candy

December has arrived, and all things holidays are on the way. The annual Silver and Snowflakes Tree Lighting Celebration tonight will shut down traffic on Carson City for a little while. Sleigh rides, caroling, the Empty Bowls Soup Fest, and a performance by the Youth Theater Carson City Showstoppers are just some of the planned festivities. Stay downtown for comedy at the Carson Nugget, Improv at the Brewery Arts Center, or a live DJ at Jimmy G’s Cigar Bar and at Battle Born Social. Keep reading, though, that’s just the tip of the Friday happenings iceberg.

FRIDAY:

Today we say goodbye to November, and in just one month we’ll be ringing in the new year. The weekend promises to bring a plethora of fun times to our town, but you can get the party started tonight. Verbal Kint, the acoustic incarnation of Keyser Soze, takes the stage at Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint; get there early for a good seat and great food. Kids will love meeting Santa, singing carols, and watching the fireworks at Gardnerville’s Kickoff to Christmas in Heritage Park this evening.

THURSDAY:

We are days away from a winter wonderland: halls will be decked, and everything will be merry and bright. On Thursday, Gardnerville will flip the switch on its holiday lights, with help from Santa. Friday, the capital city hosts the Silver and Snowflakes Tree Lighting Celebration, as well as the very yummy Empty Bowls Soup Fest. Saturday, in addition to Carson City’s monthly downtown wine walk and the annual Holiday with a Hero Crawl, Minden holds its annual Christmas Parade.

NEW WASHOE CITY, Nev. – December programs at Washoe Lake include a full moon hike, a winter solstice hike, and a Christmas-themed slide presentation. Reservations are required only for the full moon hike.

Tis the season for visits with Santa, holiday twinkle lights, and craft fairs and festivals. In order to make your December planning a little easier, take a look at what is coming up in the Carson City, Carson Valley, Dayton, and Virginia City area. Go deck the halls, get some jingle bells, and wassail away.

Black Friday, small business Saturday, cyber Monday: I didn’t name these, but I can truly get behind Day of Giving Tuesday. Carson City is home to several great charities and non-profits that could use your financial love. Throw a few dollars at your favorite one if you’re able. It’s not warm outside, but a brisk hike will warm you up. Muscle Powered shows off one of Carson City’s great trails every Tuesday afternoon. If you’d rather exercise your brain, DJ Trivia at the Fox Brewpub or the Geeks who Drink Pub Quiz at Sassafras are a great mix of friends and friendly competition.

Let's get this show on the road. The long holiday weekend is behind us, and I hope everyone ate too much. Mondays are a little quiet in our capital city, but that doesn't mean that there is nothing to do. You'll find several changing art exhibits throughout town, so visiting them every few months gives you the chance to experience new art. Monday Night Football is always a fun time to cheer on your team; this week you'll see the Texans and the Ravens battle it out. For family-friendly karaoke, the Fox Brewpub is the place to be.

MONDAY:

The Silver and Snowflakes Festival of Lights annual tree lighting celebration outside the Nevada State Capitol Building in Carson City is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 1. Activities are planned throughout downtown from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and listed below.

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, you’ll see twinkling lights appearing everywhere. Carson City doesn’t light up our downtown until next Friday, but if you need an immediate fix of holiday decorations, Minden has got you covered. Candy Cane Lane at the Carson Valley Inn is a custom outdoor drive-thru Christmas light display. ‘Nevada Christmas’ is a private home on Chaparral Court, just off Stephanie Way, and puts the holly jollies into the holiday.

SUNDAY:      

Once the turkey has been devoured, all thoughts turn toward shopping. Shop Small Saturday helps to throw a spotlight on our local gems, and the great gifts you’ll find. New this year is Museum Store Sunday with both the Nevada State Museum and the Nevada State Railroad Museum participating. Make time for family and friends at the annual Nutcracker Ballet performed by Pinkerton Ballet at the Carson City Community Center. Keep reading and have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

FRIDAY:

The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City has set the dates for its 33rd year of Santa Train and for the second consecutive year, it will be offering special free Santa Trains exclusively for children battling cancer.

