Comstock

Looking for some fun? Swing dance lessons for beginners are at El Charro’s. Line Dance lessons are just around the corner at Carson Lanes if you prefer. Meet author Jack Harpster at the Carson City Library. He’ll have copies of his book ‘Lumber Baron of the Comstock Lode: The Life and Times Duane L. Bliss’ for signing after a power point presentation. Enjoy a night at Living the Good Life; they have just started doing a karaoke night every other Tuesday. Feed your inner artist at Lake Tahoe Brewing Company. Art Bar Reno is hosting a painting party there tonight.

TUESDAY:

• One Putt Jr. Academy at Silver Oak Golf Course (7:45am sign in, 8am-10am; $40 per class or $200 for six classes: includes Green Fees, Pull Cart, Golf Clubs, Gatorade; space limited, ages 7-12)
• Coffee and Legislative Briefing with Senator Ben Kieckhefer and Assemblyman P.K. O'Neill in the Silver Oak Executive Conference Center (8am; $5)

Thunderstorms are on the horizon, so seize the day and enjoy the sunshine while it’s here. Muscle Powered has organized a monthly trash mob to help keep our trails clean, join them at US Bank to help out. The Ghost Walk returns: meet behind the Firkin and Fox for some local haunted history. Teens will enjoy a ‘Night at the Library’ with pizza and games. And as always, the Nevada State Railroad Museum beckons: this week with rides on the Steam Train available.

SATURDAY:

• EAA Sierra Chapter #403 Pancake Breakfast at the Chapter Building: 2500 E. College Pkwy (8am; $5; Everyone Welcome)
• Muscle Powered One Hour Trash Mob: located at the south side of East College Parkway near the I-580 overpass where the multi-use path meets the sidewalk. Parking is available at US Bank/Dotty's Casino (8am-9am; Gloves, trash bags, and water will be available)
• Weekly Live Auction at Good Time Auctions: 3579 E Hwy 50, Suite 211 (Preview 8am-3pm; Live Indoor Auction 3pm)

The Comstock History Center Museum in Virginia City will feature a new exhibit beginning Thursday, A Brushwork Roundup: Western Paintings and Drawings by Craig Sheppard. A native of southwestern Oklahoma and former bronco rider in Madison Square Garden, Sheppard was a prime mover in northern Nevada’s cultural community in the years following World War II.

Chautauqua performer Lisa Bommarito will present “The Extraordinary Life of Eilley Orrum Bowers” at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Wednesday August 5, at 6:30 pm.

The event is open to the public and free to attend.

His recently published work, “Lumber Baron of the Comstock Lode”, is a biography of Duane L. Bliss’s life and highlights his early days of lumbering activity during the Comstock period, as well as his involvement in the building of the V & T Railroad.

Happy birthday, America! Today we celebrate our independence, and what better way than with a carnival. You might as well stay at Mills Park all day, the fireworks display starts when it gets dark. Tune into Magic 95.5FM and you’ll hear the choreographed music to go along with the oohs and aaahs. Where ever you choose to watch fireworks, please be safe. There are thousands of visitors in the Northern Nevada area this weekend, and law enforcement will be out in full force.

SATURDAY: Independence Day

• Free Swim for Active and Retired Military at the Carson Hot Springs (7am-10pm; outdoor pools only)
• Freedom 5K Fun Run/Walk and Concert in the Park with the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra at Heritage Park, Gardnerville (5K, $20 per person and family rates, free for active/retired military; register 7am-7:45am; Run/Walk begins 8am, Patriotic costumes encouraged; 8am Carson Valley Lions Club Pancake Breakfast $7; Free Kids Obstacle Course 8am; Free Concert begins 11:30am)

Fourth of July celebrations abound in the Carson City area. Fireworks can be found in Carson City, Reno, Sparks, and at both north and south shore of Lake Tahoe. There are several daytime events going on as well, so grab the kids, friends, and family and have a great Independence Day weekend!

