Nevada State Railroad Museum

CARSON CITY — October means the harvest moon and at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, it means the Harvest Train. The museum is hosting its third annual Harvest Train over two weekends in October, with steam train rides, a pumpkin patch, craft fair and food trucks.

There’s more than one way to travel in Nevada, and our railways are the topic at both of Carson City’s museums. Learn about the Glenbrook Steam Engine’s history and what it took to get her back on track at the Nevada Railroad Museum. Steven Drew will lecture on the railroads of Lake Tahoe at the Nevada State Museum tonight. Get in the Street Vibrations mood at Battle Born Harley. A concert featuring Justin Lee, in addition to bikes and brews, will kick off their celebration. Families will want to attend the outdoor movie in McFadden Plaza.

One might think that the end of summer means that the fun times are over: they would be wrong. This list of happenings in the Carson City area isn’t getting any shorter. The annual Genoa Candy Dance is a favorite among locals and visitors alike, and this weekend welcomes the first ever Silver State Arts Festival at Fuji Park, as well. The first ever Community Garage Sale at the Community Center offers one-stop bargain hunting. Swing into the season at the monthly dance party hosted by the High Sierra Swing Dance Club.

SATURDAY:

Sundays can be a lazy day if you prefer, but there’s plenty to do if you’d rather seize the day. There's a Health Energy Fair today from 11 to 4 in Carson City. The pet parade at Dayton Valley Days is free for all participants, so dress up Fido in his best costume and strut your stuff. Head over to the Shoe Tree Brewing Company for an afternoon of good feels. A fundraiser to benefit the family of Iliana Avila, a local girl with an inoperable brain tumor, features great beer, a silent auction, live music, and more. Keep reading for all your Sunday options.

SUNDAY:

Enjoy these September days, it will be blustery and cold before we know it. Celebrate our neighbor to the east during their annual Dayton Valley Days street festival. Tour their museums, pan for gold, and enjoy samples at their Chili cook-off. Downtown Carson is a hotbed of fun tonight with two pub crawls and the Ghost Walk Haunted History Tour. Keep reading for all of the happenings.

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The Nevada State Museum and Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City are teaming up for a day of history about one of the state’s most beloved artifacts and the rail line on which it operated.

Carson City and Carson Valley are featured in a new food-themed road trip itinerary through northern Nevada developed by TravelNevada and Reno Bites, the food event taking place Oct. 9-15 in Reno.

I’m going to suggest that you keep this weekend’s plans flexible. There’s only a chance of rain, but the chance of it showing up at the wrong time is always high. The very early morning is best spent watching the hot air balloons against the Reno skyline, but you’ll probably want a sweater for the pre-dawn chill. Head up the hill to Virginia City this weekend. If you’ve never been to the annual International Camel Races, you’ve been missing out. Keep reading, there’s something for everyone on this list. Find your fun.

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Labor Day commemorates the men and women whose sweat made this such a great country and has been a national holiday since 1894. Celebrate this unofficial end-of-summer with a trip to the lake, a backyard bar-be-que, the parade in Virginia City, or one of the many fun events going on around town. Head over to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church for their annual Inter-faith Potluck Picnic and don’t forget to bring some silverware and something yummy to share.

MONDAY: Labor Day

The great thing about Labor Day weekend is that it just keeps going. The Best in the West Rib Cook-off offers up family fun, live music, and plenty of bar-be-qued delights all the way through Monday. For those with younger kids, consider a day at Mills Park. This is the last weekend for summertime train rides through the cottonwoods. Join Muscle Powered at Silver Saddle Ranch by the Carson River for a bike or hike this morning. Bring water and a camera, you never know what wildlife will make an appearance.

SUNDAY:

Summer is holding on for dear life, and sending a miniature heat wave our way for this long weekend. For those of you not in Black Rock City, the Carson City region offers plenty of recreation and entertainment. Downtown will be hopping with the Farmers Market, monthly Wine Walk, and this season’s last outdoor concert at the Brewery Arts Center – and that’s just Saturday! Keep reading for three days of good times.

SATURDAY:

Weekends fly by way too quickly. Enjoy the last few days of August with a ride to Virginia City aboard the Virginia and Truckee Steam Train. Take a peek inside the historic Wungnema House on the east side of Mills Park, courtesy of the Foundation for Carson City Parks and Recreation. If you are over 21, try your hand at BINGO in the Carson City Senior Center. Even if you aren’t a big winner, the Meals on Wheels program benefits from your afternoon of fun.

SUNDAY:

You’ll see some pretty interesting vehicles on the road these next few days, as travelers from all over head to Burning Man. If you aren’t off to the Playa yourself, there will be plenty of fun around town to keep you and your family occupied. The second annual Family Fun Day in Mills Park is your best bet for kids of all ages. This week’s free concert at Brewery Arts Center features the Dusty Green Bones. Don’t forget your dancing shoes; they’re sure to keep you on your feet.

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The concerts in the Capital Amphitheater have always been a local favorite: blanket and a picnic are all you need to make the most of this Sunday afternoon. Flashback to yesteryear at the Virginia City ‘Way it Was Rodeo.’ The Trippin King Snakes take the stage at the Genoa Bar Porch Party. Food and drink will be available, and it’s a great way to wind down the weekend.

SUNDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

A pair of classic and custom car shows brought out the chrome and reflective paint on dozens of unique rides featured Saturday in Carson City.

Make this weekend something special. School starts up on Monday and it will be Halloween before we blink an eye. The Carl Howell Memorial Music Festival at Battle Born Harley boasts a full day of live music, vendors, activities and family fun. Bowers Mansion plays host to the annual Bluegrass Festival – bring a picnic and enjoy. Downtown Carson City will see the first of three monthly Beer Crawls; if you get there early, head over to Remedy’s to witness their yearly Bloody Mary Competition. There is something for everyone this weekend, so keep reading and find your fun.

