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Some weekends are pretty cut and dry, just a few things to choose among. This, however, is not one of those weekends. High-flying, death-defying action takes over the Minden Airport as the Aviation Roundup Air Show takes to the skies. Pasta-lovers won’t want to miss the Eldorado Great Italian Festival in downtown Reno. Carson City’s monthly Downtown Wine Walk gets a dose of nostalgia as the Western Airstream Convention sets up shop and welcomes the curious.

Every week I bring you all the happenings in Carson City, my hometown of over 35 years, but I was born in Las Vegas. I’m heartsick over what transpired Sunday night, but equally comforted by the outpouring of support this community has shown. Nevada Day is just weeks away, and I am truly grateful to be Battle Born. Get geared up for our Admission Day with the Nevada Day Treasure Hunt – clues start today, so get out your history books and your hiking boots. Thinking caps are recommended at DJ Trivia at the Fox Brewpub or the Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz at Sassafras.

With all the motorcycles on the road, you may be looking for some peace and quiet. Luckily, it’s fee-free day at all of the Nevada State Parks. Load up the kids, pack a picnic, at head to the great outdoors. Don’t miss out on the last-of-the-season Farmers Market at Third and Curry, stock up on local honey and load your basket with yummy stuff. Oktoberfest takes over the McFadden Plaza at 3 p.m. Bavarian and German beers, authentic food, and live music await. Keep reading for everything the area has to offer.

SATURDAY:

Calling all Geeks. After a long hiatus, the Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz has returned to Carson City, and is setting up shop inside Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint on Tuesday nights. Grab your smartest friends for a fun night of yummy drinks, great food, and nerdy competition. It's National Register to Vote Day - Carson residents can go to the County Clerk's office in the Courthouse. While you're there, head to the CCAI Gallery on the second floor to catch the last few days of the 'Industrial Art: Sports Edition' exhibit.

One might think that the end of summer means that the fun times are over: they would be wrong. This list of happenings in the Carson City area isn’t getting any shorter. The annual Genoa Candy Dance is a favorite among locals and visitors alike, and this weekend welcomes the first ever Silver State Arts Festival at Fuji Park, as well. The first ever Community Garage Sale at the Community Center offers one-stop bargain hunting. Swing into the season at the monthly dance party hosted by the High Sierra Swing Dance Club.

SATURDAY:

Ahoy, mateys. ‘Tis International Talk Like a Pirate Day, so don’t ye be a scallywag. Set forth on an adventure to th’ historic west side wit’ Carson City Parks and Recreation. Bring ye brainiest mates along to DJ Trivia at ye olde’ Fox Brewpub, and don’t forget to order ye some supper and grog. Siren of the sea, Canyon White, will be entertaining at Living the Good Life. Enjoy an evenin' wit' local authors at the Minden Library; with a mighty pen, they be signing their latest works. Keep readin' fer all ye Pirate Day options.

Sundays can be a lazy day if you prefer, but there’s plenty to do if you’d rather seize the day. There's a Health Energy Fair today from 11 to 4 in Carson City. The pet parade at Dayton Valley Days is free for all participants, so dress up Fido in his best costume and strut your stuff. Head over to the Shoe Tree Brewing Company for an afternoon of good feels. A fundraiser to benefit the family of Iliana Avila, a local girl with an inoperable brain tumor, features great beer, a silent auction, live music, and more. Keep reading for all your Sunday options.

SUNDAY:

Enjoy these September days, it will be blustery and cold before we know it. Celebrate our neighbor to the east during their annual Dayton Valley Days street festival. Tour their museums, pan for gold, and enjoy samples at their Chili cook-off. Downtown Carson is a hotbed of fun tonight with two pub crawls and the Ghost Walk Haunted History Tour. Keep reading for all of the happenings.

SATURDAY:

Northern Nevada is filled with very different people with a wide variety of interests. I strive to make sure that my things-to-do lists reflect the many options available to you. Today, for example, you’ll find a fundraiser for Catmandu, the monthly meeting of the fly fishing club, some country line dancing, jazz and poetry, and a walk along the historic Blue Line Trail. No two Tuesdays are alike (or Wednesdays or Thursdays, for that matter), so it’s always worth checking out. Now that we are moving into autumn, the activities in Carson City change like the leaves.

