dress

Reno and Tahoe are predictable go-tos for New Year’s Eve, but they definitely aren’t the only game around. For plenty of good times but without the drive, read on and discover where to celebrate in Carson City, Dayton, Virginia City, Genoa, and Minden/Gardnerville.

Please be safe, use a designated driver or avail yourself of the following:
AAA TIPSY TOW: 1-800-222-4357 (Free Tow up to 10 miles from 6pm Dec. 31 until 6am Jan. 1 – you do NOT need to be a AAA member.)
CAPITAL CAB: 775-885-0300

Carson City:

It’s a great time to be a business student at Western Nevada College. Changes to WNC’s Business program are providing students with important community contacts, real-world training, marketable skills, online course offerings and the opportunity to transfer to a four-year business program as a junior.

The winter solstice is today: the shortest day and longest night of the year. I’m always happy to hear that because it means longer days are on their way. The holiday frenzy continues, so don’t miss out on those pictures with Santa. Red’s Old 395 will send you off with a complementary 4”x6” photo, and Santa’s Village at the Carson Mall is open all day. See what the great folks of the Carson Visitor Bureau and Nevada Day, LLC are up to at their open house today; from here on out you’ll find all the fun stuff from the Nevada Day Trading Post inside our Visitor’s Center.

Just five days before Christmas, the state of Nevada has ensured something under the tree for hundreds of local children in the Carson City area this year.

I hope you got your fill of naps last weekend because this weekend is chock full of fun to be had for all. You can Wine Walk until you Holiday Crawl downtown. Take your pick of craft shows in town. Kids won’t want to miss the Santa Train at the State Railroad Museum or one of the two performances of ‘The Peanutcracker’ at the Community Center. Whether you’d like to spend the days indoors or out, there is something for all ages in the Carson City area this weekend.

SATURDAY:

• Nevada Artists Association Art Exhibit at the Carson Visitor Center (8am-6pm)

Tonight’s the night! With one flip of the switch all of downtown joins in the Christmas Spirit. The Silver and Snowflakes Festival includes carols, sleigh rides, hot chocolate, and of course, the lighting of the Capitol. Don’t forget to head to the First Presbyterian Church for the Annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser. You’ll get a handmade, hand painted ceramic bowl to keep and lots of yummy food to keep you warm. The talented kids of Wild Horse Children’s Theater hit the stage for opening night of ‘Elf Jr.

Discover the past and present of Washoe Lake State Park, explore the sand dunes by the light of the moon and celebrate winter solstice with a leisurely stargazing hike through the park.

Built to process silver ore from the Comstock mines near Virginia City, the Rock Point Mill was one of the first and largest ore-crushing mills in Nevada. Tour the Rock Point Mill at Dayton State Park and learn how it later became one of 21 mill sites along the Carson River.

Start the day making something beautiful. The Muscle Powered Trash Mob descends upon our new downtown for some clean-up and coffee. Kids will enjoy the Tales and Wags program at the Library where they get to read to therapy dogs and acquire a new book in the process. It’s a Carson/Douglas Army/Navy rivalry as the JROTC programs hit the field at Carson High for a game of flag football. Keep reading and you’re sure to find something that sounds fun.

SATURDAY:

During Operation Desert Storm, Sgt. 1st Class Michael Connell practiced his bagpipes outside every day. He practiced at a Kuwaiti military base, while wearing his kilt, sporran, dress shoes and other traditional Highland dress. He remembers one particular day when a large group of U.S. Marines swarmed around him to listen. Normally, that's when he hears, "What's under your kilt, har har?"

I’m not trying to rush you, but the holidays season approaches. As such, the holiday craft fairs, bazaars, and bake sales have arrived. You may as well start looking at that gift list to see who would enjoy something one-of-a-kind and locally crafted. If not for gift giving, these fairs are an excellent way to find fun ways to decorate your home. Other than that, the weekend is kind of quiet, but you'll want take a look at the list and see what catches your fancy.

SATURDAY:

There is an excellent chance that your devices have already fallen back one hour, but not everything is digitally connected. Daylight savings time is done for the year, and hopefully you’ve enjoyed your extra hour of sleep. Do something good for yourself and enjoy Community Yoga at Comma Coffee or join in the weekly bike ride leaving from Fremont Elementary School this morning. Keep reading, and have a great day.

SUNDAY:

October is behind us and this November weekend kicks off the holiday season with craft fairs, art shows, and plenty of fun. Get a jump on those New Year’s resolutions by participating in the first of the ‘Be Bold, Run in the Cold’ 5 or 10K runs that Ascent Runs is sponsoring. Wine walk your way into autumn in our newly renovated downtown. Have a great weekend, Carson City, and keep reading for all of the local happenings.

SATURDAY:

Happy Friday, Carson City. Today is the last day of early voting, so head to the courthouse today or wait until Tuesday to make your voice heard. Don’t miss the Fine Arts Faire at Carson Mall: several of our local artists would be glad to meet you. Enjoy some live music tonight: Living the Good Life and Glen Eagles are a great place for dinner and some entertainment. It’s the first Friday which means Improv night at Brewery Arts Center. Break a leg to the members of Western Nevada Musical Theater Company. Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ opens its three week run tonight.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will offer Christmas tree cutting permits beginning Monday, Nov. 7, 2016. Permits are $10 each with a limit of two permits per family.

More people will be out on the streets Monday night in Carson City than any other evening of the year as the Nevada state capital prepares to celebrate Halloween night.

