The gates of history wheel open on June 3.
One hundred days of Barkerville commence that day, and after the closures and cutbacks of the pandemic still fresh in the minds of local residents and the travelling public, not to mention past wildfire evacuations and curtailments, it makes the grand opening feel that much more momentous.
“Billy Barker’s legendary gold strike on Williams Creek triggered a multi-billion-dollar industrial revolution that built this province,” said the historic town’s operators. “Today, the extraordinary historic town of Barkerville stands as a living testament to B.C.’s golden beginnings. With its unique streetscape of more than 125 heritage buildings, period displays, satellite museums, restaurants, and shops, there is still so much to explore.”
Barkerville is intrinsically linked to the economic diversification, cultural identity, and let’s just call it like it is – fun! – of its gateway city, Quesnel. The entire region celebrates on opening day for the historic town.
Hours of visitation are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with differing hours for the visitor centre and some of the internal attractions. Look it all up on the Barkerville Historic Town & Park website for the specifics.
These are some of the special dates on the Barkerville calendar, and watch for others as well:
July 1 – Dominion Day
Aug 19 & 20 – Indigenous Celebration
Sept 9 – Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Sept 10 – Final Day for the 2023 Season
Admission is $20 regular (ages 13-64), $15 for 65+, $10 kids aged 4-12, kids three and under are free.
If you are a first responder, a veteran or in the military, admission is $14.38.
If you want further discounts for return visits, annual pass rates are: regular $50, $37.50 for 65+, and $25 for 4-12, and the prices go down further still if you buy four or more annual passes.
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