I’m going to suggest that you keep this weekend’s plans flexible. There’s only a chance of rain, but the chance of it showing up at the wrong time is always high. The very early morning is best spent watching the hot air balloons against the Reno skyline, but you’ll probably want a sweater for the pre-dawn chill. Head up the hill to Virginia City this weekend. If you’ve never been to the annual International Camel Races, you’ve been missing out. Keep reading, there’s something for everyone on this list. Find your fun.

SATURDAY:

It’s back to school and back to work, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. Get your kicks on the dance floor in Carson Lanes’ Eleventh Frame Lounge; DJ Bobby will teach you how to line dance. The Classic Cinema Club presents Edmond O'Brien and Pamela Britton in ‘D.O.A.’ Get there at 6:30 p.m. for discussion and film trivia. For the true trivia junkies, the Fox Brewpub hosts DJ Trivia tonight – all ages are welcome and there are prizes at stake. Halloween lovers of all ages will want to participate in the upcoming production of ‘Nightmare before Christmas’ at Piper’s Opera House.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. – Join a park ranger on a guided tour and learn of Tahoe’s Comstock history, when the land that now makes up the park at Spooner Lake was used to harvest wood and water to feed the mines and population of Virginia City.

Labor Day weekend approaches. In addition to being a wine walk weekend in lovely downtown Carson City, the annual Best in the West Rib Cook-off in Sparks and Virginia City’s Civil War Days promise to make it a weekend packed with fun. Join Parks and Recreation for an easy walk through our historical east side or get your heart rate up with Muscle Powered this afternoon as they trek through Voltaire Canyon. Job seekers may find what they're looking for at the Carson Nugget: all experience levels are welcome for their Job Fair featuring several casino, hotel, and restaurant openings.

Weekends fly by way too quickly. Enjoy the last few days of August with a ride to Virginia City aboard the Virginia and Truckee Steam Train. Take a peek inside the historic Wungnema House on the east side of Mills Park, courtesy of the Foundation for Carson City Parks and Recreation. If you are over 21, try your hand at BINGO in the Carson City Senior Center. Even if you aren’t a big winner, the Meals on Wheels program benefits from your afternoon of fun.

SUNDAY:

You’ll see some pretty interesting vehicles on the road these next few days, as travelers from all over head to Burning Man. If you aren’t off to the Playa yourself, there will be plenty of fun around town to keep you and your family occupied. The second annual Family Fun Day in Mills Park is your best bet for kids of all ages. This week’s free concert at Brewery Arts Center features the Dusty Green Bones. Don’t forget your dancing shoes; they’re sure to keep you on your feet.

SATURDAY:

We are starting to see a little bit of a cool down, which makes a summer stroll all the more enjoyable. Join the Friends of the Nevada State Museum for a walking tour along the blue line; you’ll learn more about this historical district and the people who lived there. The Kings Canyon Waterfall is always spectacular, and today’s Muscle Powered Conditioning Hike will take you there and show off some amazing views of our valley. Thinking caps are optional at the Fox Brewpub during tonight’s DJ Trivia.

TUESDAY:

The concerts in the Capital Amphitheater have always been a local favorite: blanket and a picnic are all you need to make the most of this Sunday afternoon. Flashback to yesteryear at the Virginia City ‘Way it Was Rodeo.’ The Trippin King Snakes take the stage at the Genoa Bar Porch Party. Food and drink will be available, and it’s a great way to wind down the weekend.

SUNDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

Make this weekend something special. School starts up on Monday and it will be Halloween before we blink an eye. The Carl Howell Memorial Music Festival at Battle Born Harley boasts a full day of live music, vendors, activities and family fun. Bowers Mansion plays host to the annual Bluegrass Festival – bring a picnic and enjoy. Downtown Carson City will see the first of three monthly Beer Crawls; if you get there early, head over to Remedy’s to witness their yearly Bloody Mary Competition. There is something for everyone this weekend, so keep reading and find your fun.

This summer is flying by and the fun is heating up.

The Jazz and Beyond Music Festival has buddied up with something new this year. Today and tomorrow, the Jukebox International Film Festival features fifteen contestants competing in four categories. Youth Theater Carson City and Western Nevada Musical Theater alum, Grant Davis, is back in town to show support for ‘Something Like Summer,’ the Australian musical he stars in. Make sure you’re in McFadden Plaza around 5 p.m. Davis will be performing songs from the movie and music from his debut album on the Third Street Stage.

