'89er Day Celebration - Guthrie, OK - Festivals on Waymarking.com

April 22, 1889 - The excitement was great! At noon, a gun was fired and tens of thousands of folks made a mad dash to stake their claim to 160 acres in the newly opened Unassigned Lands of Indian Territory. The town of Guthrie was born that day and by nightfall, its population was over 10,000. 2013 is the 84th annual celebration of this settlement of Guthrie, and a week-long '89er Day Celebration commemorates the event. Guthrie was the new Oklahoma Territory's first capital and the town has dozens of beautifully restored buildings from the early days following settlement. Enjoy viewing the wonderful architecture of these early settlers.

The dates will vary slightly from year to year, but always center around this historic week in April. 2013's schedule of events includes the following:

April 16 - Chuck Wagon Feed
April 17-21 - Carnival
April 19-20 - Evening Rodeo
April 18 - Old-Timers Baseball Game
April 19 - Geezers & Gassers Car Show
April 20 - Stake Your Claim 5K Race
April 20 - noon - Parade
Festivities end at Midnight on April 20
April 21 - Sunday in the Park (Mineral Wells Park) - band concerts

You will see local residents dressed as early settlers and cowboys. Our visit was the evening of April 19. The streets of downtown were closed to vehicles and thousands of people wandered around the craft booths, the food court, the car show, and shopped in the businesses that were open late. And of course, west of town adjacent to the railroad tracks, the large carnival was filled with happy faces, from toddler to grandpa.

This is definitely a festival you don't want to miss. There is something for everyone, and the authentic territorial setting of downtown Guthrie is a perfect venue. Admission is free so bring the whole family for a week of festivities.

Coordinates given are at the intersection of 1st Street and Oklahoma Avenue, at the center of the downtown activities.

Websites:
~ '89 Day Site: (visit link)
~ History of the Land Run of 1889: (visit link)

How many days does the festival last?: 5 Admission Price: 0.00 (listed in local currency) National, County, or City Festival?: City Coordinates Location:: Intersection of 1st St. and Oklahoma Ave. Website:: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
You must visit the festival at the time of the event. You must post a picture of the festival as it is going on, or a picture of a sign or banner promoting the festival.

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