Tuesday, July 4: Things to do on Independence Day

‘We hold these truths to be self-evident…’ With those few powerful words, the Declaration of Independence set a few east coast colonies on a path to becoming ‘the land of the free, and the home of the brave.’ Less than 100 years later, the great ‘Battle Born’ state of Nevada would join the fold. Let us celebrate our great country today with family, friends, and neighbors. You’ll find fireworks displays in Carson City, Virginia City, Reno, Sparks, and both the North and South shores of Lake Tahoe. Let the professionals handle the pyrotechnics – personal fireworks are illegal and a wildfire waiting to happen. Happy Independence Day, everyone.

TUESDAY: Independence Day

• -- Freedom 5K Fun Run/Walk and Concert in the Park with the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra at Heritage Park: 1447 Courthouse Alley, Gardnerville (register 7am-7:45am, 5K Run/Walk begins 8am; $20 per person, $10 for active/retired military, discounts for groups of 4+; Patriotic costumes encouraged; 8am Carson Valley Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, $8; Free Kids Obstacle Course 8am; Free Concert begins 11:30am)
• -- Fourth of July Weekend Celebration with the Inyo, V&T Locomotive #25, the McKeen Car and the Glenbrook at the Nevada State Railroad Museum (Parade of Trains 9am; museum open 9am-4:30pm, train runs every half hour 10am-4pm; museum admission $6, under 18 and FNSRM members free; Train Rides 10am-4pm; Unlimited Train Ride wristband $15, $5 kids 4-17, $10 FNSTM members)
• -- Liberty Bell Ringing at the Nevada State Museum (9:30am-11am; join the Battle Born Patriots Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution; Revolutionary War music with the fifes and drums, Reading the Declaration, and ringing the liberty bell for each of the original 13 colonies)
• -- Genoa Americana Festival at Mormon Station Park, Genoa (10am-6pm, free; 10am Kids Parade and Opening Ceremonies; Genoa Volunteer Fire Department Chicken BBQ, 11am until they’re gone - $12; Live Music including a performance from the Carson City Symphony Orchestra at 4:30pm, festivities, five bands, games, old-time jams, raffles, and more; bring low-back chairs/blankets, and towels for the kids)
• -- Annual Fourth of July Festival in Minden Park, Downtown Minden (10am-1pm, free; Music, Kid’s Bike Parade and activities, Free hot dogs/hamburgers/popsicles; Sponsored by the Town of Minden, Model Dairy, and Carson Valley Inn)
• -- $6.50 Movies All Day for Reward Members at Galaxy Theater - Fandango (some restrictions/exclusions apply; apply free online at www.galaxytheaters.com )
• -- Food For Thought’s Free Lunch for Kids at the Bridge Church: 901 N. Stewart AND at Park Terrace Park: 1327 La Loma (11am-12:30pm, weather permitting; open to ages 2-18, no adults; meals must be eaten on site)
• -- All day Happy Hour at Remedy’s Bar (11am-close)
• -- All you can eat Wings at the Fox Brewpub (11am-10pm; $13.95)
• -- Taco Tuesday with the Original Penguin Tacos at the Westside Pour House (11:30am-8pm; $2.59 per taco, while supplies last)
• -- Carson Valley Pops Orchestra presents “A Concert Of Patriotic Songs” in Heritage Park, Gardnerville (11:30am; free)
• -- RSVP’s 25th Annual Fourth of July Celebration and Carnival at Mills Park (Carnival 12pm-10pm; Wheelhouse Skate Expo with giveaways and skate jams 12pm-?; Live Music with the Heidi Incident 4pm-8pm; $5 off coupon for unlimited ride wristband available at the RSVP booth; Live Radio Remote 6pm-9pm and choreographed fireworks soundtrack on Wild 102.9 FM; Fireworks launched from Carson High School approx. 9:30pm)
• -- Fourth of July on the Comstock, Virginia City (Parade 12pm; Comstock Cowboys 2nd Amendment Concert in the Delta Parking Lot 6pm-9pm; Fireworks Spectacular at dusk; Echoing off Mt. Davidson at 6,200 feet elevation, the “kaboom” rocks the old 1850s historic mining community as the fireworks soar high above the town and Six Mile Canyon, making it visible from nearly anywhere in town)
• -- Beach Bash and Fireworks at Commons Beach in Tahoe City, North Lake Tahoe (11am-10pm, free; live music, contests, and more; Fireworks at 9:30pm)
• -- $1 PBR at the Blue Bull
• -- Hot Dog Eating Contest at the Carson Mall (1pm-4pm; Enter in one of four age Categories: KIDS, TEENS, MEN and WOMEN, 2-Round Elimination; Entry fee $2.50, under 18 must have parents OK; Prizes, vendors, watermelon eating contest, grilled hot dogs, music by CW Bayer; Hot Dogs sponsored by Butler Gourmet Meats)
• -- 4th of July Lemonade Social at the Washoe Lake State Park (1pm-2pm; Stop by the Day Use Area and meet a ranger for lemonade and cookies. Ask questions about the park, see samples of park wildlife and pick up brochures and other information on Nevada State Parks; park entrance fee $7 per vehicle, $5 for NV residents)
• -- Star Spangled Sparks Fireworks Spectacular in Victorian Square, Sparks (Street Party 4pm-10pm; Patriotic Bike Parade registration begins 4pm at the 39 North tent on the corner of Victorian Ave. and 10th St – ride begins at 6pm; Fireworks at 9:45pm; no pets, bbqs, or glass containers allowed)
• -- Wine Tasting at Alatte inside the Carson Nugget (5pm-7pm; $6, free for Barrel Room members)
• -- Bike Night at the Spoke Bar and Grill: 3198 N Deer Run Rd (6pm, raffle at 7pm)
• -- Live Music with Hans Eberbach in the Carson Valley Inn Cabaret, Minden (6pm-10pm)
• -- A Food Truck 4th: Fourth of July Fundraiser for the Friends of the Carson City Library at the Carson City Library (doors open 6:30pm, food trucks open at 7pm, fireworks 9:30pm; $15 includes one meal from either Nevada Nosh Food Truck or La Enchalada, Music BINGO, reserved seating to Carson's 4th of July Fireworks and music directly pipped in from our DJ)
• -- Acoustic Tuesday: Live Music with Canyon White at Living the Good Life: 1480 N. Carson (6:30pm-9pm)
• -- Independence Day Celebration: Tacoma Rainiers vs. Reno Aces at Greater NV Field, Downtown Reno (opening pitch 6:35pm; fireworks at dusk)
• -- ARTOWN: Celebrate America and the Reno Philharmonic in Wingfield Park, Downtown Reno (the family friendly performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will end with a fantastic choreographed firework finale at dusk; free; Bring your blankets, chairs and picnic baskets)
• -- Lights on the Lake Fourth of July Fireworks (Fireworks approx. 9:45pm; best viewing at Nevada Beach, Timber Cove Marina, Tallac Historic Site/Baldwin Beach, Edgewood Tahoe, Lakeview Commons/El Dorado Beach; Tune your radio to KRLT-FM 93.9 and KOWL-AM 1490 for a synchronized music broadcast)