I Love Carson City’s Guide to Nevada Day Weekend 2017

It’s that time again. The Battle Born state celebrates its admission to the United States on the last Friday of October, with the annual Nevada Day parade on Saturday. New this year is a ‘Passport to Downtown’ event on Friday. Also new this year is the one-night-only curated art show, Capital Collage, on Friday night featuring over 20 diverse artists and organizations.

The annual La Ke Lel Be Nevada Day Pow Wow has outgrown its previous venue and can now be found at the new Multi-Purpose Athletic Center. The annual RSVP Carnival in Mills Park starts on Thursday night with one dollar rides, and runs all weekend.

You’ll find all events sorted chronologically by start time. Happy Nevada Day everyone. For Halloween-related events throughout the weekend, check out ‘I Love Carson City’s List of Everything Halloween.’

FRIDAY, Oct. 27:
8:30am-4:30pm - Free Admission to the Nevada State Museum: 600 N. Carson St.

9am-4:30pm - Free Admission to the Nevada State Railroad Museum: 2180 S Carson St.

McKeen Motor Car Rides are available from 10am-4pm. Rides last approximately 20 minutes and depart from the museum grounds. Fares are $8 for ages 12 and over; $4 for museum members and ages 4-11; and FREE for ages 3 and under. Call (775) 687-6953 for more details.

The McKeen Motor Car was built in 1910 for Nevada's very own Virginia & Truckee Railroad. Of the 152 McKeen Motor Cars constructed, the Virginia & Truckee McKeen Motor Car is the only one that is fully restored and operable.

11am-6pm - PASSPORT TO DOWNTOWN: Downtown Carson City has had an amazing summer with world class events and the opening of many new restaurants and businesses. Join the party to check out all that the downtown has to offer and celebrate the success. Get your ‘Passport’ in McFadden Plaza or at a participating downtown business

11am-1pm - Live Radio Remote with KOZZ in McFadden Plaza
11am-4pm - Passport Stamping at Participating Businesses; Street Entertainers all along Carson Street; AND Food for Thought’s Family Fun Center on Proctor Street with bounce house, petting zoo, and more
12pm-6pm - Live Bands and Craft Booths in Arlington Event Center
4:30pm - Raffle in McFadden Plaza: win thousands of dollars in great prizes like Beach Cruisers, jewelry, sports gear, golf packages, unique art and more

1pm-9pm - 32nd Annual RSVP Nevada Day Carnival and Celebration in Mills Park

Activities to include carnival rides, games, as well as food and craft vendors. Wristbands for all-day unlimited rides cost $30. Visit the RSVP booth at Mills Park for a $5 off coupon.

4pm-8pm - The Nevada Day Classic Run/Walk Packet Pick-up and late registration ($40) at the Carson Mall

7pm-11pm - Annual La Ke Lel Be Nevada Day Pow Wow in the Multi-Use Athletic Center, 1860 Russell Way, next to the Boys and Girls Club

The powwow is a celebration of song and dance, as well as the traditional gambling hand game and a horseshoe tournament. Guests can dance Native American style during intertribal songs. Admission is free.

7pm-11pm - Capital Collage at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Nevada: 1870 Russell Way

More than 20 artists and organizations will be included in this one-night-only curated art show featuring all types and styles of art, including aerialists, illustrators, American Indian dancers. Food will be provided by The Lady Tamales and drinks by Shoe Tree Brewing Company. This is a 21 and older event.

$50 per person. Proceeds from the show will serve as a fundraiser to raise money for public art programming in Carson City. Tickets are limited: get tickets online at www.squareup.com/store/nevada-day-inc

SATURDAY, Oct. 28:

6am-11am – Carson Lodge #1 Free and Accepted Mason’s Pancake Breakfast in the dining hall at Carson Lodge #1, 113 E Washington St ,at the corner of Carson and Washington, in the historic V&T Railroad depot; $5

6am-10am - Nevada Builders Alliance Nevada Day Breakfast at Red’s Old 395 Grill: 1055 S. Carson St.
Buffet of pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, coffee, orange juice and hot cocoa; $6

7am-9:30am - Republican Women's Pancake Breakfast at the Governor’s Mansion: 606 Mountain St.

Breakfast includes: pancakes, eggs, ham, orange juice and coffee. Cost is $6 for Adults and $3 for Kids 10 and younger. Proceeds go towards scholarships of $1,000 each to two deserving seniors from Carson and Dayton High Schools.