Friday, July 3:
July Third Fireworks and Beach Party at the North Tahoe Events Center on Kings Beach, North Lake Tahoe (4pm-10pm, free; vendors, contests, games, music and more; Fireworks 9:30pm; FRIDAY)

Saturday, July 4:

Carson City:

Bikes, and cars, and brews: oh my! Downtown Carson is awash in activity on Saturday. Battleborn Brews, Bikes, and Bubbly features the Extreme Motor Officer Training Challenge, vendors, a brewfest, moustache competition and more. The Karson Kruzers are hosting their annual car show at Fuji Park, but will be making their way downtown after it’s over, so there will be plenty of cool cars to admire. Mojo Green takes the stage at 7 p.m. and you can head into the Carson Cigar Company to enjoy Reno’s newest Pink Floyd Tribute Band, Scarlett Moon at 9 p.m.

SATURDAY:

• Karson Krusers’ Run Whatcha Brung Car Show at Fuji Park (registration 7am-9am; show and vendors until 6pm; parade to downtown 6pm)
• Youth Theatre Carson City Showstoppers Fundraising Yard Sale on Ophir Circle, off Richmond (8am-3pm; help send them to perform at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)

Hot summer nights in the city are here. Battleborn Brews, Bikes, and Bubbly hits downtown tomorrow, along with Karson Kruser’s Run Whatcha Brung car show, but there is plenty of fun tonight. Head over to Living the Good Life for Salsa night and learn a few new steps. The Reno Rodeo is still in full swing; line dancing at Beercade will get you ready. Test your knowledge at Alatte Coffee and Wine Bar’s Trivia Night. The Dangberg Historical Ranch is hosting the Jug Stompers, so grab a blanket and bring the whole family down for a concert on their lawn.

THURSDAY:

• One Putt Jr. Academy at Silver Oak Golf Course (sign in 7:45am, 8am-10am; $40 per class or $200 for six classes: includes Green Fees, Pull Cart, Golf Clubs, Gatorade; space limited, ages 7-12)
• Industrial Art at the CCAI Gallery in the Courthouse: 885 E. Musser (8am-5pm)

The Capital City Arts Initiative [CCAI] announces its exhibition, Counterpane by artist Emily Silver, at St. Mary's Art Center's Meinecke Gallery from June 27 – August 22, 2015.

CCAI and St. Mary's will host a reception for the artist on Saturday, June 27, 1-4pm including an artist talk at 2pm. St. Mary's Art Center is located at 55 North R Street, Virginia City, Nevada. The reception and the exhibition are free and the public is cordially invited. The gallery is open to the public Thursday – Sunday, 11am – 4pm.

Editor's Note: Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there. Carson Now would also like to extend birthday wishes to Danielle Cook, who puts this calendar together every day for her Facebook site, I Love Carson City and for Carson Now.
The Reno Rodeo is always a good time for the whole family. Or head over to Tahoe Ridge Winery for their CruZin and Cabernet Father’s Day Celebration. Dangberg Ranch, off Highway 88 in Minden, is kicking off their Summer Concert Series with the Nighthawks. Bring a chair or blanket, and the whole family.

SUNDAY: Father’s Day

• Reno Rodeo (Ticket prices range from $12 - $27) and Carnival (12pm-12am) at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center
• Father's Day Brunch sponsored by Carson City Emblem Club #507 at the Elks Club: 515 N. Nevada St. (9am-1pm; $10)
• Flea-Market at Silver State Charter School on Mallory Way (9am-5pm)

The solstice couldn’t come at a better time: we need some long days to get through all the fun stuff Carson City has crammed into one weekend. The annual Powwow at the Stewart Indian School runs Friday through Sunday, so you’ll have plenty of time to see the dancing, peruse the crafts, and eat an Indian Taco. Don’t miss the Fly-in and Open House at the Carson City Airport: fun for the whole family. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of Carson City’s favorite events: the Taste of Downtown. Music, food, and more from Carson Mall to Williams Street. Have a great time, and be safe.

Fourth of July on the Comstock in historic Virginia City, Nev. promises one of the region’s longest firework displays. Echoing off Mt. Davidson at 6,200 feet elevation, the “kaboom” rocks the old 1850s historic mining community as the fireworks soar high above the town and Six Mile Canyon, making it visible from nearly anywhere in town.

I don’t mean to make this hard on you, but you have some decisions to make. All day, all night, all weekend long, there are numerous activities throughout our area. Take a good look at the list, grab your friends, family, and kids, and have a great weekend. The Experimental Aircraft Association is hosting the Ford Tri-Motor this weekend, and has Young Eagles flights for the kids: registration and orientation is at 8 a.m. Head over to Eagle Valley Golf for free family golf day.

Follow the Money: How Nevada’s Comstock Lode Built San Francisco and So Much More will be featured in a lecture on June 25, 6:30 p.m. at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City. This program by Gray Brechin will be enjoyed by anyone interested in Nevada history, art and architecture, Comstock mining, cultural geography, and economics.

While virtually the entire town of Virginia City remains true to its 1850s heritage, today’s visitor is now able to connect with the past through the future with the integration of free Wi-Fi. The “VC Visitor” access provides free 24-hour access with a simple email login for visitors in the business district.

Embracing the area's design and manufacturing community, the Capital City Arts Initiative announces its exhibition, Industrial Art, at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery from June 9 – September 17, 2015.

CCAI will host a reception for the show on Friday, June 12, 5-7pm including a short introduction of the exhibition participants at 5:30pm.

Dayton is dishing up fun this weekend with their annual Oodles of Noodles festival. Sunday features a pet parade, live music, and more. The Sequicentenial of the Civil War will be remembered at the Dayton Cemetery; just take Main Street up the hill and to the left. Street Vibrations Spring Revival roars into Reno this weekend, and Virginia City is sure to have its share of bikers, as well. So please drive carefully.

SUNDAY:
• 14th Annual Oodles of Noodles Cook Off and Festival: Live Entertainment, Pet Parade, Great Food, Vendors and Crafters, Civil War Re-Enactments, Old West Gun Shows, Motorsports and more in Old Town Dayton (Noodle Tasting Saturday Only; Pet Parade at 10am, $5 entry)
• Sundaes on Sunday: Carson City Library’s Grand Opening Sunday in the Secret Garden (2pm-4pm)
• First Sunday Breakfast at the Elks Club: 515 N Nevada (bar opens 7am; 8:30am-11am, $7)

First things first. Saturday afternoon could be expecting some wet weather, so be prepared. I can’t predict what events may be affected by it, or if the rain will even show up. No worries for you wine walkers, though, downtown will be hopping: rain, shine, or blizzard. Head over to Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery and wish them a happy fourth anniversary, Jeffery will be serving up one of his signature Sangrias. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church won best wine walk stop last month and will have live music. Don’t forget to spend some time inside Westside Pour House: ARTistically INKlined pop-up gallery returns and proves that tattoo artists are first, and foremost, artists.

SATURDAY:

• Street Vibrations Spring Rally: Downtown Reno
• Reno Tahoe International Film Festival – go to www.RTIFF.org for schedule and locations
• Sierra Lutheran High School's 13th Annual Golf Classic at the Silver Oaks Golf Course (7am Check-in, Shotgun start at 8am; $125 for a single player or $400 for a team of four)

Embracing the area’s design and manufacturing community, the Capital City Arts Initiative is hosting its exhibition, “Industrial Art,” from June 9 through Sept. 17 at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery.

Here are some photos of the Comstock Arabian Association’s Spring Fiesta Arabian Horse Show held Friday through Sunday at Fuji Park in Carson City.
Go here for more information about this weekend and other shows.

Where was all this sunshine Memorial Day weekend? It’s going to be gorgeous, so make sure to get out and enjoy all the area has to offer. If you need a new hiking buddy, head over to the Nevada Humane Society: all adoption fees are waived this weekend. Enjoy a ride on the Edwards Motor Car at the Nevada Railroad Museum. Swing for a good cause at the Annual Gourmand Golf Scramble at Eagle Valley Golf Course: Charlie Abowd of Adele’s and his cousin, Jerry of the Cracker Box, promise to feed you well.

