Statewide Nevada 150 events held throughout second half of September

Many celebrations are scheduled throughout the Silver State in the month of September. These Nevada 150 events celebrate all things Nevada and help bring awareness to the 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The following events are held Sept. 15 through 30.

In celebration of 150 years of statehood, the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno honors the “Battle Born” state with a significant exhibition detailing the journey toward Oct. 31, 1864. The 36th Star: Nevada’s Journey from Territory to State, on display through Nov. 2, features historic treasures from our nation’s capital, including a special 36-hour Nevada Day Weekend presentation of the original Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln, on loan from the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

The exhibition includes items on loan from the Nevada State Museum, the Nevada State Library and Archives, the Nevada Historical Society, the Library of Congress, Washington D.C., and the National Archives, Washington, D.C. For additional information or please visit www.nevadaart.org/exhibitions/detail?eid=286 or call 775-329-3333.

The Nevada Assessors Association Fall Conference will be hosted by Lander County, Sept. 16-18 in Battle Mountain, NV. The conference is comprised of speakers from throughout the State of Nevada speaking on topics of taxes, assessment, and technology advances. For additional information about the conference please call 775-635-2610.

Nevada’s faith leaders from various traditions will join together to pray for the welfare of Nevada at the Governor’s Mansion in Carson City for the Nevada 150 Multi-Faith Prayer Service on Sept. 17. As a part of Nevada Sesquicentennial Celebrations, this multi-faith Service will include prayers by Christian (various denominations), Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Baha’i, etc., leaders. Members of the Nevada Sesquicentennial Commission will preside over this Nevada 150 Signature Event, which is coordinated by religious statesman Rajan Zed.

The public is welcome to this free event which will start at 5:45 pm at in the Nevada Room of the Nevada Governor’s Mansion. For more information, please contact nevada150prayerservice@gmail.com or call 775-687-0645.

Nevada Volunteers invite you to join them for the 2014 Governor’s Points of Light Awards in Las Vegas to recognize inspiring Nevadans and Nevada organizations on Sept. 18 at Bally’s Hotel and Casino. The ceremony is Nevada’s premier event for recognizing extraordinary volunteer efforts of Nevadans throughout the state. They believe that the spirit of volunteerism in Nevada reflects our history, our culture and our future-a focus of the 150th anniversary. Registration and silent auction will be open from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and the awards ceremony will be from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. For more information or to register please visit nevadavolunteers.org or call 775-772-3134.

Spellbinder 2014 is a corporate team spelling bee, as well as a fundraising event, that will assist the Northern Nevada Literacy Council to continue to provide free GED prep classes and English as a second language to adult learners who want to change their futures. “Happy Birthday, Nevada!” is this year’s theme in honor of Nevada’s Sesquicentennial.

The event will be held on Thursday, Sept. 18, from 5:30 – 9 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows in Reno. Thousands of adults in the Truckee Meadows drop out of school, and NNLC provides a vital second chance by educating them to pass the GED exam so they can get, and keep, a good paying job. For additional information please visit www.nnlc.org or contact the Northern Nevada Literacy Council at 775-356-1007 for more details.

Drinkable Reno’s Epic Craft Beer Dinner will be held Sept. 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Heritage Restaurant in the Whitney Peak Hotel in Downtown Reno. The dinner will combine the local Nevada menu with local Reno beers. The purpose of the dinner is to showcase locally produced food and craft beer and demonstrate that Reno’s craft food and beer movement is a legitimate force in northern Nevada. What better time to demonstrate our State’s progress as a food and beverage culture than to commemorate Nevada’s 150th birthday. For additional information or to purchase tickets please visit www.drinkablereno.com/beerdinner or call 702-927-3084.

McAvoy Layne will perform as Mark Twain for the first time ever in Eureka, NV on Sept. 19. For twenty six years, in over four thousand performances from Leningrad University in Russia to Piper’s opera House in Virginia City and now, at the historic Eureka Opera House. McAvoy Layne has been preeminent, in preserving the wit & wisdom of “The Wild Humorist of the Pacific Slope,” Mark Twain. For more information please visit www.eurekacounty.com or call 775-237-6006.

The Nevada Association of Counties (NACO) is hosting Counties in Nevada’s History an afternoon of stories about counties in Nevada’s history on Sept. 19 in Carson City. Three speakers will be featured to tell stories about the early history of Nevada’s counties. Early Nevada tales will revisit the infamous Bullfrog County, Nevada, small town politics, and pre-hospital emergency care. Join Nevada State Archivist Jeff Kintop, Author Dr. Elwood Schmidt, and former Nevada Treasurer, Legislator, and rural county D.A., Patty Cafferata. For more information please visit www.nvnaco.com or call 775-883-7863.

The 3rd annual Governor’s Conference on Small Business, hosted by the State of Nevada Department of Business and Industry, is a comprehensive small business resource event designed for entrepreneurs seeking to start or grow an existing business. On Sept. 19 conference participants will have the opportunity to hear from industry leaders and experts during six informative and interactive panel discussions and can interface with 100+ service providers, development authorities and government entities at the Business Resource Expo. A luncheon featuring special guest speakers and a keynote address by Governor Brian Sandoval will conclude the conference at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. For more information or to register please visit www.lvchamber.com/gov-conf or call 208-486-0407.