Friends to All is dedicated to bringing joy, cheer and friendship to senior citizens in the Carson City community during the holiday season. Since 1999 this group has been working to meet the needs of those with limited financial resources who are home bound or in care centers with little or no family nearby.

On Veterans Day, we take time to honor those men and women that have served in our armed forces. The holiday is observed today, meaning schools and public offices will be closed. Several locations have something special for Veterans this weekend, go HERE for a list of freebies, specials and discounts good today or tomorrow.

The day may start out cold and wet, but nothing can rain on a three-day weekend. Tomorrow we observe Veterans Day, and say thank you to those who have fought for freedom and liberty. It definitely feels like soup weather, so it’s only appropriate that the Carson Chamber of Commerce is hosting one of their ‘Soup’s On’ Lectures.

While you’ll always find a jazz jam at Living the Good Life and karaoke at Caterpillar’s Hookah Lounge on Wednesdays, today offers some special choices. Choose Applebee’s for lunch or dinner and you’ll notice that your server looks suspiciously like a law enforcement officer. The Tip-a-Cop fundraiser benefits the athletes of the Special Olympics. Find some holiday treasures at the Carson City Senior Center. Unique Crafters Holiday Fair in their thrift shop showcases hand-crafted gifts by area seniors. Shoot for the stars at the Elks Hoop Shoot Contest at the Douglas County Community Center.

It’s wintry out there, but if you aren’t afraid of the wind-chill, enjoy a walk along the Linear Ditch Trail with Parks and Recreation. Spaghetti is on the menu at J’s Old Town Bistro in Dayton. You’ll be helping out the Lady Dust Devils Basketball program while enjoying delicious pasta. Join the Carson City Classical Cinema Club for this month’s flick, The Fabulous Dorseys, and make sure you’re there for the trivia portion. Speaking of trivia, Tuesdays are packed with it. Sassafras hosts the Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz and you’ll find DJ Trivia at the Fox Brewpub.

The weekend has ended, but with Veteran’s Day coming up, the next one will be here in just four short days. Get a jump on your week with Motivation Monday at the Adam’s Hub featuring yoga at lunch and community coaching with Diane Hansen. It’s the Lions versus the Packers for tonight’s game; you’ll find it on just about every screen in town, but the buffet at Living the Good Life makes for a great party. Jump, jive, and wail with the High Sierra Swing Dance Club. Their weekly night out includes lessons for beginners and intermediate steps, then a night of dancing to show off your stuff.

Sometime in the middle of the night, we gained an extra hour. Use those sixty minutes any way you’d like: extra time in bed, Community Yoga at Comma Coffee, or maybe doing something fun with the kids. Head out to Tumbleweeds in Minden for Family Fun and Fit Day and let the kids burn off a week’s worth of Halloween candy. The Nevada Artists Association is hosting a reception for their artists this afternoon. If you haven’t seen the new Nevada Show, it’s the perfect time to check it out and vote for your favorite piece.

SUNDAY:

Welcome to the weekend, Carson City. Now that we are in November, thoughts turn to the holiday season. That means craft fairs. St. Paul’s Lutheran Family on Saliman welcomes you to their annual Craftique Open House. You’ll find the Young at Heart Seniors Club hosting a faire at the Douglas County Community Center. The Carson Nugget’s Sierra Room will be home to several artisans, vendors, and crafters during today’s wine walk. There’s quite a bit more, and plenty that doesn’t involve shopping, so take a look and have a great time.

SATURDAY:

The wind yesterday has blown some winter our way. The snow levels aren’t expected to reach Carson City, but stranger things have happened. November is a month filled with holiday craft shows, and it starts now. Check out what the Young at Heart Seniors Club has to offer at their annual show at the Douglas Community Center. Capital City Arts Initiative celebrates 15 years of bringing arts and culture to our valley: help them celebrate at the Adams Hub on Proctor and enjoy their silent auction featuring the works of several local artists.