8am - Hot Air Balloon Launch sponsored by ReMax

Some balloons take off right on Hwy 395, near Stewart Street, others take off from a nearby field. The balloons fly for about an hour and are usually down before the parade even starts. Team RE/MAX flies their signature hot air balloon, along with many other balloons.

8am - The Nevada Day Classic 8K Run, 2 Mile Run/Walk from Telegraph Square to Carson Street, in front of the Nugget

6am-7:30am - Packet Pick-up and same-day registration ($40) on the second floor of the Carson Nugget. Same-day registrants will NOT be officially timed. T-shirts cannot be guaranteed.

The race starts at 8am on the corner of Telegraph and Curry Streets, also known as Telegraph Square, and makes its way through the city’s beautiful historic district. Any extra event T-shirts will be available for $15 after the race starts. Post-race Activities include food and a raffle on the second floor of the Carson Nugget Casino.

More than 400 runners and walkers, many dressed in festive attire, hit the streets of Carson City for the annual Nevada Day Classic. Costumes are encouraged - and the best are rewarded!

The event, organized by the Tahoe Mountain Milers running club and its members in cooperation with many sponsors, has supported many community organizations over the years. This year’s event benefits Guide Dogs for the Blind.

8am-2pm - Second Annual Northern Nevada Fall Fest in the Max Casino Parking Lot: 900 S. Carson St.

This event sponsored by Northern Nevada HotSpot will have vendors for shopping, a kids zone with bounce houses, slides, velcro wall, sumo suits, Zippy Pets, a free kids Halloween craft booth, and more. There will be face painting, (prices vary per activity), raffles, giveaways, and swag bags.

It will also be a collection site for canned food and cold weather necessities for those in need. The Max Casino will have food and cocktails for sale, as well.

8am-6pm – Craft and Downtown Business Fair in the Arlington Event Center, across from the Carson Nugget

8:30am-4:30pm - Free Admission to the Nevada State Museum: 600 N. Carson St.

9am-4:30pm - Free Admission to the Nevada State Railroad Museum: 2180 S Carson St.

McKeen Motor Car Rides are available from 10am-4pm. Rides last approximately 20 minutes and depart from the museum grounds. Fares are $8 for ages 12 and over; $4 for museum members and ages 4-11; and FREE for ages 3 and under. Call (775) 687-6953 for more details.

The McKeen Motor Car was built in 1910 for Nevada's very own Virginia & Truckee Railroad. Of the 152 McKeen Motor Cars constructed, the Virginia & Truckee McKeen Motor Car is the only one that is fully restored and operable.

10am - Flyover of Military Aircraft

10am-2pm - The 79th Nevada Day Parade: 2017 Theme - Arts and Entertainment, an in depth look at Nevada’s diversified Arts and Entertainment Community.

The Parade begins at William Street and N. Carson Street, and ends around 3-4 hours later at the intersection of Stewart St. and S. Carson St., just past the Carson Mall. The parade features marching bands, floats, equestrian groups, political candidates, historical displays, burning man art cars, and so much more.

10am-4pm – Annual Nevada Day Art Exhibition at the Nevada Artists Association Gallery at Carson City's Brewery Arts Center.

The Gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday. This is a judged show that was opened to all Nevada and California artists.

11am-3pm - 42nd Annual Nevada Day World Championship Single Jack Drilling Contest at the Max Casino

Contestants use 4 1/2 pound hammers and a 3/4” bit of steel to drill as deep and as fast as they can in a 4,320 pound piece of Sierra White Granite from the Yosemite area (the hardest known granite in the region). Contestants have 10 minutes to pound the drills into the solid stone, their only help is from an assistant who runs water into the hole so the loose stone chips are splashed out with every stroke of the hammer. The deepest hole wins.

The contest goes back to the Comstock mining skills of earlier times, when blast holes for dynamite were punched into ore bodies by hand. Contestants vie for a chance at a World Champion title, plus a total purse of up to $6,000. The champion receives $2,000, with lower amounts awarded down the line from there.

11am-2am - DurtyNV Arts and Entertainment Halloween Party at the Brewery Arts Center: 449 W. King St.