The Silver Saddle Ranch is always beautiful, but an afternoon filled with live bluegrass and western music, food, and family fun, makes today’s ‘A Day at the Ranch’ your best bet. Beat the heat up at Lake Tahoe as the Annual Ta-Hoe Nalu Paddle Festival wraps up its competition at Kings Beach. Learn some Dutch Oven cooking tips at Mormon Station State Park, just get their before all of their breakfast casserole and bacon bomb samples are gone. Read on for even more things to do.

SUNDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

The valley is alive with the sound of music: the Jazz and Beyond Music Festival, to be specific. Just about everywhere you go, you’ll be treated to something to soothe the soul or get the toes tapping. Get the kids up early for the Young Eagle Flights at the Carson City Airport – they’re free, but you need to be on time for registration. Keep reading and you’ll find a number of ways to enjoy this sunny summer weekend.

SATURDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

• -- Hot August Nights

It will be a weekend of classics at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, Aug. 19-20 with a mix of music, railroad and automotive history.

Once upon a time the talented kids of Youth Theater Carson City took to the Community Center stage. You have one last chance to catch their fairytale, ‘Into the Woods, Jr.’ before it heads off to Neverland. The Brewery Arts Center plays host to a plethora of Jazz and Beyond today. Don't miss the final day of hot rods and chrome at the Silver Dollar Car Classic in Mills Park. Exercise your artistic talent and play with some mud at Ogres-Holm Pottery where they will be creating bowls for the upcoming Empty Bowls event.

SUNDAY:

Families, including many wide-eyed children, experience heavy equipment and other working vehicles up close at the Touch-a-Truck event held Saturday in the Carson City Library parking lot.

Summer weekends make me wish I had a clone. With all the hustle and bustle in town, there is just no way to do and see it all. Start the day at the Silver Dollar Car Classic and you can get your fill of shiny chrome and breakfast, too; the Kiwanis will be serving up pancakes until 10:30 a.m. The Downtown Carson City Wine Walk has been infiltrated by the Jazz and Beyond Music Festival. Several of the stops will be hosting musicians, in addition to vino.

Wind down the weekend with a bike ride with Muscle Powered, or maybe enjoy a trail on your own. You’ll find morning yoga at Comma Coffee, with another Community Yogi offering at the Carson City Library at noon. If you haven’t had your fill of cotton candy, carnival rides, ponies, and tractor pulls you’ve still got today to enjoy the Carson City Fair at Fuji Park. Kick off those Sunday shoes with a trip to the movie theater. You’ve got two chances to catch the 80’s classic ‘Footloose’ on the big screen today and Wednesday.

SUNDAY:

A sunny summer weekend has arrived and it brings numerous fun ways to seize the day. You can always head out hiking or spend the day at the pool, but the Carson City Fair is just here until Sunday. Farm animals, great exhibits, live entertainment, a carnival, and a bull-riding rodeo can be found at Fuji Park. Park your car at the Super Walmart on Topsy and you’ll be treated to a free shuttle. Go a little bit country at the Brewery Arts Center tonight; they are bringing back the Southern Drawl Band to the Minnesota Street Stage for this week’s free concert.

SATURDAY:

It’s almost like Christmas Day for some of us locals: the long awaited Taste of Downtown has finally arrived. Food, drink, live music, rubbing elbows with friends and neighbors, and a new wine-tasting add-on make this one of the best parties of the year. The morning brings an unparalleled opportunity: you’ve got one chance to walk, run, or bike right down the middle of the freeway before the new bypass is open to vehicle traffic alone. Grab your favorite four-legged friend and head to Adele’s: Dining for Dog Town is a delicious way to help out this amazing rescue organization.

In February of 1870, the sparkling new steam-powered coin press inside the United States Mint in Carson City struck its first coin, a Seated Liberty silver dollar with a crisp CC mint mark.

Take it easy today, that’s what Sundays are for. An afternoon porch party at the historic Genoa Bar combines live music by Deception and slushy rum runners. Dutch oven cooking is a camp-time favorite, and the rangers at Mormon Station State Park will be giving a demonstration on how easy and delicious it can be. They’ll give out samples until the pot runs dry, so get their early for something yummy. Keep reading for more lazy Sunday happenings.

SUNDAY:

What to do, what to do? That’s the question that starts most every weekend. If you’ve got kids, test their mettle at the annual Capitol City Triathlon. Open to kids of all ages, they will bike, run, and swim their way to the finish line. The third annual Sassabration event kicks off with a multi-colored, costume bike parade from the Brewery Arts Center to the celebration at Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint. Multiple bands, vendors, non-profit booths, free swimming at the Carson Hot Springs, not to mention the yummy food and drink available make this a not-to-be-missed festival.

The summer sun offers so many wonderful options: an early morning bike ride, a trip to Virginia City on the historic V and T railroad, or maybe a picnic and some live music in a park. All these and more are available today. Beat the heat with a trip to the movie theater – The Sandlot will take you back in time. The Chili Cook-off and Craft Fair continues at Glen Eagles. The Corvettes have taken over at Michael Hohl. Over 50 members of the Reno Corvette Club are competing for bragging rights and a trophy. Keep reading for even more summer fun.

What are you in the mood for? The Third and Curry Farmers Market is always a great place to start off your weekend. Kids won’t mind getting up early for the Young Eagle airplane flights at the Carson City Airport – they are free of charge for kids 8 – 17, you just need to be on time for registration. The Annual Chili Cook-off returns to Glen Eagles this weekend; with live music, a craft fair, and lots of yummy stuff to eat, raising money for Honor Flight has never tasted so good. Keep reading, there is plenty more in store.

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