The Silver Saddle Ranch is always beautiful, but an afternoon filled with live bluegrass and western music, food, and family fun, makes today’s ‘A Day at the Ranch’ your best bet. Beat the heat up at Lake Tahoe as the Annual Ta-Hoe Nalu Paddle Festival wraps up its competition at Kings Beach. Learn some Dutch Oven cooking tips at Mormon Station State Park, just get their before all of their breakfast casserole and bacon bomb samples are gone. Read on for even more things to do.

SUNDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

The valley is alive with the sound of music: the Jazz and Beyond Music Festival, to be specific. Just about everywhere you go, you’ll be treated to something to soothe the soul or get the toes tapping. Get the kids up early for the Young Eagle Flights at the Carson City Airport – they’re free, but you need to be on time for registration. Keep reading and you’ll find a number of ways to enjoy this sunny summer weekend.

SATURDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

• -- Hot August Nights

What to do on a Wednesday? If you travel down this list, you’ll find the new Wheeled Food Wednesdays at the Brewery Arts Center featuring a line-up of local food trucks and family fun. Jazz and Beyond brings you a free outdoor concert with Lake Effect in the Comma Coffee Courtyard. Chris Bayer transforms into Major Ormsby at Dangberg Home Historic Ranch’s Chautauqua tonight. Get on the Highway to the Danger Zone and it will take you to Top Gun on the big screen at Galaxy Theaters.

A jazzy Tuesday has arrived. Catch the Millennial Bugs this evening as they perform in the Comma Coffee Courtyard. Take the kids up to Silver City this morning and they’ll get a chance to explore the Community Garden, learn about the plants and flowers, and participate in an activity. The Deputy Howell Memorial Concert is just a week and a half away. Attend the meeting for volunteers and help this event go off without a hitch.

TUESDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

• -- Hot August Nights

Once upon a time the talented kids of Youth Theater Carson City took to the Community Center stage. You have one last chance to catch their fairytale, ‘Into the Woods, Jr.’ before it heads off to Neverland. The Brewery Arts Center plays host to a plethora of Jazz and Beyond today. Don't miss the final day of hot rods and chrome at the Silver Dollar Car Classic in Mills Park. Exercise your artistic talent and play with some mud at Ogres-Holm Pottery where they will be creating bowls for the upcoming Empty Bowls event.

SUNDAY:

Summer weekends make me wish I had a clone. With all the hustle and bustle in town, there is just no way to do and see it all. Start the day at the Silver Dollar Car Classic and you can get your fill of shiny chrome and breakfast, too; the Kiwanis will be serving up pancakes until 10:30 a.m. The Downtown Carson City Wine Walk has been infiltrated by the Jazz and Beyond Music Festival. Several of the stops will be hosting musicians, in addition to vino.

UPDATE from NDOT: Last leg of Carson City Freeway opens beginning at 10 am today. Be attentive. Anticipate changing traffic patterns.
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It may be a universal truth that kids love helicopters. Alright, everyone loves helicopters. Head to Mills Park for the annual ‘National Night Out’ with the Carson City Sheriff’s Department for free hot dogs, cool equipment, vendors, and more. Take a team of smarty-pants to Fox Brewpub and fight for a place on the DJ Trivia leaderboard. You’ll be whisked to ‘Non-stop New York’ at the Brewery Arts Center during tonight’s Classic Cinema Club film viewing.

TUESDAY:

Wind down the weekend with a bike ride with Muscle Powered, or maybe enjoy a trail on your own. You’ll find morning yoga at Comma Coffee, with another Community Yogi offering at the Carson City Library at noon. If you haven’t had your fill of cotton candy, carnival rides, ponies, and tractor pulls you’ve still got today to enjoy the Carson City Fair at Fuji Park. Kick off those Sunday shoes with a trip to the movie theater. You’ve got two chances to catch the 80’s classic ‘Footloose’ on the big screen today and Wednesday.

SUNDAY:

A sunny summer weekend has arrived and it brings numerous fun ways to seize the day. You can always head out hiking or spend the day at the pool, but the Carson City Fair is just here until Sunday. Farm animals, great exhibits, live entertainment, a carnival, and a bull-riding rodeo can be found at Fuji Park. Park your car at the Super Walmart on Topsy and you’ll be treated to a free shuttle. Go a little bit country at the Brewery Arts Center tonight; they are bringing back the Southern Drawl Band to the Minnesota Street Stage for this week’s free concert.

SATURDAY: