A to Zen

It might be a blustery Sunday, but the snow isn’t falling yet so enjoy what’s left of our Indian Summer. Whatever you couldn’t cram into Saturday is probably still around: the Aviation Round-up, Italian Festival, and the Outhouse races are still going strong. The Carson City BMX season is coming to an end soon, go check out their races at Livermore Sports Complex. Find some inner peace in the newly renovated Comma Coffee with Community Yoga or a Heart-ful Gong Meditation session. See the full listing below.

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.

This weekend is going to be packed. Vintage Airstreams will line the streets, a wine walk, the Aviation Roundup in Minden, Virginia City’s Outhouse Races, Oktoberfest at Fandango: and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Get a jump on the festivities tonight with plenty of live music, two artists’ receptions, karaoke, comedy, or the Witchcraft and Wizardry Ball at the Boys and Girls Club. Join in solidarity with our famous city to the south by wearing blue and silver today and attending the Candlelight Vigil at the Capitol Building.

FRIDAY:

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:

Rumble, rumble, rumble. Street Vibrations brings quite a bit of traffic to the area, so please drive safely amoungst the swarms of bikes. Battle Born Harley is hosting one heck of a party, so head down there for bikes, brews, and lots of live music. For something quieter, the final weekend of 'Nightfall with Edgar Allen Poe' at the Brewery Arts Center is a great alternative. Funny lady and local favorite, Kat Simmons, is this week's featured performer at Carson Comedy inside the Nugget - stick around downtown and enjoy Southbound Train at the Westside Pour House.

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:

Go Big Blue! It’s Homecoming night for Carson High School; head over to the football field tonight to see the Carson Senators take on the North Valley High Panthers. The Carson Nugget is a hotbed of activity tonight for the over 21 crowd. Catch Johnny Steele at Carson Comedy or flashback to the eighties in ‘The Loft’ as New Wave Craze takes to the stage. Break a leg to the cast of ‘Nightfall with Edgar Allen Poe.’ The Proscenium Players’ newest production opens tonight in the Brewery Arts Center’s Black Box Theater.

FRIDAY:

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:

Autumn is coming. It seems our days of 80+ degree weather is over, but so are rainy days we’ve seen this week. The Carson Aquatic Center welcomes everyone to a ‘Dive-in Movie’ on their new LED screen: Finding Nemo is a perfect flick for the whole family. Funnyman Adam Stone headlines this week’s Carson Comedy inside the Carson Nugget for those needing a good laugh. The Carson Area Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America will gather to honor those who have given their all and have yet to come home during a POW/MIA Recognition Ceremony at the Veterans Memorial on the Capitol Grounds.

As you drive through Carson City today, the flags at half-mast are a somber reminder of the lives lost during the attack on the World Trade Center. If you’d like some time to reflect, the memorial in Mills Park is the perfect setting. Learn how to lend a hand to the next generation during a volunteer workshop at the Senior Citizen’s Center: reading help is needed and the volunteer commitment is only one hour a week. They say laughter is the best medicine, and funny-lady Kat Simmons is the prescription.

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:

One might think that after Labor Day, it starts to get quiet around here. They would be mistaken. September is chock-full of adventure, starting with this weekend’s Virginia City International Camel Races and the Great Reno Balloon Races. You won’t want to miss the last of the Third Street Stage Concerts in McFadden Plaza: Shane Dwight is tonight’s featured performer. It’s the last day to see the Photography and Regular Art Show at the Nevada Artists Association Gallery, they’ll have their new Autumn Show on display Sunday.

FRIDAY:

The great thing about Labor Day weekend is that it just keeps going. The Best in the West Rib Cook-off offers up family fun, live music, and plenty of bar-be-qued delights all the way through Monday. For those with younger kids, consider a day at Mills Park. This is the last weekend for summertime train rides through the cottonwoods. Join Muscle Powered at Silver Saddle Ranch by the Carson River for a bike or hike this morning. Bring water and a camera, you never know what wildlife will make an appearance.

SUNDAY:

Summer is holding on for dear life, and sending a miniature heat wave our way for this long weekend. For those of you not in Black Rock City, the Carson City region offers plenty of recreation and entertainment. Downtown will be hopping with the Farmers Market, monthly Wine Walk, and this season’s last outdoor concert at the Brewery Arts Center – and that’s just Saturday! Keep reading for three days of good times.

SATURDAY:

Labor Day weekend usually signifies the end of summer. Give it one heck of a send-off: the downtown Carson wine walk, rib cook-off in Sparks, Virginia City's Civil War Days, and the Heavenly Days carnival, music festival and car show in South Lake Tahoe are but a few of your options. Tonight, Improv at the Brewery Arts Center will get the belly laughs going. Unwind with some live music at Living the Good Life or some karaoke at the Spoke Bar and Grill. Artisan Gail Rogers is the featured guest at tonight's Carson City Art Gallery reception.

FRIDAY:

Keith Alan Barnett will be performing in his first solo concert in the Zen Den at A to Zen in Carson City on Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 7pm. Tickets are $5.00 at the door and you receive a credit in the store.

A real southern gentleman, Keith was born in Tulsa OK, and grew up in Tulsa, Dallas TX & Atlanta, GA. A guitar player & singer almost his whole life. His influences are varied - from Willie Nelson & the outlaws of the 70s to modern country and rock. His re-imaginings of your old favorites are sure to become your new favorites.

A concert featuring several Northern Nevada musicians will be held Saturday, Sept. 23 from 4 to 9 p.m. on Bob McFadden Plaza in downtown Carson City to benefit the Alzheimer's Association.

In the blink of an eye, a three-day weekend will be here. No need to wait for the Best of the West Rib Cook-off, though – bar-be-que is already on the menu in Sparks’ Victorian Square. Dangberg Historic Home Ranch is hosting the last of its Twilight Concerts of the season, so grab a picnic dinner and the family for some live music in a beautiful setting. You don’t need a motorcycle to enjoy Battle Born Harley Davidson’s Bike Night – their full bar is a fun time, no matter your wheel count.

THURSDAY:

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:

Congrats, Carson kids, you've just about survived the first week of school. Families can celebrate with a concert in Minden Park that will be filled with the music of Credence Clearwater Survival. Adults will enjoy an outdoor concert at Living the Good Life with Mo'z Motley Blues Band - just make sure to wish the proprietress a happy birthday. Fallon might be a few miles away, but their Cantaloupe Festival, Carnival, and Country Fair is sure to make up for the drive with delicious offerings and a fun country tribute concert.

strong>FRIDAY:

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.

Let's kick off the weekend with a street party, or two. The HopeFest Concert at the Carson Tahoe Medical Center is a family friendly celebration. Grab something from a food truck, enter their raffle, and get your groove on. The music doesn't stop when the sun goes down though. You've got your choice of Deception at Living the Good Life, or Mentally Spent on the Third Street Stage in McFadden Plaza. Douglas County has Summerfest in Minden Park: live music, yummy eats, and a come-as-you-are car show sure to get Carson Valley hoppin.

It’s a wine-walking kind of day: join in the thirsty Thursday fun in downtown Gardnerville and stick around for the coffee and dessert after-party in Heritage Park. Sneak in an afternoon musical getaway with No Comprende at the Carson Mall. Take a melodious trip around the world with Tom Green: instruments from all over are the focus of a lecture and concert tonight at the Brewery Arts Center. Keep reading and let Thursday surprise you.

THURSDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

Today, Tuesday we recognize the second year passing of Carson City Sheriff’s Office Deputy Carl Howell. On Saturday, an all-day music lineup featuring nationally recognized artists is expected to draw thousands to Battle Born Harley-Davidson, the site of the inaugural Carl Howell Memorial Music Festival.

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

Summer nights are made to be enjoyed. Grab the kids, a blanket and picnic, and head to the park nearest you. Mills Park in Carson City features its first ever ‘Movie in the Park’ tonight with a showing of ‘Sing’. Gardnerville’s last of the season movie is Disney’s ‘Moana.’ Dancing shoes are recommended, but not required, for this week’s outdoor concert in McFadden Plaza: Musicole begins at 7:30 p.m. Get there early to see the amazing talent in 'We Rock Kidz' on the stage in Comma Coffee's Courtyard. Keep reading for all of today's hot August options.