• Carson Now on Facebook
  • Follow Carson Now on Twitter
  • Follow Carson Now by RSS
  • Follow Carson Now by Email

Revived Virginia City Bonanza Days to benefit Nevada Historical Society

By Andrew Barbano
The inaugural Big Bonanza Days Dinner and Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 5, at Virginia City's newest hotel, the Silverland Inn & Suites.

The Silverland is the major sponsor of the event. Proprietor Hugh Roy Marshall is a longtime amateur Nevada historian. He involved two experienced Nevada business executives in the revival of one of Virginia City's most storied events.

Working with the Silverland, Jim Webster and John O'Brien will bring Bonanza Days back to the Comstock after a hiatus of almost four decades.

"We have long been engaged in the promotion of area special events, including many in Virginia City," Webster said.

"Given the Comstock's ongoing resurgence, this is very timely," he added.

On March 5, the inaugural Big Bonanza Silver Strike Award will be presented to an organization or an individual for outstanding commitment to Nevada historical preservation. No-host cocktails and a silent auction begin at 5:00 p.m., dinner and presentations from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., music and dancing 8 to 10 p.m.

The cost is $50 per person, tables of eight are available for $500. Seating is limited and the Silverland Theater is already almost 75 percent sold.

"We encourage everyone to make reservations now," Webster said.

"We are proud to donate proceeds from the event to the Nevada Historical Society at the University of Nevada, Reno," Marshall announced.

"The society is undergoing serious financial stress and we want to do all we can to help," he stated.

For tickets, major sponsorships and auction donations, contact Webster at (775) 379-4787, e-mail or O'Brien at (775) 224-5838, e-mail

Rooms at the Silverland Inn & Suites are available for $99 plus tax. The hotel will donate $20 from the price of each room to the Nevada Historical Society. Reservations may be made by calling Ann Weaver at (775) 847-4484.

"We are proud to support this event with everything we've got," Marshall said.

With O'Brien, he co-hosts "Tales of Nevada-Past and Present" every Saturday at 1:00 p.m. on KBZZ 1270-am. The program is entirely about Silver State history and may also be heard live online via www.kbzz.com.

The Big Bonanza Days revival is a frequent topic. Nevada Historical Society Interim Executive Director Sheryln Hayes-Zorn was a recent guest. Reno native Neal Cobb, an editorial board member of the new "Nevada in the West" magazine, is a frequent contributor and coordinates the program.

This Saturday, the featured guest will be Arline LaFerry, a docent and researcher at NHS.

"She has been volunteering at the society for many years and really knows her stuff when it comes to geneaology and general research," Hayes-Zorn said.

"She is working on many exciting projects, so the program will be great."

In the 1960's and 1970's, Bonanza Days was headlined by actors from the classic "Bonanza" and "Wagon Train" television series, among many others. The sounds of double jack contests and parades were heard in the venerable mining district. The new Big Bonanza Days may eventually expand to similar areas.

This year's renewal will feature the state's actual history with fond remembrances of its fictional TV history. Fact and fiction merged when the stars came to town.

At random times over the next month, www.BigBonanzaDays.com will post humorous vignettes of past events along with some of the outrageous exaggerations that made the Comstock famous.

For more information and continuous updates, go to www.BigBonanzaDays.com.

Additional highlights will be announced over the next few weeks.

Top Stories

... or see all stories

Earlier this month, Dirk Roper, owner and CEO of Roper’s Heating and Air Conditioning, made the first of many deliveries of the summer of 50 fans to the Carson City Senior Center as part of the KOLOCares 2024 Fan Drive to help Carson City seniors stay cool this summer.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is gearing up for our most popular holiday weekend, the Fourth of July. Tahoe is a cherished place, welcoming to all responsible recreationists of diverse backgrounds, and it is essential that Tahoe visitors and residents alike take care of this spectacular place to protect Tahoe’s environment and improve the Tahoe experience for all.

Here are upcoming Carson City school-related activities and local community partner events.

Nevada’s unemployment rate was unchanged in May and remains at 5.1 percent. The state also saw an increase of 3,800 jobs, including 200 in Carson City, according to the state's Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation's monthly economic report.

This weekend’s Capital City Brewfest checks all the boxes needed to have a great time. Plenty of breweries? Check. Live music in McFadden Plaza? Check. Food trucks, fun raffle prizes and great weather? Check, check, check.

The annual Capital City Brewfest takes place this Saturday, June 22nd, from 3:00 to 8:00 P.M. along Curry Street at McFadden Plaza in Downtown Carson City.

The much-anticipated Carson-Tahoe Home & Garden Show is happening this weekend, featuring an impressive array of vendors offering everything from home improvement services and products to health and beauty services and products, ensuring there is something for everyone. Admission is free to the public.

A recent cyberattack is impacting casino operations at some northern Nevada casinos.

I had a great opportunity to meet and speak with many people last week at the Dini’s Car Show in Yerington, NV. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office continually has a booth at many local events. Our Administrative Assistant Kayla and I worked the booth for the entire day. We entered our armored vehicle into the car show, unfortunately it was not eligible to win any prizes, however it was a hit with the crowd.

A Clark County District Judge dismissed the case against six “fake electors” who signed documentation claiming that former President Trump won Nevada in 2020. President Joe Biden won Nevada with over 33,000 votes in the 2020 election.