SUNDAY:

• 21st Gourmand Four-Player Golf Scramble – Fundraiser for Carson City Community Counseling Center at Eagle Valley Golf Course (Breakfast 7:30am, Shotgun Start 9am, Lunch 2pm; $150 per golfer)
• Comstock Spring Fiesta Arabian Horse Show at Fuji Park (8:30am-?)
• Carson City BMX races at the Livermore (Edmonds) Sports Complex (Signups 9am-10am)

The last Friday of May and Carson City is hopping. Catch some comedy at the Carson Nugget, the Sierra Nevada Ballet’s one woman show ‘Fancifool’ at the Brewery Arts Center, or some live music. The Trippin King Snakes are at Sassafras, Mo’z Motley Blues are at Living the Good Life, and Stereo Galaxy is ripping it up at Westside Pour House. I suggest you take a gander at the complete list for all the happenings.

FRIDAY:

• Reno-Tahoe Odyssey (178 mile relay race; begins at Wingfield Park in downtown Reno; legs 25-28 run through Carson City)
• ‘Forevermore’ by artist Su Limbert at the LXS Gallery in the Legislature Building

Interested in learning more about the bankruptcy process? Join us for a free educational seminar at the Ormbsy Room, Carson City Sheriff's Office, 911 Musser St., Carson City. Call 883-0404 to register or if you have any questions. The first workshop will be held Friday, May 29, 2015, 1:30pm-3:30pm.

Would you like to learn more about Wills and Estate Planning? Join us for a free educational seminar at the Comstock History Center, 20 No. E St., Virginia City. This event will be held Wednesday, June 3, 2015, 1:30pm-3:30pm. Call 883-0404 to register or if you have any questions.

John Mackay and William Sharon were the wealthiest of the men to emerge from Nevada’s fabulous Comstock Lode. They were also the most influential. Mackay, who rose from poverty, was the hero of Virginia City, respected by its miners and mine owners, idolized by its children.

Train buffs and dignitaries gathered at the Nevada Rail Road Museum under rainy skies, Saturday for the unveiling of the Glenbrook, a historic locomotive that once hauled lumber from Lake Tahoe sawmills to Spooner Summit.

“Nowhere else can you see an event like this,” said Peter Barton, Administrator of the Division of Museums and History. “We’ve done research before we started restoring, we spent months with historians and researchers. The locomotive has been painstakingly restored, no where else can you find a locomotive that has had so much time spent working on it.”

To find a trail close to home that my wife and I can actually hike is no small thing. Being surrounded by steep mountain ranges means having to do some climbing. For the average area hiker, this is no great feat. But for those with disabilities, trails that are handicapped friendly seem hard to come by.

Applying our local knowledge of the region, and after doing some Internet research, we decided to give the Spooner Lake Trail Loop a try.

Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend in historic Virginia City with the annual Celebration of Heroes Parade Saturday, May 23 at noon. Taking place along C Street, the parade honors the memory of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Bundle up, Carson City. We aren’t afraid of a little wind, are we? The Dangberg Home Historic Ranch is celebrating our infamous Washoe Zephyr this weekend with kite making, demonstrations, and more. The Friends of the Silver Saddle Ranch would love to see you at their open house on Saturday; if you’re an early riser, join them on a 7 a.m. bird walk. The Carson City Sheriff’s Office is hosting their annual Cops and Kids Open House, so head to the courthouse for some fun.

SATURDAY:

• Bird Walk at the Silver Saddle Ranch: Carson River Road (7am)
• EAA Sierra Chapter #403 Pancake Breakfast at the Chapter Building: 2500 E. College Pkwy (8am; $5; Everyone Welcome)

Early in the week of May 3, persons unknown erected a sign near the junction of Main Street, Silver City (Highway 342), with the Truck Route (Highway 341) blaming Comstock Mining Inc., the Storey County Commissioners and the Nevada Department of Transportation for the closure of the highway (342) between Silver City and Gold Hill. Before dawn of the third day afterward, the sign had been obliterated and removed by a second party of persons unknown.