We’ve got a wine walk weekend coming our way, come rain, snow, or shine. This one could get a little blustery; there’s a storm moving in. I’m just grateful that Mother Nature waited until after the parade and trick-or-treat night to send us some winter.

Welcome to November, Carson City. 2017 is plugging right along: summer is behind us and the holiday season is on its way. Take a breath and enjoy this moment of autumn. Get your dose of jazz at Living the Good Life. This week’s jam is led by Tom Stryker’s Impromptu. The Westside Pour House invites you to their first mid-week karaoke night, and ladies will be treated to drink specials. Caterpillar’s Hookah Lounge brings the boys of J and M Productions into the house every Wednesday for an over 18 karaoke party.

Everywhere you look, we are ready for Halloween: skeletons and cobwebs, pumpkins and monsters, witches and headstones. Tonight is the real deal. There have been several Halloween celebrations already, but nothing beats trick-or-treat night. Get started at the Carson Mall, then head over to the Nevada Humane Society for even more candy. The Downtown Business Association welcomes the costumed kids to their Candy Crawl. But there’s nothing quite like the historic west side when it comes to Halloween.

What a weekend. Now that Nevada Day is over, we can truly focus on Halloween. Take a trip to the hospital: Carson Tahoe is throwing its annual Spooktacular Stroll, complete with candy, prizes, a bounce house, and more. Head up to Virginia City if you’d like some thrills. The Mackay Mansion is open for its second annual haunted house, even though it’s got a reputation for being haunted year-round. Douglas kids will enjoy a Halloween party at the local Minden Library.

Chances are, you’ll need to recover from yesterday a little. Downtown Carson City has you covered with a ‘Sunday, Bloody Mary Sunday’ bloody mary contest in Arlington Square. Get your trick-or-treat on at the Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada or at the historic Wungnema House at the east end of Mills Park. Grand Entrance at the La Ka Lel Be Pow Wow begins at 12 p.m. Its new home at the Multi-purpose Athletic Center (MAC) has let the annual event become even bigger. You’ve got one last chance to get your fill of cotton candy and the Ferris Wheel: the RSVP Nevada Day Carnival closes at 8 p.m.

SUNDAY:

Though the level of library support varies throughout school districts in Nevada, the Carson City School District highly values school libraries as it promotes literacy through funding, a full-time library staff at each school, and certified teacher-librarians at CHS and the middle schools.

Many amazing opportunities are going on in the CHS school library. The CHS Library is piloting the Nevada Teacher-Librarian Evaluation framework and transitioning from a “library” to a collaborative learning commons. 

It’s Nevada Day weekend, and that means the annual parade and festivities will bombard downtown Carson City with thousands of revelers. I made the decision to put all of the parade related events into a separate list for a few reasons: one, this list would be way too long otherwise; two, Halloween fun is plentiful all weekend long; and three, I want my list to be as easy to read as possible. Read on for events throughout Carson City, Carson Valley, Dayton, Silver and Virginia Cities.

Looking for a safe and fun place to bring the kids trick-or-treating this Halloween? Visit Nevada Humane Society in Carson City. On Halloween night, Nevada Humane Society offers safe, indoor trick-or-treating and Halloween fun.

Bring your littlest ghosts and goblins to the Carson Mall for SAFE TRICK or TREAT.
Delicious candy.
Photos.
And, you can still get up to the Governor's Mansion (starts at 5 PM).
Candy from Kimmie Candy, Sparks NV.

Tricks, treats, and fun for all ages is what Halloween is about. You’ll find numerous reasons to don a costume in this year’s list of everything Halloween. Parties for the adult crowd, haunted houses, and trick or treating are just the tip of the broomstick. Everything is listed chronologically by start time. If it is located outside of Carson City, I’ve put the name of the town in bold face.