scented Bliss, Fox and Hawk Mercantile, Janarae Jewelry, and Laney Lou Gifts.
Inflatable bounce houses, face painting, games, and educational activities make up a designated kid’s zone. Singing Creek Educational Center will be there making corn dolls, showing fur trapper demonstrations, and letting kids choose a prize from the pocket lady. Folks can also get a chance to pan for gold or mine for sapphires.
It all kicks off on the third Thursday of July, with activities and events taking place through Sunday. The opening ceremony is scheduled for July 17 at 4 p.m., followed by a miners’ dinner at 5 p.m. Friday features games from the past, including Slabtown vs. Lemati, a pie-eating contest, and a twilight 5 K run/walk through CG. The Grand Miners Parade will be on Saturday at 10 a.m.
“It wouldn’t take very long to walk through the park, but I would say the parade is probably the biggest event,” said Hewlett. Thousands of people line the streets of Cottage Grove to watch the parade.
“The community comes together to make these really intricate floats and get into the theme of things. And it’s the moment throughout the whole festival that you can see the community from one specific spot,” he said.
The park is active until 10 p.m. Saturday when the festival lights turn off for the season. One more historical event takes place Sunday morning at 6 a.m., though. The 61st annual Miner’s Breakfast on the Mountain in the historic Bohemia Mining District is presented by the Prospectors and Gold Diggers Club.
According to Hewlett, without the support of the Woodard Family Foundation, Starfire Lumber, and the City of Cottage Grove, “this wouldn’t be possible at all.”
