TOCCATA

Independence Day isn’t until Wednesday, but the red, white, and blue celebration starts now. For a complete listing of upcoming Independence Day events and fireworks displays in the area, you can go HERE. See the trains under steam at the Nevada State Railroad and ride the rails to your heart’s content.

This first weekend of June packs quite a punch: activities and events abound. Head downtown for the first Third and Curry Farmers Market of the season, then wander a few blocks north for Due Sorella’s Spring Vintage Market. You may as well just keep the car parked. With the monthly Wine Walk, Pour for Paws in McFadden Plaza, and Crystal’s Crusade Street Party Fundraiser on W. Telegraph, downtown is the place to be. There are so many options this weekend, so take a gander and enjoy your weekend.

SATURDAY:  

There is absolutely a little bit of everything this weekend. There’s somewhere to volunteer, somewhere to eat some fundraising pancakes, join in an Asian New Year Lion Dance Parade, Beer Crawl in downtown Carson City, and get your Zumba on. I think the eclectic mix of happenings is one of my favorite things about our corner of the world. Whether it’s the International Film Festival, the Vagina Monologues, or telescope viewing at the WNC Observatory: you can’t tell me there is nothing to do.

SATURDAY:

Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus hosts its annual production of Handel's Messiah with performances this weekend in Gardnerville and South Lake Tahoe.

Six years ago, shots rang out and Carson City was thrust into the middle of a tragedy. Four people died in the IHOP shooting, three of them National Guard members. Today, they will be honored again during the annual Remembrance Run. If you are driving along Fairview, please give them some extra room. Wheeled Truck Wednesday at the Brewery Arts Center is a ‘weather permitting’ event, so keep your eye out for rain clouds.

Building on its June “Mozart in the Mountains” Summer MusicFest kickoff series, TOCCATA-Tahoe Symphony Orchestra will continue its 21-concert Summer MusicFest with TOCCATA BOPS, featuring Best of Broadway, Opera hits, Pops and Patriotic selections. Join us at Corpus Christi Church, Wednesday, July 5 at 7:00pm in Carson City (3597 N. Sunridge Dr.).

It’s not the sunny spring weekend many of us were hoping for, but it’s here nonetheless. Start the day at Applebee’s for a Flapjack Fundraiser to benefit the Eagle Valley Middle School Robotics Team. TOCCATA kicks off its 12th season of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion; enjoy free admittance to today’s dress rehearsal at Shepherd of the Sierra Lutheran Church. No matter what your interests, this valley offers something for everyone. Keep reading for this weekend’s options.

SATURDAY:

Welcome to Wednesday, Carson City. The week keeps on rolling along and every day brings some new kind of fun. Kick up your heels at Carson Lanes: Country Line dance lessons tonight. Westside Pour House hosts the Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz each week; it’s a great excuse to grab some friends and fight for bragging rights. The International Air Races in Stead begin today and take flight through Sunday. A special opportunity to fly in a B25 Bomber awaits at the Carson Airport; call for reservations.

While the swinging tones of jazz and more hovered in the air around downtown Carson City Tuesday night, the sweet melodies of Mozart pleased the ears of an audience at Shepherd of the Sierra Lutheran Church in South Carson City.

What a fun Wednesday in store for Carson City. The usual options of Geeks Who Drink Trivia at Westside Pour House, Country Line Dancing at Carson Lanes, and the Farmers Market in McFadden Plaza still apply. Throw in some great music on the veranda at Adele's, a Ukulele Jam at Mormon Station in Genoa, and a Vintage Chevy Meet-up in Virginia City and things get a little more random. Crossroads Lounge is hosting their last Wednesday night karaoke this week; a new night and time will be announced soon. Carson Hot Springs invites all Veterans and Military members to come swim for free today.

The weather may be cooler, but the chili is hot. Head to Glen Eagles for the final day of the Chili competition. Enjoy a picnic and a free concert in Genoa: the Sagebrush Rebellion performs at 5 p.m. If you’re dreaming of snow, then the lecture on legendary Tahoe winters might just get you through the day.

SUNDAY:

• Nevada Artists Association Art Exhibit featuring Pat Holub and Photography by Chas. H. McDonnell, III at the Carson Visitor Center (8am-5pm)

Compared to the last few weekends, Carson City is downright sleepy. That just makes it much easier to get around town and explore. Head to Mills Park for the First Annual Polynesian Festival in the Marv Teixeira Pavillion. Glen Eagles welcomes back the Regional Chili Cook-off this weekend; get your fill of some amazing grub and help raise funds for Honor Flight Nevada. Catch one of last few performances of Wild Horse Children’s Theater’s Aladdin, Jr. Continue reading for other great ways to spend your time.

