Coalhurst honours its past with Miners Days celebration July 25-26

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Sunny South News

By Kristine Jean
Sunny South News

The Town of Coalhurst is inviting residents, visitors and people from across the region to join them in celebrating Miners Days July 25-26. 

The event kicks off Friday evening, July 25, with the Coalhurst Volunteer Fire Department’s Open House, and on Saturday, July 26 residents can start the day with a pancake breakfast at the Coalhurst Community Hall from 8-10 a.m., hosted by Coalhurst town council and the South Country Co-op. That will be followed by the annual parade at 10:30 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Imperial Meadows Family Festival will provide plenty of fun and activities for the whole family. 

“Miners Days is such an important tradition in Coalhurst because it reminds us where we came from. It’s about honouring the people who built this community from the ground up and recognizing the spirit of hard work and resilience that is still alive here today,” said Coalhurst deputy mayor, Deborah Florence. “As we celebrate 30 years as a town it’s a chance to come together reflect on our past and look ahead with pride at the future we’re building together.”  

In addition, as part of the Miners Days celebrations, the Coalhurst 55+ Club will host a cribbage tournament and fundraiser for Cat’s Sass Rescue, from 12 – 5 p.m. at the Coalhurst Community Centre and there will be a parking lot party at the Coalhurst Legion from 3 – 11 p.m. with live music starting at 7 p.m.    

Florence shared some of Coalhurst’s noteable history, which includes when coalhurst began as a mining town in 1910, the completion of the Imperial mine in 1911 and the establishment of the Village of Coalhurst in 1913.  

 During the 1930’s the much of the village was destroyed after several fires burned the town and local businesses, the community hall and the Coalhurst pool. The most poignant piece of history for the Town of Coalhurst came on December 9, 1935 when the Imperial mine exploded, killing 16 men.

Florence noted the explosion had a devastating impact on the village that saw the mine close and Coalhurst became a “ghost town”. 

“Houses were moved away and people left the community,” she said, noting Coalhurst lost its village status, which was dissolved in 1936. The early 1970’s slowly began seeing some positive changes to the area once again, including the paving of the highway and steady growth to help fill a need for housing in the area. 

As the population of Coalhurst grew from 426 in 1971, it regained its village status in 1979 and officially became the Town of Coalhurst in 1995 with a population of 1, 410 residents.  

As Coalhurst celebrates its 30-year milestone in 2025, there are plans for a special commemorative 100-year anniversary of the mine disaster in 2035. Today, Imperial Meadows Park in Coalhurst displays a commemorative plaque and time capsule about the tragic event. 

Florence noted the impact the annual Miners Days has in bringing the community together and said “Coalhurst has always been a town built on community spirit.” 

“It’s about connection, pride and the simple joy of gathering with friends and neighbours to make new memories in the place we call home,” she said, noting 

Miners Days serves as an important tribute to the history of Coalhurst. “Our identity is rooted in the coal mining industry and in the perseverance of those who came before us,” said Florence. “The tragic mine disaster of December 9, 1935 remains a defining moment in our history — a somber reminder of the daily risks miners faced and the resilience that carried this community forward.”