The Mark Twain Wild West Fest began as the Gold Rush Day in 2012 to honor the special milestones in Angels Camp history. In 2015, the event was cancelled due to the Butte Fire. As plans began in 2016, the Angels Camp Commemorative Committee realized not only did Mark Twain have a lasting influence on Angels Camp, where he found his voice and world-wide fame in the creation of his tale, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, but there was much more history to be told through the creation of a more dramatic, expressive, expansive and immersive Sierra Nevada Mother Lode historical festival event.
