Nevada 150 events lined up statewide throughout April

Many great events are scheduled throughout the Silver State in the month of April to celebrate Nevada’s Sesquicentennial. These Nevada 150 events help celebrate all things Nevada and bring awareness to the state’s 150th Anniversary of Statehood.

Dr. Holly Walton-Buchanan will give a lecture on April 2 at 7:00 p.m. in the Faculty Graduate Room on the 4th floor of the Knowledge Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno. Entitled “Land of the Buckaroo: Historic Ranches of Western Nevada,” the lecture will be based on her new book with the same title. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the University of Nevada Special Collections Department at 77-682-5665, or send an email to specoll@unr.edu to reserve a seat.

The Nevada Assessors Association Spring Conference will be hosted by Churchill County this year on April 3 in Fallon. The meeting is comprised of speakers from throughout Nevada, speaking on topics of taxes, assessment, technology advances and Churchill County’s new businesses. For more information, call 775-428-0245 or e-mail assessor-et@churchillcounty.org.

The House Histories 101 Workshop, held on April 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Nevada Historical Society in Reno, will feature a full-day workshop where participants will learn from research and preservation professionals the techniques used to research a building’s history. Some of the topics include: identifying a home’s architectural style and date, how to identify the past owners and occupants, and determining the community roles, the home’s owners, occupants, architects and builders played. For more information, visit www.historicreno.org or call 775-747-4478.

The Vegas Cultural History: The Golden Age event held on April 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in downtown Las Vegas will feature a variety of speakers who will discuss the cultural history of Las Vegas during the mid-century era, followed by a walking tour of the history of downtown. This event is organized by the Nevada Council for History Education, a state affiliate of the National Council for History Education and non-profit corporation whose Board of Trustees is dedicated to promoting the importance of history in schools and in society. For more information, visit www.nvche.org or call 702-332-3149.

On April 6 the Mesquite Club’s Nevada Sesquicentennial Celebration will take place at the Mesquite Club in Las Vegas. This event will feature five authors speaking about their books on Nevada history and heritage. For more information, visit www.mesquiteclub.com or call 702-648-9415.

Nevada’s original wine event, UNLVino, will celebrate its 40th year of “sipping for scholarship” on April 9 – 12. Founded in 1974, UNLVino is a time-honored epicurean festival that continues Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada’s mission to raise millions of scholarship dollars for UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. The 2014 event will span across four days of extraordinary food and wine events, taking place throughout The Strip and Downtown Las Vegas.  For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.UNLVino.com or call 877-413-VINO (8466).  

The Nevada 150 signature event on April 10, Nevada 150 Past, Present and Future, located at the Las Vegas Northwest Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas, will celebrate Nevada’s 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The event is designed to not only educate students about the achievements of Nevada over the last 150 years, but also to contemplate the challenges the state must overcome in order to become an economic, cultural and educational leader of the nation. For more information, visit http://teacherweb/com/NV/NWCTA/Nevada150/apt1.aspx.

The Halleck Bar Party on April 11 will be held at the Northeastern Nevada Museum in Elko. This year’s event will feature an appearance by Mark Twain and local schoolchildren singing “Home Means Nevada”. The event is held each year to celebrate the gift of a historic, antique bar and back-bar which was given to the museum in 1970. As tradition, a bottle of Beefeater Gin will be served over the bar to guests. For more information, visit www.museumelko.org or call 775-738-3418.

On April 12 from 2 to 3 p.m., the state of Nevada will celebrate the 160th birthday of Helen Stewart, the “First Lady of Las Vegas”. The Helen Stewart Birthday Tea, located at the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort in Las Vegas, will be an opportunity for guests to learn about tea etiquette with Betty Miller from the Mesquite Club. For more information, contact the Friends of the Fort at 702-486-3511 or email friendsofthefort@yahoo.com.

Celebrate Nevada’s mysterious past at the Area 51 Celebration at the 1864 Tavern located at 290 California Avenue in Reno on April 12 at 6:30 p.m. April is the month the u-2 Spy plane started testing in 1955 at Groom Lake. The 1864 Tavern invites everyone to come in and celebrate Nevada’s diverse history. For more information, visit www.1864tavern.com or call 775-329-1864.

The Battle Born WAR (Warrior Amazing Race) is a fun, team-building challenge for employees or families that will take place on April 13 in Stateline. Teams will compete to accomplish various tasks in the South Lake Tahoe area, requiring a combination of physical, mental, and cooperative skills. Participating teams will receive riddles and clues to solve to determine what their next challenge will be. The clues will be based on Nevada history and geography of southeast Tahoe. Proceeds from the event will support the Geroge Whittell High School Boosters Club. For more information, go here or call 775-450-0474.

At 7 p.m. on April 23 the state will learn More on the Lincoln Highway through Nevada. This event will look at the creation of the first transcontinental highway and address the issues around why highway organizers chose the overland stage through central Nevada. The event is held at the Laxalt Theater in the Nelson Building in Reno. This event is a must for those interested in Nevada road history. For more information, visit www.historicreno.org or call 775-747-4478.

The Spring Wings Bird Festival on April 25 and 26 at the Churchill County Fairgrounds in Fallon, is an annual celebration of shorebird and waterfowl migration through the Lahontan Valley. This event introduces the connection between all aspects of the Lahontan Valley, including habitat, wildlife, history, humans and how the community works together to protect and preserve natural resources. For more information, visit www.springwinds.org or call 775-423-5128.

On April 26 and 27 at 7 a.m. the Third Annual Balloon Festival in the Park will launch at the Winnemucca Sports Complex. This race is part of the inaugural Nevada State Balloon Champion Series. This year the event expects up to 20 hot air balloons. Tethered rides will be offered on both days for $5 a person. For more information, email winnemuccaballoons@gmail.com or call Jeremy Crosby at 775-621-6202.

The entire state of Nevada will celebrate National History Day in Nevada on April 26. Nevada History Day is a yearlong educational program that culminates in a national contest each June in Maryland. This event engages students in grades 6-12 in the process of discovery and interpretation of historical topics. These student projects are then evaluated at local, state and national competitions. For more information, visit http://nevadanhd.weebly.com or call 775-322-3900.

The Symphonic Celebration, held on April 27 at 4 p.m., will take place at the Carson City Community Center in Carson City. In celebration of Nevada’s Sesquicentennial and the orchestra’s 30th season, Carson City Symphony Association has commissioned composer Carson Cooman to write a new orchestral work. The concert will also include a performance for violin and orchestra with guest soloist, Andrew Sords. Tickets will be $15 with a $3 discount for students and seniors and free for violin students and youth ages 16 and under. For more information, visit http://ccsymphony.com or call 775-883-4154.

To view all the upcoming events for the Nevada 150 celebration, please visit www.nevada150.org.

ABOUT NEVADA 150
Nevada’s Sesquicentennial, the 150th anniversary of Nevada’s admission to the Union, will provide opportunities for celebration and reflection as we come together statewide to commemorate our shared history and build a foundation of cultural appreciation for generations to come. Nevada’s one of a kind and diverse history will be celebrated throughout the state for an entire year in order to promote pride in the shared heritage of all Nevadans. Nevada’s Sesquicentennial celebration will commence on Nevada Day 2013 and conclude with an expanded Nevada Day celebration October, 2014. For more information, please visit www.nevada150.org.