Nevada’s Counties are celebrating the Sesquicentennial with renowned Nevada western singer/songwriter Richard Elloyan. Music, History and Celebration with Nevada’s Counties will be held Sept. 19 in Carson City. Join us on the lawn of the historic Ormsby-Rosser House to hear Richard sing his original songs about the West. The UNR Cadet Band will kick off the evening with their unique rendition of Home Means Nevada. Following Richard’s performance the historic, pre-statehood, building will be opened to the public and refreshments will be served. For more information please visit www.nvnaco.com or call 775-883-7863.

The Walker River Paiute Tribe hosts the Annual Pinenut Blessing on the third weekend in September of each year. The Pinenut Festival Powwow, held Sept. 19 – 20 in Schurz, NV, features the best singers and beautiful songs for the traditional Pinenut Blessing Ceremony. This is a time honored event when Tribal members come home and Indian people from many nations come to partake in the blessed event. There is a full weekend of activities for everyone. The Festival will include a Talent Show, Pow Wow, Fun Run, Kid’s Games, Indian Car Contest and Parade, Horseshoe Contests, Arm Wrestling, Stick Games, and Cradleboard Contest. The traditional Pinenut Blessing and Dance will be held on the Saturday Night of the 3-day celebration. For more information please visit facebook.com/WRPinenutFestivalPowWow or call 775-773-2266.

Nevada State Parks is embracing the Nevada Sesquicentennial through several special events in every corner of our state. One of the agency’s primary celebrations is the culmination of the statewide State Parks Dutch Oven Cook-Off. This finale will be held on Saturday, Sept. 20 at Cathedral Gorge State Park in Panaca, NV. For additional information please visit www.parks.nv.gov or call 775-687-2704.

The Out-Fit Challenge is the nation’s first-ever national 5K mud run/obstacle race geared toward the LGBT community, but open to all. Started in New York in 2013, the race is coming to Reno on Sept. 20. Reno was chosen by event organizers as one of only four US cities in which the race will be hosted: New York City, Reno, Boston, and San Francisco. For additional information or to register please visit www.out-fitchallenge.com or call 775-348-1818.

The Edible Pedal 100, Sept. 21, is a recreational and challenging bike ride that showcases Nevada and features outstanding locally sourced food and beverages at the five rest stops and a post ride barbecue. The race includes a leisurely 10-mile route through picturesque Washoe Valley - great for families and cyclists seeking a taste of an organized ride, a respectable 50-mile loop includes a trek along bucolic country drives through Carson City and Genoa, some climbing. In honor of Nevada’s Sesquicentennial the challenging Nevada 150K ride will feature a lung-searing, thigh-burning, climb up Kingsbury Grade from Carson Valley to Lake Tahoe. Proceeds from the race benefit community youth programs in the Northern Nevada. All races begin and end at historic Bowers Mansion and go through picturesque Washoe and Carson Valleys. For more information and to register please visit www.ediblepedal100.org or call 775 393-9158.

Come celebrate the Tahoe Rim Trail’s 33 year history with fellow Nevadans in Reno! Celebrating 33 years of the Tahoe Rim Trail, held Sept. 22, features the Tahoe Rim Trail Association’s long-standing history in Nevada, honor & remember the grand opening of the 165-mile loop in 2001 and highlight the current state of the trail! We’ll also be celebrating our 2nd Annual Tahoe Rim Trail Challenge as we recognize our 2014 Tahoe Rim Trail Challenge sponsors. For more information please visit www.tahoerimtrail.org or call 775-298-4485.
The 55th Annual Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities conference, Sept. 23-25, will be co-hosted by the City of North Las Vegas and the City of Las Vegas. In honor of Nevada’s Sesquicentennial Celebration the theme for this year’s conference will be “150 Years of Service.” For more information and to register please visit www.nvleague.org or call 775-882-2121.

Empty Bowls is the Community Food Pantry’s (CFP) largest fundraiser and will be held Sept. 24 in Reno. In 2013 the CFP fed 30,000 food insecure people in the greater Reno Sparks area. In addition to this event serving as a fundraiser for the CFP, it strives to bring community members together to raise awareness of hunger issues and community service in Northern Nevada. This event consists of a simple soup and salad dinner, and attendees can bid on beautiful bowls that have been painted by members of the community at the Playful Potter in Sparks. For more information please visit http://stpaulssparks.org/food-pantry/  or call 775-762-1773.

Harold’s Club or Bust is a historic presentation held Sept. 25 on by Steve Ellison. Ellison, is the filmmaker that is creating the forthcoming documentary, “Harold’s Club.” Join in on this presentation which details the history of this groundbreaking and pioneering club, and why we should appreciate its significance. For a preview of some of the pictures that may be shared and discussed, you can see the Harold’s Club Movie Facebook page www.facebook.com/HaroldsClubMovie. For additional information please visit www.washoecountylibrary.us or call 775-327-8360.

