A new festival has been created to celebrate the old.

The city of Arvada will kick off its inaugural Arvada Days festival on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Clear Creek Valley Park, 5900 Tennyson St. The two days of festivities were created to commemorate the city’s inception and its contributions to Colorado’s farming and mining history.

In the summer 1850 a wagon train headed for California stopped to rest along Clear Creek. Lewis Ralston dipped his gold pan into an unnamed mountain stream and pulled out Colorado’s first documented gold finding.

The unnamed stream became Ralston Creek, and in 1995 the Colorado Historical Society officially recognized present-day Arvada as Colorado’s first gold site. Today, the confluence of Clear Creek and Ralston Creek is known as Gold Strike Park, and it’s a few blocks from this weekend’s festival site.

“Come and learn about the history of Arvada,” said Brenda Berg, Arvada’s special events coordinator. “Have some fun, and see what it was like in the olden and golden days.”

Friday evening will offer square dancing, led by an experienced caller, a three-course, farm-to-table dinner provided by a local farmer known as The FarmYard Chef and fire pits for roasting s’mores. A fee of $40 ($15 for children ages 4-12) includes all of the evening’s festivities. Those bypassing dinner can pay $10 to join the square dancing.

The celebration continues Saturday. Beginning at 7:30 a.m., guests can enjoy a country-style breakfast, thanks to the team at St. Joan of Arc Early Learning Center. Breakfast tickets cost $10 ($6 for children ages 4-12).

Menus for both meals can be viewed online.

At 10 a.m., guests can step back in time to the late 1800s and enjoy a pony ride ($2) or hay ride, pan for gold or participate in other free activities. The Arvada Historical Society will perform historical re-enactments, including exhibitions of 19th-century sharpshooter Annie Oakley. Guests might also meet that early miner, Lewis Ralston. More than 25 vendors will offer period-themed crafts and goods such as homemade ice cream and butter churners.

Other special guests and performances will include a member of the Lakota tribe and a live band playing folk and bluegrass tunes. Guests are encouraged to wear late 1800s garb.

“We wanted to keep it as authentic as we could,” said Sharon Kohnen, co-chair of the festival.

Arvada Days is the first major event taking place at Clear Creek Valley Park, which opened in March.

Residents from Hyland Hills Park and Recreation District and the city of Westminster are also encouraged to stop by and explore the new park.

Tickets must be purchased online at arvadafestivals.com/arvada-days.

For more information, call 720-898-7403, visit arvadafestivals.com/arvada-days or email brenda@arvada.org. This is a dog-friendly event (on leash or in a carrier).