Hot August Nights, outdoor concerts, park history walks and more: Carson City region in store for eventful weekend

Heading into the weekend, there’s a bevy of activities around the Carson City region over the next three days, including Hot August Nights Kickoff Rallies in Virginia City, history walks at Mormon Station Park, pickleball at the Carson City MAC, concerts at the Brewery Arts Center and TJ’s Corral, a Muscle Powered Sunday morning bike ride and more!

Do you have an event or happening you'd like people to know about? Tell us about it by clicking here, filling out the details and we'll tell Carson City area readers about your event or happening. Not seeing your event you wish to promote? You can also submit the relevant information, also known as the "5Ws and How” to editor@carsonow.org. We will update this calendar as submissions are made.

Here's what's happening over the next three days:

Friday, August 2

— Hot August Nights Kickoff Rally in Virginia City. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 86 South C Street. Step back in time to revel in the sights and sounds of yesteryear. The region’s most prominent classic car gathering, Hot August Nights, kicks off in Virginia City. The town comes alive with rumbling engines and nostalgic tunes to kick off the event’s 33rd year. Walk the historic streets to see an array of cars and enjoy free, daily entertainment. As the host venue for the official kick-off, it’s sure to be a party with free live music, a poker walk, nightly cruises and a celebrity Show-n-Shine.

— Event in Carson City to highlight infant nutrition, Breastfeeding Awareness Week (all day). 401 S. Carson Street. August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Breast milk provides the ideal nutrition for infants. It has nearly perfect mix of vitamins, protein and fat — everything your baby needs to grow. Breast milk contains antibodies that help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria. Come join us in Carson City this Friday, August 2, for the 10th annual LATCH ON Breastfeeding event.

— Park History Walk at Mormon Station Park. 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. There’s far more to Mormon Station than meets the eye! Join Park Ranger fora “behind the scenes” guided tour of the grounds of Mormon Station State Historic Park, and learn about the fascinating history of this four-acre parcel of land. Participants will also tour park structures that are normally closed to the public.

— Experience Virtual Reality at the Carson City Library. 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at 900 N. Roop Street. Join us to experience Virtual Reality! Using the latest technology, Virtual Reality allows you to experience new places and situations in a computer simulated world. Discover what it’s like to see dinosaurs up close, view art from around the world in a single museum, or blast alien ships in a virtual world. Must be at least 13 years or old to participate. A Premier Library Card is required to attend. Reserve your spot online. For questions about the Virtual Reality room call 775-283-7595 or email ereinhart@carson.org.

— Concert in the Park featuring Garratt Wilkin and the Parrotheads. 6 to 8 p.m. at Minden Park, 1610 Esmeralda Ave. Welcome Back Garratt Wilkin & the Parrotheads (a Jimmy Buffett tribute band) to the 2019 GE Family Concert Series “Concerts in the Park” at Minden Park on Friday, August 2nd. Beaches, boats, bars & tropical drinks with those little umbrellas. That is what you think of while watching and listening to “Garratt Wilkin & the Parrotheads” performing “A Celebration of Jimmy Buffett’s Music”.

— Weekly Open Mic Night at At to Zen Gift Shop. 6 to 9 p.m. at 1803 N. Carson St. Open Mic Night is held at A to Zen Gift Shop on the Zen Den Stage. All talents, creative projects welcome. Come practice being on stage. There will be music, comedy, poetry, magic, and more. All ages and skill levels welcome. Open Mic Night happens every Friday from 6-9 pm. A to Zen is located at 1803 N Carson St., Carson City. Call 775.691.3945.

— Motley Blues back at Living the Good Life bistro-Summer concerts. 6 to 9:30 p.m. at 1480 N. Carson Street. Come enjoy some live music and soak in warm summer nights on Friday, August 2.

— Carson City's Hope Crossing Church hosts gospel concert. 6:30 p.m. at the Join Hope Crossing Community Church, 1505 Railroad Drive. The community is invited to a free gospel concert Friday in Carson City featuring the Blackwood Quartet. This group has a legendary story and it comes through in every song. Join Hope Crossing Community Church, 1505 Railroad Drive in Carson City on Friday, August 2. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the concert begins at 6:30 p.m. A love offering will be taken for the Blackwood Quartet.

