Gilpin County Film Festival in Central City
Saturday, August 8th in historic Williams Stables
See great classic and historical films and support two of Colorado’s treasured institutions – Central City Opera and the Gilpin Historical Society.
Central City-Tickets are on sale now at www.gilpin150.com or 303-292-6700 for the Gilpin County Film Festival, presented by the Denver Film Society, on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009 with films running from 11:30 a.m. until the final screening at 7:45 p.m. in the historic Central City Opera House and Williams Stables.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see great classic and historical films and support two of Colorado’s treasured historical institutions, Central City Opera and Gilpin Historical Society.
The modern classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, celebrating its 40 th anniversary, along with Continental Divide which includes scenes shot in Central City, Colorado will be shown in the Central City Opera House. Also included in this film festival are historic Tom Mix silent films produced in the region featuring Silver Dollar Tabor and the Moffat Road, with live accompaniment music by Hank Troy that will be shown in the Williams Stables.
An evening VIP reception, hosted by Century Casino, will be held in the Central City Opera courtyard for VIP patron-level ticket holders. Century Casino is also offering a special one night room rates for film festival goers who wish to spend the night.
“As part of our 150th anniversary celebration, we have partnered with the Denver Film Society to host the first ever Gilpin County Film Festival,” Linda Jones, President of the Gilpin County Historical Society said. “This is a great time to come up to Central City and enjoy the fun. All proceeds benefit the Central City Opera and the Gilpin Historical Society.”
Tickets to the Gilpin County Film Festival start at just $10 for silent films in the Williams Stables which run at 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. Tickets to the feature film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid which will be shown at 2:00 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. or Continental Divide shown at 4:30 p.m. cost just $15. Save money by purchasing a package such as the DOUBLE FEATURE or MOVIE LOVER’S PACKAGE for just $25. Packages include multiple film options and pre-curtain lectures by local historian Roger Baker or Colorado film and video editor David Emrich. A special CENTRAL CITY PACKAGE for $75 includes the silent films at 5:00 p.m. with the David Emrich lecture, an evening cocktail reception hosted by Century Casino, and the feature film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid at 7:45 p.m. with a pre-curtain lecture by Roger Baker.
The Black Hawk/Central City Convention and Visitor’s Bureau will offer complimentary coupons for $5 off lunch that can be used at most restaurants and casinos in Central City and Black Hawk including the Century Casino just down the street from the Central City Opera. Free parking is also available in Central City.
While 2009 will find many communities celebrating the 150th year of their first gold strike, Gilpin County’s history is distinctive to Colorado in many ways. Within days of John H. Gregory’s discovery of the first and most productive lode gold strike in the country, thousands of miners made the dangerous trek into the Colorado wilderness. Gregory’s strike signaled an opportunity for instant wealth and had a profound effect on Colorado’s national appeal, causing thousands to migrate west. During its boom, the region saw population surges of close to 1,000 people per day. Soon the area rivaled Denver in population size and surpassed it in wealth and culture. Nicknamed the Richest Square Mile on Earth this rugged mountain region was home to Colorado’s first grand opera house and home to many of Colorado’s important historical figures including Henry Teller, Clara Brown, George Pullman and Dr. Florence Sabin.
To order tickets, visit www.gilpin150.com or call 303-292-6700. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door.