SATURDAY:

Building on its operatic 11th Anniversary BOPS Celebration series from July, TOCCATA-Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will continue its 21-concert Summer MusicFest with a new series entitled Mozart in the Mountains, including an Aug. 10 performance in Carson City.

Go for broke this Wednesday. Or you could go for Baroque this evening with the Tahoe Symphony at Corpus Christi Church just south of town. Another good bet is karaoke at Crossroads Lounge: it’s in the East Winnie Lane shopping center with San Marcos Grill and Bleu Café. The West Side Cruiser Ride for Bike Month is a sure thing. Meet at the Brewery Art Center, costumes are highly encouraged, and then meander around our beautiful downtown with some other fun people. Living the Good Life wants you to enjoy a music jam; bring your instrument if you want to sit in.

Building on its June Go4Baroque Summer MusicFest kickoff series, TOCCATA will continue its 21-concert Summer MusicFest with TOCCATA BOPS, featuring Best of Broadway, Opera hits, Pops and Patriotic selections.

TOCCATA kicks off its 11th Summer MusicFest with “Go4Baroque - Summer Solstice Series” on Sunday, June 12, 4:00 pm, at St Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Incline Village (341 Village Blvd).

The program opens with Bach’s Concerto in C Minor BWV100, featuring Josue Casillas on flute and Nita Tune, oboe, and continues with Bach’s Cantata BWV 180, Schmücke Dich, with soloists Anna Helwing, Becky Earl and Anne Davidson, sopranos; Brad Perry, tenor; and Emzy Burroughs, baritone.

TOCCATA – Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus continues its Winter MusicFest with the 11th annual presentation of J. S. Bach’s masterpiece The Passion According to St. Matthew. The first concert of the four concert series will take place on Friday, March 18, 7:00 pm, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Carson City (3597 N. Sunridge Drive).

TOCCATA – Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus continues its 11th annual WinterFest with Elizabeth Pitcairn in Concert, performing with the legendary Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius violin.

The program opens with Felix Mendelssohn’s symphonic choral masterpiece Elijah, Part 2, featuring vocal soloists Anna Helwing, Joy Strotz, and Becky Earl, sopranos; Liudmila Mullin, mezzo soprano; Brad Perry and Sherman Modeste, tenor; and Stuart Duke, Chris Nelson and Chris Langton, baritones.

TOCCATA – Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus makes a stop in Carson City for its 11th annual WinterFest with the “Brrroque Masters” concert series Jan. 3, 6, 8 and 10. The concert series is dedicated to the memory of Mark Lord, TOCCATA’s principal trumpet player 2007-2014.

Ready for more snow? Let’s just hope that the clouds clear by tonight because the Geminids Meteor Shower is at its peak tonight and tomorrow. Don your ugliest sweater for the Carson Victory Rollers’ Red and Green Scrimmage, and bring a toy for their Toys for Tots drive. If you haven’t caught Wild Horse Children’s Theaters production of Babes in Toyland yet, grab the kids and get down to the Brewery Arts Center for their final performance.

SUNDAY:

The clock is ticking for last minute shoppers. Luckily, Carson City has great options for everyone on the list. Telegraph Square in downtown will be hopping with a Santa parade, vendors, and a pirate ship, in addition to great shops. The Brewery Arts Center is hosting a weekend-long art sale with one of a kind options throughout the campus. Art is a great gift, and making it is even more fun. Carson City Pottery is holding an open house today; a gift certificate for a pottery class is perfect for all skill levels.

SATURDAY:

TOCCATA - Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus announces its 10th annual production of Handel’s Messiah with performances in five distinct locations, including Carson City. The Reno-Tahoe-Truckee community can continue enjoying the wonderful holiday tradition of TOCCATA’s Messiah production.

Carson City has some great options tonight: live music at Living the Good Life and Glen Eagles, country dance at Carson Lanes, or Geeks who Drink Trivia at Lake Tahoe Brewery. For the more culturally minded, don’t miss the Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus 9/11 Memorial Concert with Guest Artist Elizabeth Pitcairn at the Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Capital City Arts Initiative is proud to present Nicole Nathan, curator at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland, Oregon. Nathan will give an illustrated talk on the role of craft and design in contemporary culture, titled ‘Craft Now’, as part of CCAI’s ongoing Nevada Neighbors Series.

WEDNESDAY:

• National Championship Air Races at the Reno Stead Airport (8am-4:30pm; $16 general admission)
• ‘Wally’s World: The Loneliest Art Collection in Nevada’ in the OXS Gallery at the Nevada Arts Council: 716 N. Carson St. (8am-5pm)

TOCCATA Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will finalize their 2015 Tahoe Summer MusicFest with a concert series beginning Wednesday, September 16, at 7:00 pm, in the Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Carson City (3597 N. Sunridge Drive). The concert series commemorates the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy and features Verdi’s Requiem (selections) and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Guest Artist Elizabeth Pitcairn performing on the legendary Red Stradivarius Violin.