According to Clark County district Judge Mary Kay Holthus, prosecutors with the Nevada Attorney General’s office filed the case in the wrong venue by applying it to Southern Nevada, when it should have been brought to Northern Nevada.

The Kid’s Monster Lab is for any anyone ages six through thirteen interested in bringing their imagination to life. In this three-week, six-session class, participants will dream up creatures, critters, and monsters to create with their art, their colors, then finally clay and paint. Classes are led by instructor, Kaleb Wyckoff.

Class is a 6 day series beginning July 9th and continuing every Tuesday and Thursday thru July 25th, from 5 to 6 pm.

Join Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery on July 6th and meet local realist artist R. Fox. New piece will be on display with a very rare sale. One day only, 25% off her artwork.
The show will be held both indoors and in the front yard.
Please, mark your calendars now.

According to RSVP, the lower Centennial Fields as well as Centennial Park Drive will be open to the public to view the Fourth of July fireworks which will be set off from Eagle Valley Golf Course this year instead of Mills Park.

More on that here.

Ready for some weekend warmup fun? Ditch the usual Friday night routine and head down to Mills Park in Carson City as Family Fun Fridays return, promising an exciting way to kick off your weekend. This free, weekly event at Mills Park is the perfect recipe for creating lasting memories, filled with vibrant entertainment, delicious eats, and movies under the stars.

Public invited to art and poetry show inside old Nevada State Prison

Far Beyond the Walls is an unusual exhibition that involves 22 artists, 7 solo exhibitions and 2 group shows. Visual art, poetry and soundscapes will temporarily transform the cell housing, medical and culinary spaces of the historic and recently decommissioned Nevada State Prison at 3301 Warmsprings Court, Carson City, Nevada 89701.

Carson City Supervisor Maurice White has set the Nevada Day Parade in his sights due to their policy disallowing campaigning within the parade.

During the 2022 parade, issues rose to their breaking point after fist fights broke out along the parade route, which turned out to be political in nature.

This Saturday, the Greenhouse Garden Center will celebrate its 50-year anniversary in the capital city.

As part of the celebration, the popular garden and home store will be hosting a customer appreciation day with music, food, vendors, and more.

A concert by Old West Trio and a discussion on Frank Sinatra, wrap up the month of June as part of the Dangberg Summer Festival.

The Menagerie Oddities Market Comes to Mackay Mansion Museum

The extravagant, lauded and inimitable Menagerie Oddities Market, whose credo is, “This Ain't Yer Grannies Craft Fair”, comes to the Mackay Mansion Museum in Virginia City, Nevada on Saturday, June 22, 2024, from 11 am to 7 pm.

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada has scheduled consumer sessions on Tuesday, June 25, to hear public comments regarding NV Energy’s applications to adjust deferred energy rates charged to customers.

This Saturday morning, volunteers will lace up their boots, pull on their gloves, and help protect Lake Tahoe with a few hours of intensely gratifying, land-healing work. Participants can choose from a range of hands-on projects taking place at the Tallac Historic Site on Tahoe’s South Shore.

Come join us in Dayton for "Chapters of Our Life," an original theater presentation based on the real life stories of senior citizens that inspire us to approach life with a joyful attitude.

The Carson City Schools Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce the election of Mr. Jon Hager as the new president. Hager will govern and lead the affairs of the nonprofit organization, which funds programs and projects in the Carson City School District that are not typically covered by the traditional education budget.

Join us for our Intimate Fourth of July Spectacular on July 4, starting at 7 p.m. and ending when the Virginia City fireworks show is finished. This is a truly special annual event in a unique venue away from the crowds, designed to offer a relaxing, tasteful, and festive event with one-of-a-kind views of the fireworks.

The Nevada Humane Society, Carson City branch Pet of the Week is Sugah, a delightful 5-year-old pup whose name perfectly mirrors her sweet and gentle personality.

There is no better place than Lake Tahoe during summer. Clear skies, warm sand, and clean, blue water greet hundreds of thousands of fun-seekers. But it doesn’t stay that way all by itself.

The final counts are in, here are the final unofficial 2024 Primary Election results from Carson City.

Mail-in ballots postmarked by election day were still being counted, which is why results have still been coming in this week. A number of mail-in ballots were also held to be processed after election day to help with voter anonymity, according to Emily Toups, Deputy Clerk of Elections.

Cooler temperatures over the past few days will come to an end as a gradual warming trend takes over for the remainder of the week, with temperatures expected to soar to near 100 around Carson City and surrounding counties by the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Get ready to raise your glass and start dancing when Sierra Roc takes the stage at the Capital City Brewfest this Saturday, June 22 in Downtown Carson City. More than two dozen brewers and several food trucks will line Curry Street at McFadden Plaza from 3 to 8 p.m. Sierra Roc will perform on the Plaza’s stage.

Celebrate the longest day of the year and start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere with safe solar viewing at the Jack C Davis Observatory on Thursday, June 20.

Enjoy a diverse array of musical talents June 22 to August 24, 2024 on the Brewery Arts Center’s brand new outdoor stage for the 8th season of Levitt AMP Carson City Music Series presented by Connections Central.