Hollow Mountain Workshops, Carson City’s newest nonprofit for community connection and alternative education, is inviting Carson City families to take a peek Behind-the-Scenes at some of the community’s most recognizable places this spring.
The series is a part of their 5-week pilot program at the Brewery Arts Center, which offers dozens of workshops in topics ranging from toddler gardening to teen car ownership 101, apocalypse response to zine and collage, and everything in between.
The current Behind-the-Scenes events offer a spooky look with Dark Prison Haunt at the Nevada State Prison, an after-hours tour of the Carson City Sheriff’s Office with Sheriff Ken Furlong and a family-friendly visit to City Hall with Mayor Lori Bagwell. Registration is required for each event at hollowmountainworkshops.org but is free for all participants.
“Kids and teens deserve to see that their community is full of people doing interesting, impactful and creative work, and at times that working families can access,” said Kelsey Penrose, founder and director of Hollow Mountain Workshops. “These tours are about giving families access to places they might not otherwise get to explore, and helping young people imagine where their own curiosity could take them.”
The first event, “Behind the Scenes with Dark Prison Haunt,” is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, from 6 to 7 p.m. The free event will give teens an exclusive look at what it takes to create Northern Nevada’s largest haunted house experience. Participants will tour the Nevada State Prison with the Dark Prison Haunt team as they prepare for their “Halfway to Halloween” event.
The second event, “Behind the Scenes with Sheriff Ken Furlong,” is scheduled for May 19 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Participants will be led on an after-hours tour of the Carson City Sheriff’s Office and offer a look at what it’s like to be a deputy.
The third event, “Behind the Scenes at City Hall with Mayor Lori Bagwell,” is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Carson City City Hall, 201 N. Carson St. Participants will be granted a closer look at local government and the work that happens inside City Hall.
The community tour series comes as Hollow Mountain Workshops launches its five-week pilot program Monday, April 27, at the Brewery Arts Center.
Workshops are held evening and Saturdays for toddlers, kids, teens and families, with offerings in creative writing, gardening, zine-making and collage, car ownership 101 for teens, small business marketing, yoga, potion-making, babysitting, apocalypse response and more.
In addition to creative and practical workshops, Hollow Mountain is tackling the gaps in accessible evening mental health programs by offering wellness groups focused on social-emotional skill building led by licensed therapists.
Scholarship funding is available for Hollow Mountain’s paid workshops (which all carry a flat fee of $40 for regular 1-hour workshops, and $20 for 30-min toddler workshops) thanks to generous community donors who have contributed to the five-week pilot program. Full and partial scholarships are available across age groups and workshop topics.
“Hollow Mountain was built around the idea that cost should not be the thing that keeps kids from learning something practical, creative or confidence-building,” Penrose said. “Our donors are helping make sure more Carson City families can take part from the very beginning.”
Families can view current workshops, register for events and apply for scholarship funding at hollowmountainworkshops.org.
Hollow Mountain Workshops is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in Carson City offering academic, creative, wellness, career and practical-skill workshops for toddlers, kids, teens and families. Workshops are taught by local working professionals, educators, artists, and community leaders with a focus on hands-on learning, real-world mentorship and helping young people connect with their community.