Sundays are a great day to hit up the Carson City Library now that it’s open seven days a week. A viewing of the movie Persepolis begins at 2 p.m. and is about a young girl during the Iran Revolution in the 1970s. Pop-up Storytime is great choice for younger patrons.

The Fair at Fuji Park and the Silver Dollar Classic at Mills Park are still going strong. While you’re at Mills Park, take a ride on the train: rides begin at noon. Genoa is a great place to spend an afternoon. This month’s Sweet Sippin Sunday features Tequila cocktails and music by Carson’s own, Janera Paxton of the Whitehats. Mozart lovers won’t want to miss TOCATTA at the Shepard in the Sky Church for their Mozart in the Mountains concert.

SUNDAY:

• First Sunday Breakfast at the Elks Club: 515 N Nevada (bar opens 7am; 8:30am-11am, $7)
• Back to School at Carson Hot Springs (Free 17 and younger admission per paid adult; outdoor pools only; 7am-10pm)
• 21st Annual Silver Dollar Car Classic at Mills Park (8am-4pm show and shine, music, and vendors; Pancake Breakfast 8am-10:30am; Poker Run 12pm; BBQ 11am-1pm)

I apologize, Carson City. You have some decisions to make. There is quite a bit going on whether you want something family friendly, adults only, indoors, outdoors, or a combination of it all. The weekly Farmers Market at Third and Curry St. is always a good way to start the weekend. Yummy food, a bounce house for the kids, and beautiful flowers are hard to argue with. Keep reading for enough fun to make your head spin!

SATURDAY:

• Back to School at Carson Hot Springs (Free 17 and younger admission per paid adult; outdoor pools only; 7am-10pm)
• 21st Annual Silver Dollar Car Classic at Mills Park (8am-4pm show and shine, music, and vendors; Registration 8am-11am; Pancake Breakfast 8am-10:30am; Judging until 4pm)

Grab your friends and family and head out to Genoa for the last day of the Cowboy Fast Shoot Competition right by the Dake House. Stick around for a concert in the park featuring Dougie L. and the Lost Reverends, but you’ll want to bring a blanket or lawn chair. Chili and Salsa are still at Glen Eagles, so you have a second chance to pick a favorite. It’s your last chance to catch Senior Follies at the Community Center, and the Proscenium Players have a matinee of ‘Murder in an English Manor’ this afternoon, as well.

SUNDAY:

• NAA Exhibit by artist Nancy Clarke at the Carson Visitor Center (8am-5pm)
• Discounted passes for the Nevada State Fair Carnival for sale at the Carson Visitor Bureau: 716 N. Carson St. ($20 for an all-day ride pass; available until July 29; $30 at the fair)
• Carson City BMX races at the Livermore (Edmonds) Sports Complex (Signups 9am-10am; $10)

I hope you’re hungry, Carson City. Hungry and adventurous. The annual Chili Cook-off and Craft Fair hits Glen Eagles this weekend, and there will be plenty to sample. If you need something cold to drink, head to 7-ELEVEN for a free small slushee from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. in celebration of Seven Eleven Day. The Farmers Market is always a good bet on Saturday mornings for sampling all the yummy stuff that grows nearby.

SATURDAY:

• EAA Sierra Chapter #403 Young Eagle Flights (Weather Permitting; open to ages 8-17; registration 8am at the Airport Terminal Building, orientation 8:30am; free) Coffee and Donuts (8am-12pm, all welcome) at 2500 E. College Pkwy
• Garage Sale to benefit CASI (Carson Animal Shelter Initiative) at 611 Marsh Road, located at the end of East Fifth St. (8am-?)

Building on its June “Go for Baroque” kickoff series, TOCCATA-Tahoe Symphony Orchestra will continue its 21-concert Summer MusicFest with a series that celebrates the 10th Anniversary of Tahoe’s own Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

It’s National Eat Your Veggies Day, and if you find yourself in Douglas County, either one of today’s farmers markets will make that an easy and delicious feat. Carson City hosts its own Farmers Market on Third and Curry Streets every Saturday morning until September. Head to the Carson City Library this evening for a presentation on Myanmar by local resident, Raven Grayshield. If you already have all the answers, ‘Geeks Who Drink Trivia’ at Lake Tahoe Brewery might be right for you.

WEDNESDAY:

• ’New Work’ by artist Pasha Rafat at the Nevada Arts Council: 716 N. Carson St. (8am-5pm)
• Industrial Art at the CCAI Gallery in the Courthouse: 885 E. Musser (8am-5pm)