MBOMBELA – The 2015 National Gold Panning Championships are happening from 7 to 10 October in Pilgrim’s Rest.
This year’s activities will get underway with a Street Parade and Opening Ceremony on October 7 at 17:00 at Uptown. The Street Parade is a popular event that draws a large number of people who take part in the activities of the day, which include song and dance and a performance by the Can Can Girls.
The following day will see hundreds of panners taking to the panning dams to fight for supremacy and a chance to earn national colours.
Gold panning is a sport steeped in history and tradition. It is also is easy to get into. Panners receive a pan and a bucket of sand in which a number of gold nuggets are hidden. The winners must retrieve the most nuggets in the shortest time. The finals are schedule for Saturday, 10 October.
“The National Gold Panning Championships are one of the biggest events in Mpumalanga and play a huge role in the economic growth of Pilgrim’s Rest as well as bringing people together, “ says department spokesperson, Sibongile Nkosi.
ENQUIRIES: Ms Sibongile Nkosi on (013) 766 5372/ 082 492 4886.