DürtyNV, working with Roska Entertainment and the Carson City Brewery Arts Center, is supplying an outside social garden with Amplified Sound featuring Carson City, Reno, and out of state DJ artists. Bleachers, seating and a centralized fire pit will be in motion. DJs will move inside into the Brewery Arts Center Black Box after 10pm. Drinks and Full Open Bar will be supplied through the Brewery Arts.

12pm-9pm - Annual La Ke Lel Be Nevada Day Pow Wow in the Multi-Use Athletic Center, 1860 Russell Way, next to the Boys and Girls Club

The second session will be Saturday following the parade with a horseshoe tournament and pow wow events beginning at 2pm. Sign-ups for the tournament are 12pm-1:45pm and there will be no late registrations. There will be a dinner break at 5pm. This wonderful potluck dinner is open for food donations. Some of the best regional dishes can be found during the potluck. Donors are asked make their food available by 5pm. The pow wow with traditional dance continues at 7pm. Admission is free; $20 fee to enter the horseshoe competition.

The powwow is a celebration of song and dance, as well as the traditional gambling hand game and a horseshoe tournament. Guests can dance Native American style during inter-tribal songs.

12pm-2pm - Senator Dean Heller's Chili Feed at the Carson Nugget upstairs Banquet Center

U.S. Senator Dean Heller hosts the annual Chili Feed. Admission is free so arrive early for the popular event! Enjoy free chili with all the fixins. It’s a great opportunity meet old and new friends, plus chat with federal, state, and local leaders.

1pm-9pm - 32nd Annual RSVP Nevada Day Carnival and Celebration in Mills Park

Activities to include carnival rides, Wheelhouse Skate Expo, games, DJ music, as well as food and craft vendors. Wristbands for all-day unlimited rides cost $30. Visit the RSVP booth at Mills Park for a $5 off coupon.

1pm-5pm - Outdoor Art Show at the Carson City Art Gallery: 110 S Curry Street

2pm - Annual Nevada Day Celebration with Live Music by the Trippin King Snakes in Telegraph Square, corner of W. Telegraph and Curry St. (2pm)

2pm - The Nevada Day Beard Contest at McFadden Plaza

There is no entry fee, the contest is open to anyone with a beard, and admission is free to spectators. Award categories include: best overall winner, longest, fullest, reddest, whitest, blackest, best salt and pepper, best groomed, scruffiest, and most bearded community.

2pm-4pm - Governor's Mansion Tour

After the parade, tour the upstairs and downstairs of the home where Nevada’s Governors and their families have lived since 1909 – the current home to Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and his family.

2pm-3pm - “Tribute to the American Red Cross” free concert at the Amphitheater in the Legislative Mall

The Capital City Community Band opens its 40th concert season with a free concert following the parade (weather permitting.) Parents are encouraged to bring their children. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.

2pm-6pm – Brewfest 2017 and DJ Wess Neal in in the Arlington Event Center, across from the Carson Nugget

3pm-8pm - Home Means Nevada: Standing with Vegas Roller Derby Bout at the Marv Teixeira Pavilion in Mills Park: 1111 E. William Street

Come out and support those affected by the tragic shooting in Las Vegas while watching your local roller derby team tear up the track. The Carson Junior Victory Rollers versus the Motown Misfits will begin at 4pm. At 6pm, the Carson Victory Rollers battle the NV East Roller Girls. $15 admission, kids 10 and under free.

All Proceeds will benefit the Las Vegas shooting victims and their families.

SUNDAY, Oct. 29:

8am-1pm – Craft and Downtown Business Fair in the Arlington Event Center, across from the Carson Nugget

10am-1pm – ‘Sunday, Bloody Mary Sunday’ in Arlington Event Center

Several Northern Nevada mixologists will compete for a trophy and bragging rights for the Best Bloody Mary

12pm-6pm - Annual La Ke Lel Be Nevada Day Pow Wow in the Multi-Use Athletic Center, 1860 Russell Way, next to the Boys and Girls Club

The powwow is a celebration of song and dance, as well as the traditional gambling hand game and a horseshoe tournament. Guests can dance Native American style during intertribal songs. Admission is free.

1pm-9pm - 32nd Annual RSVP Nevada Day Carnival and Celebration in Mills Park

Activities to include carnival rides, Wheelhouse Skate Expo, games, DJ music, as well as food and craft vendors. Wristbands for all-day unlimited rides cost $30. Visit the RSVP booth at Mills Park for a $5 off coupon.