The Rossland Museum, Gold Fever Follies, and Rossland historic inn and saloon the Flying Steamshovel have teamed up to offer a golden opportunity to experience the Kootenay mining town’s rich heritage.
For $30, residents and visitors alike can purchase a Golden Ticket and enjoy admission to the Follies and admission to the museum, followed by a meal and a (non-alcoholic) beverage at the Steamshovel.
The Gold Fever Follies is a a musical review based on Rossland history, and has been running since 1987; the ensemble is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The show was embellished with local lore, old time tunes and real Can-Can dancers from the Boomtown Garter Girls. Two decades later, the Rossland Gold Fever Follies, headed by local resident and current Follies President Ray Furlotte, are still going strong with original stories from Rossland’s rich gold mining history. While artistic license is often used, many of the characters are based on real people from Rossland’s past. Such characters have included Judge Begbie, Father Pat, The Hunter Brothers, Olas Jeldness, Big John Kirkup and a whole host of others.
The Flying Steamshovel is named after a contraption that an enterprising dreamer named Lou Gagnon built, flew, and crashed right next to the current site of the hotel in Rossland. Lou Gagnon’s dream was to ferry the gold ore off the steep slopes of Red Mountain by air, and on a February afternoon in 1902, his mysterious machine was skidded into the nearby yard for its maiden flight.
Purchasers need not do all three things the same day, but can use them as they please.
Tickets are available at the Follies and also at the Rossland Museum and Rossland Hardware.
