What's happening around Carson City this Christmas Eve

Hello Carson City and welcome to Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. Today is Christmas Eve, where kitchens burst with delicious creations and family and friends prepare to gather in fellowship and faith. Last minute shoppers will appreciate that many retailers, including local businesses and art galleries, are open today for those zero-hour Christmas gifts.

And while the weather outside isn't necessarily frightful at the time of this writing, many are hoping to "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" as the song goes. A winter storm will move through the region over Christmas Eve into early Christmas Day bringing moderate snowfall accumulations in the Sierra. Winter Weather advisories have been issued from the Tahoe Basin northward to the Oregon border including the Surprise Valley, Lassen and eastern Plumas counties, and northern Washoe County.

There will likely be periods of intense snowfall rates especially along the cold front during the afternoon and evening hours on Christmas Eve. If traveling to the Sierra, expect periods of extremely limited visibility for the afternoon and evening hours; travel will become hazardous. Remember to check road conditions from NDOT at nvroads.com or CalTrans at quickmap.dot.ca.gov.

Closer to home, there's a chance for snowfall in the Carson City region Monday night into Tuesday. Snow levels will fall behind the cold front to valley floors by early Christmas morning. According to the National Weather Service, light snow amounts between a dusting to as much as 1.5 inches are expected for the valley floors in western Nevada, with snow amounts of up to 4 inches possible above 5,000 feet in western Nevada and along and east of US-395 in Mono County

Here is what's happening today:

— Open Studio Painting at the Brewery Arts Center. Students will work on their own paintings from subject matter they have chosen. The instructor, Mark Tompkins, will work one-on-one with each student to help them complete their project from start to finish. Each student must supply their own materials. Students may choose to paint in either water colors, oils, or acrylic paints. This is an open enrollment drop-in class, no need to sign-up. Tuition: $25 per session or $40 for the day. Classes: 9:00-12:00 or 1:00-4:00; located in the Painting Studio, 449 West King Street.

— Holiday Craft Fair at the Carson Mall. The Carson Mall Craft Fair includes local crafts, toys, clothes, Santa and more! The Fair will run until Christmas Eve from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

— Gift wrapping by the Rainbow Girls Carson Assembly No. 7 at the Carson Mall, 1313 S. Carson Street in Carson City near the north entrance, from 10 a.m. to Noon on Christmas Eve. Donations are accepted in return for the wrapped gifts. Money raised will be used to support the group's annual service projects, which have included supporting the Veterans Guest House, Carson City Animal Services and Alzheimer's organizations.

ONGOING:

— Christmas tree permits available on Carson, Bridgeport ranger districts. Permits to cut Christmas trees on the Carson and Bridgeport Ranger Districts of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest will be available for purchase now through Dec. 25. The U.S. Forest Service Christmas Tree Program is designed for families, businesses, and institutions wishing to cut their own trees for decorating. Christmas tree permits must be purchased in person and are issued on a first-come, first-serve basis for $10 each, with a limit of two trees per household. Permits are nonrefundable and nontransferable, and only valid through Dec. 25, 2018. The Ranger Districts have a limited amount of Christmas tree permits available, and once those allotted permits are sold, no more will be available.

— Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space is currently seeking individuals and pairs interested in leading interpretive programs in one of our many parks and open spaces. Interested individuals and pairs are encouraged to apply. If interested, go here.

— The Capital City Arts Initiative presents its exhibition, Americana with Cadmium Orange, by artist Gig Depio at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Depio is an artist and an advocate for public art in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was awarded the 2016 Fellowship Grant in Painting by the Nevada Arts Council (NAC). He has worked on various exhibitions and projects with the Nevada Museum of Art, Nevada Arts Council’s OXS Gallery, and UNLV Marjorie Barrick Museum, among others. Depio graduated from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines. He lives in Las Vegas with his family. Carson City Courthouse Gallery, 885 E. Musser Street in Carson City.

— Meals on Wheels Carson City will be participating in the 2018 Subaru Share the Love Event as a member of Meals on Wheels America, one of four national Share the Love charitable partners supported through the promotion. From Nov. 15 through Jan. 2, 2019, Subaru of America will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased to the customer's choice of participating charities.
For more information on Meals on Wheels Carson City, email Courtney Warner at CWarner@carson.org, or call the Center at (775) 883-0703. The Carson City Senior Center is located at 911 Beverly Drive in Carson City. Visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/sharethelove for more information on Subaru Share the Love event.

This calendar is updated throughout the day as information becomes available.

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