Hold onto your broomstick, this weekend is bound to sweep you up in Halloween fun. First you’ll need a pumpkin. The Harvest Train Festival and Pumpkin Patch at the Nevada State Railroad Museum is a good place to start. Take the costumed kids to a Trunk or Treat at Advantage Auto Works off Old Hot Springs Road courtesy of the members of Carson Cruise Meet and Greet. Team up with Mark Twain for a ghostly tour of our haunted downtown or you can choose a shorter tour that’s perfect for families. Keep reading, this is just the tip of the candy corn.

SATURDAY:

Get those costumes ready, the Halloween parties start tonight. Ed’s Doghouse’s party kicks off at 6 p.m. and is celebrating proprietor and namesake’s birthday as well. Jimmy G’s Cigar Bar has DJ Mobeatz and DJ Cillo keeping you on the dance floor. Scaryoke at Whiskey Tavern combines karaoke, beer pong, and drink specials for a super crazy fun time. Body-painter extraordinaire, Lynzie Ruckuer, teams up with DJ Brunch Dizzle for an American Horror Story themed party at Remedy’s.

Recognized as one of a handful of the most haunted towns in the U.S., Virginia City rattles the chains, cages, ballroom floor and railroad tracks for the rest of the month as part of its “Hauntober” celebration, offering up ghostly adventures culminating Oct. 31, Nevada Day and Halloween.

SILVER SPRINGS, Nev. – Enjoy an evening of old-fashioned Halloween fun at Fort Churchill State Historic Park. This family-friendly event will feature a variety of activities including harvest games on the museum lawn, a scavenger hunt around the fort ruins and pumpkin carving and scarecrow building contest.

Restless spirits of the old west haunt the Nevada Northern Railway on the weekly Haunted Ghost Train. Every Saturday in October, this fun train ride with ghost stories, track-side vignettes and spooky spirits is a fun outing for the whole family. Passengers are encouraged to dress in costumes.

Go to www.nnry.com to find out more or to purchase tickets – reservations are suggested as most Haunted Ghost Train rides sell out, and go to the Nevada Northern Railway Museum’s YouTube page to get a sneak peek at the Haunted Ghost Train.

The Carson Valley has some great resale and consignment shops that are willing to buy your gently used items or consign them for you in their shops. These are helpful ideas even if you just want to sell your items at a garage sale or on Facebook or Craigslist.

Carson High School celebrated its first Week of Respect Oct. 3-7. Students and staff participated in daily activities promoting positive interactions to support a safe and respectful learning environment. Highlights of the week included interactive game stations where students gathered in Senator Square and engaged in board games and brain teasers.

It’s Friday, Carson City. Time to shake off the workweek and take a break. The Trippin King Snakes hit the stage at Living the Good Life and will keep you on the dance floor. Capital City Arts Initiative keeps three galleries packed with new and interesting exhibits. Today, they welcome artist Chelsea Pegram to their space on the second floor of the Courthouse: all are welcome to the reception this evening at 5 p.m. The night sky is the topic of today’s program at Washoe Lake State Park; look up after dusk for a chance to catch some shooting stars.

FRIDAY:

Holy smokes, it’s the last day of September! We’ve enjoyed a summer and now it’s time to embrace the pumpkin, scarves, and all things autumn. Enjoy the nice evenings while we have them with an outdoor concert at Living the Good Life or a presentation on the night sky at Washoe Lake State Park. Sassafras is the place for some bluesy Americana with Muddy Boots and the Porch Pounders. Help cheer on our new Wildcats Soccer Team as they take on UC Davis and shout GO BIG BLUE as the CHS Varsity team battles Galena at tonight’s Homecoming football game. Keep reading for all of our local happenings.

The best debate watch party in Northern Nevada will be this Monday night, Sept. 26, in "Alatte" at the Carson Nugget. The doors will open at 5 p.m. and the debate starts at 6 p.m.

Dean DiLullo and his ultra-cool staff have rolled out the red carpet for this first of three Presidential Debate Parties.

Area political figures will be turning out in big numbers for this winner-take-all first debate and the best thing is admission is free. Enjoy draft beers for just a dollar, plus ten inch fully loaded pizzas for just five bucks.

Just like that, the season has changed. Keep a coat handy, Carson City, anything can happen now. Beach weather or blizzard: September keeps us on our toes. Battleborn Harley on Research Way is hosting one heck of a Street Vibrations party: live music, demos, and vendors galore. Swing a club for the Western Nevada College Foundation at Silver Oak Golf Course. Southbound Train arrives at Living the Good Life for an outdoor show, followed by a night of dancing. Uncle Funkle is always a fun time: find them at the Carson Nugget this weekend.

FRIDAY:

Something which might not draw a great deal of attention around CHS is the Senior Sunrise, because how many 17-year-olds want to get up even earlier in the morning than they already have to, especially on a Wednesday knowing full well they will not be able to run home first and shower before school begins. That would be crazy, right.

Hello fellow anglers, fall is only a few days away. Snow was falling at Kirkwood this week. The time of year to bring extra gear such as warm clothing. The temperatures in our surrounding areas can change rapidly.

There’s a reason why the United States Marine Corps chose “Semper Fidelis” as its motto.

A local contingent of the Marine Corps League Silver State Detachment embodied the Latin phrase, meaning “always faithful,” Tuesday afternoon by visiting the Salvation Army Church in South Carson City to honor and pay their respects to the newest members of their distinguished ranks.