By Brett Fisher
Following weeks of preparation on the grounds of the Nevada State Capitol and around downtown Carson City, the Silver and Snowflake Festival of Lights flipped the switch on the 2016 holiday season.
Friday night marked the first Christmas for the newly redesigned downtown Carson Street corridor, which was finished right before Nevada Day following almost eight months of construction. The new Carson Street section was on display for visitors and residents enjoying wider sidewalks and shorter crosswalks between William and Fifth streets.
Friday also marked the inaugural holiday season on the new Bob McFadden Plaza — formerly Third Street between Carson and Curry streets — which was completed July 31 as part of the downtown corridor improvement project. Live holiday music was played on the Plaza’s permanent outdoor stage Friday evening following the tree-lighting ceremonies.
In its 28th year, the Silver and Snowflake Festival of Lights did not disappoint, drawing in a crowd of hundreds Friday night to the downtown core at the State Capitol.
Sponsored by the Redevelopment Authority Citizens Committee, this year’s festival featured horse-drawn carriage by the Lake Tahoe-based Borges family and their team of draft horses. Santa Claus and the Grinch made special appearances at the Capitol prior to the tree-lighting, while groups schoolchildren provided holiday caroling music there and around downtown Carson City.
Christmas was illuminated at the Capitol shortly before 6 p.m. Friday evening. Click here for more photos.
A few minutes later, the city Christmas tree lighting ceremony took place on the grounds of the First Presbyterian Church at 306 W. Musser Street, also the site of the annual Carson City Empty Bowls Project holiday fundraiser.
