Hot August Nights revs up in Virginia City and Reno with cars, venues and top entertainment

The nation’s largest free nostalgic classic car show, Hot August Nights, returns to Virginia City this weekend and then Reno for 10 days this summer. Capping registrations at 6,000 vehicles 1979 and older, this year’s event offers new venues, expanded reserved ticket options and added entertainment.

Kicking off this Friday and Saturday in historic Virginia City, classic car lovers, owners, and fans are set for Hot August Nights. For two days, 400 classic vehicles 1979 and older descend on the historic mining town just 25 minutes east of Reno.

In Virginia City, attendees and participants can find the historic town’s main street lined with vintage vehicles, setting the stage for a step back in time along with the merchants, saloons, candy shops, restaurants, and old-time photo establishments reminiscent of the town’s heyday.

With car registration for Virginia City sold out, attendees can enjoy a Show-n-Shine on both days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., live music, official merchandise, the Hot August Nights Foundation 50/50 raffle, and more. Each evening concludes with a classic car cruise from 4 to 5 p.m. down C Street, the town’s main drag. For more information on the Virginia City event, go here. To learn more about the historic mining town or book a stay, go to VisitVirginiaCityNV.com.

Then, from Sunday, Aug. 4 through Sunday, Aug. 11, the activity heads to Reno and Sparks at more than 10 venues across the region. Car enthusiasts from around the world can look forward to hot days and nostalgia-filled nights as the event celebrates its 38th year.

the event moves to Reno-Sparks Aug. 4 to 11, 2024, encompassing 10 venues and attracting more than 500,000 spectators throughout the week.

This is the best opportunity for car enthusiasts and music lovers to immerse themselves in the nostalgic celebration with daily show-n-shines, cruises, free entertainment, an auction, swap meet, drag races and awards including the crowning of the 2024 HAN Event Series Grand Champion.

“What began as a small car show 38 years ago is now much more,” Executive Director Deny Dotson, said, “This free event draws thousands of spectators from around the country and beyond. This year we’ve got some exciting developments we hope will resonate with the car community. Hot August Nights is about celebrating our classic car culture and community, with some rock’n roll mixed in, to ensure that our participants and spectators have the very best experience.”

New in 2024, the free nightly entertainment doubles up with headliner performances at the Nugget Events Center in addition to the Grand Sierra Resort. At the Nugget, the all-new Insiders Club offers registered car participants the chance to secure parking space inside the Events Center for the duration of the event and gives owners, friends and family a spectacular vantage point for the nightly concerts with performances by WAR, Hotel California “A Salute to the Eagles”, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Blood Sweat & Tears, entertainment presented by the Nugget Resort Casino and the stage sponsored by Titos Handmade Vodka. For more information on the Insiders Club, visit online. For a full list of entertainment, click here.

Inside Big Boy’s Toy Store sponsored by Summit Racing Equipment is the all-new Indoor Classic Showcase featuring some of the most impressive cars in the country. Sponsored by Maita Motorsports, the Indoor Classic Showcase presents 12 elite and national award-winning vehicles. These pristine cars will be on display at the Reno Events Center Aug. 7 to 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Get a preview of the classics on display and learn about Big Boy’s Toy Store, visit online.

For the first time, the Swap Meet and Outdoor Car Corral takes place at J Resort, the host sponsor for the event. The Swap Meet offers classic cars for sale, hard-to-find parts, tools, memorabilia and collectibles, and so much more offered by hundreds of vendors located just two blocks from the activities in downtown Reno. The Swap Meet is open Aug. 8 to 10 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and admission is $12. For more information, visit online.

Encouraging the pursuit of a passion for cars, the new Youth Automotive Challenge takes place Saturday, Aug. 10 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at J Resort. The challenge, presented by the Hot August Nights Foundation and The J Resort, invites teams of up to four under the age of 21 to showcase their car-related project where they will be judged for design, functionality, creativity, originality and presentation. Teams are competing for their share of $15,000 in vocational scholarships and prizes. Winners are announced Sunday, Aug. 11 at the Grand Finale at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. For details, click here.

Wrapping up the 2024 event is the Grand Finale — the final awards presentation where car participants, spectators and Hot August Nights Volunteer Members will join in celebrating the week with several awards presentations including the Celebrity Choice Awards, Best of Show Awards, Youth Automotive Challenge scholarship recipients and the awarding of the 2024 HAN Event Series winners. These vehicles have earned their spot in the room by winning at a qualifying event, meaning they are the best of the best cars from across the West Coast. The Grand Finale event takes place Sunday, Aug. 11 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. Parking is free, and concessions will be available. For more information, click here.

In addition, America’s largest classic car show continues to bring the nostalgia at full force, including show-n-shines, cruises, Motorsport Auction Group (MAG) Auctions, drag races presented by AMSOIL, a poker run, poker walk and more. For a full schedule of the 10-day event, visit online.

For information about the annual event, visit HotAugustNights.net. Keep up to date with the latest by following on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.