The Inaugural Nevada State Balloon Champion series continues at the Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival Sept. 25 – 28 in scenic Spring Creek, NV. The balloon festival has about thirty five balloons coming from Nevada, California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Arizona. All events of the Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival are free to the general public and made possible through the generous sponsorship of several local businesses and individuals. The promoter of the event, Ruby Mountain Hot Air Inc., is a nonprofit, all volunteer organization with a primary function of implementing the annual Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival.  For further information on the Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival, please visit our website at www.rubymountainballoonfestival.com.

Celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of fall with Pahrump Fall Festival parade down Highway 160, carnival rides, rodeo and food & drink. A longstanding Pahrump tradition, the annual fall festival held Sept. 25 – 28, also features over a hundred vendors, 4-H booths and live music. Admission to the festival is complimentary, rodeo and carnival tickets may be purchased at the festival. For more information please visit www.visitpahrump.com/events/fall-festival or call 775-751-6853.

The annual Pahrump Fall Festival Parade goes down Highway 160 and this year’s theme is Nevada’s Sesquicentennial. On the Saturday, Sept. 27 Pahrump stops to admire the Festival parade. Traffic comes to a stop on Highway 160 as the annual parade travels down the highway for about 2 miles with over 50 floats. Hundreds stand and watch the high school marching band and the various floats slowly march down the town’s main highway. For more information please visit www.visitpahrump.com/events/fall-festival or call 775-209-3824.

The Nevada Women’s History Project and Lady Carolyn present 150 Years of Fashionable History on Sept. 27 in Reno. Segments of history will be explored through vignettes of historic Nevada families in the appropriate fashions for those years. Enjoy the outdoor setting of San Rafael Park – box lunch to be included. For more information please visit www.nevadawomen.org or call 775-826-3612.

This marks the 94th consecutive year that the Town of Genoa has put on the Candy Dance and the 40th anniversary of the arts and crafts faire. The 2-day event, Sept. 27-28, includes over 300 arts and crafts booths, food booths and children’s activity area. The tradition of making and selling “handmade” candy as well as the Saturday evening dinner dance is still running strong after 94 years.  For additional information please visit www.genoanevada.org or call 775-782-8696.

After a 10 year, $1 million restoration, the 1866 Gothic-style former St. Augustine’s church will re-open as a Cultural Center in this historic mining town of Austin, NV. St. Augustine’s Cultural Center Architectural Salvage & Dedication Celebration is an all-day celebration, Sept. 27 that will feature an architectural salvage sale, workshop on the only known fully intact Henry Kilgen 9 rank pipe organ, history presentations, food and tours. For more information please visit www.goaustinnevada.com/staug or call 775-964-1100.

We drive by these distinguished homes all the time but this fall provides the opportunity to step inside five of these Reno beauties at the Historic Reno Preservation Society’s 5th annual Reno Harvest of Homes Tour on Saturday, Sept. 27. Homes range from a grand mansion to a stone cottage that seems to arise from a fairy tale. Four are located in Old Southwest Reno and one charmer highlights the lovely homes in the Wells Avenue Conservation District. The houses were selected for their beauty, significance and unique interiors. For more information please visit www.historicrreno.com or call 775-747-4478.

Three Nevada chapters of E Clampus Vitus will be unveiling a plaque of historical significance at the Belmont Courthouse. The Belmont Courthouse Plaque Unveiling will celebrate the rich history of the area on Sept. 27 in Belmont, NV. Three chapters from around the State are gathering to install this plaque to mark Nevada’s sesquicentennial. For more information please visit call 775-530-6985.

Key components of Galena Fest 2014 include the Bloody Rose mountain bike climb to Relay Peak and the Wicked Thorn 7.25 mile trail running race. On Sept. 27 these competitive races will offer strenuous routes through the Mt. Rose corridor along single-track trails, with the Bloody Rose finishing at over 10,000 feet on Relay Peak overlooking Lake Tahoe.

The Wicked Thorn winds through the beautiful Galena forest and finishes in Galena Park. The festival atmosphere includes food vendors, a beer and beverage terrace featuring local favorites, and live music. Galena Fest, Inc. is a non-profit organization which works to restore, establish, expand and enhance outdoor recreational resources in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. For more information visit renogalenafest.com.

Head out to Clark County Fairgrounds for the Dirty Nasty Mud Race on Saturday, Sept. 27 in Logandale, NV. This family friendly event features; 9 different mud race classes, a tractor tire pull and an auto swap meet. This is a Southern Nevada Mud Racers benefit race for the Moapa Valley Volunteer Fire & Rescue Stations. For additional information please visit www.awesomeadventuresnews.com or call 702-279-1040.

The Washoe County Library System and the Historic Reno Preservation Society present Reno’s Dark Underbelly of Prostitution and Drugs from 1900 through the 1950s, Sept. 28. Michael Fischer, former Director of Nevada’s Department of Cultural Affairs, will talk about the history of prostitution and narcotics traffic in Reno during the first half of the century, including historic photos of Reno’s colorful past. For more information or please visit www.washoecountylibrary.us or call 775-327-8300.

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 commenced on Nevada Day 2013 and concludes with an expanded Nevada Day celebration October 2014. For more information, please visit www.Nevada150.org.