Carson Valley Days celebrates 111 years with annual parade, activities in Gardnerville and Minden
The summer season is officially underway in Carson Valley this week as the community celebrates its 111th annual Carson Valley Days packed with daily activities for the whole family.
Presented by Carson Valley’s Active 20-20 Club No. 85, events will span the weekend from Thursday, June 10 until Sunday, June 13. All carnival, live music, sporting, and vendor activities will be held in Lampe Park, located on Waterloo Lane. The Facebook event can be found here.
Special Needs Night will be preceding all events on Wednesday, June 9th and welcomes all families with special needs children. More information can be found with Douglas County School staff.
Thursday night will hold the Carnival Buddy Night (buy one ticket, get one free) from 5 to 11 p.m. The carnival on Friday night also opens at 5 p.m. and will feature live music.
Carnival pre-sale tickets are available now at Raley's in Gardnerville, Nevada State Bank in Minden, and Accolades Trophies (located next to Wells Fargo). Pre-sale tickets are good for Friday through Sunday of Carson Valley Days, they are not eligible to be used on Thursday for Buddy Night.
The 76th annual Carson Valley Days Parade will proceed on Saturday with the theme “In a Valley Far Far Away”. Beginning at 9 a.m. the parade will start at Minden Park on Buckeye Road and end at Lampe Park on Waterloo Lane at 11 a.m.
Sign-ups are available now for the Tahoe Youth & Family Services Moving for Recovery 5K run, which will precede the parade. Runners and walkers can sign up at www.100milesforrecovery.com.
Craft and food vendors will open following the conclusion of the parade, in addition to the opening of the carnival at 11 a.m. Children’s events from 12 to 4 p.m. are still to be determined. Live music is planned to be played throughout the day.
A horseshoe tournament will be held at 1:30 p.m. as well as a cornhole tournament beginning at 3 p.m. A 3v3 basketball tournament will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Douglas County Community Center.
A grass volleyball tournament will kick off the last day of events on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Craft and food vendors will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as the Carnival until 5 p.m. The Carson Valley Duck Derby will begin at 1 p.m.
The Carson Valley Days Golf Tournament is scheduled for June 10, from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Carson Valley Golf Course located in Gardnerville. More information and registration can be found here. Applications for vendors and the parade are available online at www.carsonvalley2030.com.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is reminding locals to expect a high volume of traffic within the Minden/Gardnerville town areas. DCSO urges people to use extra precautions when traveling through the towns. If you need to travel across town prior to the parade, please plan ahead.
As a reminder, US Highway 395 from Buckeye Road to Waterloo Lane will be closed on Saturday, June 12, 2021 from approximately 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the Carson Valley Days Parade.
There will be an alternate route clearly marked for motor vehicles passing through south and northbound US Highway 395. All surface streets between Buckeye Road and Waterloo lane will have closed access to US Highway 395. No vehicles will be allowed to park along the parade route, according to a DCSO news release.
For more information regarding the parade, please visit https://www.carsonvalley2030.com/carson-valley-days/
Extra deputies of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will be assigned to several levels of enforcement during the parade and activities following. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Nevada Highway Patrol will both have a presence at the parade, the news release states.
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is asking parade-goers to:
— Please stay out of the road and on the sidewalks as to not interfere with the parade route.
— Maintain possession of your cell phone, wallet and other valuables and don’t leave them in your car.
— Dress for the weather and be cautious of the heat.
— Be courteous and aware of flaggers and Citizen Patrol Volunteers.
— Call for a Ride, Stay Alive
"Not sure if you’ve had too much to drink? Then don’t drive. Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reminds you that law enforcement will be out in full force throughout Douglas County during the Carson Valley Days weekend," according to the news release. "Don’t risk harming others, losing your license, your car and freedom. Plan before you start drinking. Designate a sober driver, call a friend, take cab or do a ride-share app or you’ll be taking a ride straight to jail. Remember: You Drink and Drive. You lose."