— Live music at Glen Eagles Restaurant. 6:30 to 9 p.m. at 3700 N. Carson St. Enjoy live music that is sure to make you get up and dance every Wednesday-Saturday starting at 6:30 to 9 p.m..

— Evening of improv comedy at the Brewery Arts Center. 7 to 9 p.m. at 449 W. King Street. Join us for an evening of improv comedy where you never know what to expect, except a good time! Suggested donation of $5.00 at the door.

— Youth Theatre Carson City's 'The Little Mermaid, Jr.' 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bob Boldrick Theatre. Youth Theatre Carson City will feature its production of Disney’s "The Little Mermaid, Jr." beginning this Friday and running weekends through August 4, 2019 in the Bob Boldrick Theatre at the Carson City Community Center. From classic literature to the Academy Award-winning film and Broadway musical, Ariel’s undersea journey is a beautiful love story for all ages. In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home — and her fins — behind and live in the world above.

— Moons of Jupiter band to play at Bob McFadden Plaza. 7 to 10 p.m. at 223 W. Third Street. Moons of Jupiter, a 7 piece dance, r&b, funk, blues and jazz band will make its first live appearance at Bob McFadden Plaza in Carson City on Friday, August 2 from 7-10 p.m. The band is based out of South Lake Tahoe with Carson City local Myke Smith on the saxes and lead vocals

— King Arthur, 'Superhuman' presentations at WNC observatory. 7:30 p.m. at 2201 West College Parkway. A night of fact or fiction is coming to Western Nevada College’s Jack C. Davis Observatory in Carson City. Mike Thomas will provide his take on the legitimacy of the “Legend of King Arthur” on Friday, Aug. 2 at the observatory. Speaking of “Superhumans,” a night later on Saturday, Aug. 3, Thomas will kick off the observatory’s star party with a slide show presentation of a variety of real people who have abilities who can only be described as “super.”

— Carson Comedy Club at the Carson Nugget. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at 507 N. Carson St. Live Comedy every Friday and Saturday night at the Carson Nugget! Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Purchase tickets at the Winner's Club or online.

Saturday, August 3

— Carson City Farmers Market returns this Saturday. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the corner of 3rd and Curry St. in Carson City. Enjoy fresh-picked produce, local meats, fresh flowers, artisan baked goods, jams, honey, crafts, live music and Carson City’s smiling faces.This week at the market you can enjoy music by Ricky D., stop by the kids' booth to make your own market bag, we have all the supplies for you. We are excited to see you all again this year.

— Wildlife awareness talk and walk featured at Spooner Lake. 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Spooner Lake State Park. Birds, beavers and bears, oh my! Join the Nevada Department of Wildlife’s Urban Wildlife Coordinator to learn about the animals that call Spooner Lake home and how they play a role in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Participants will also have the opportunity to meet a Karelian Bear Dog.

— Pickleball at the Carson City MAC. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1870 Russell Way. Ever heard of pickleball? Never heard of pickleball? Curious about pickleball? Don't miss your chance to find out more. Come to the Carson City MAC on Saturday, August 3, for the Community Color Craze and see all 12 courts in action.

— Salvation Army, Walmart to hold 'Stuff the Bus' school supply drive in Gardnerville. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1511 Grant St. The Salvation Army is holding school supply drives at approximately 3,000 locations across the country, including Saturday, August 3 at the Walmart store in Gardnerville. Walmart Located at 1511 Grant St., Gardnerville is one of the 3,000 locations participating. The Salvation Army will be "stuffing the bus" this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walmart shoppers online and in-store will receive a list of suggested supplies to help fill Salvation Army bus during the “Stuff the Bus” campaign event. The goal is to provide new school supplies to children in need of a fresh start to the new school year.

— Hot August Nights Kickoff Rally in Virginia City. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 86 South C Street. Step back in time to revel in the sights and sounds of yesteryear. The region’s most prominent classic car gathering, Hot August Nights, kicks off in Virginia City. The town comes alive with rumbling engines and nostalgic tunes to kick off the event’s 33rdyear. Walk the historic streets to see an array of cars and enjoy free, daily entertainment. As the host venue for the official kick-off, it’s sure to be a party with free live music, a poker walk, nightly cruises and a celebrity Show-n-Shine.

— Train to Virginia City from Carson City. Event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4650 Eastgate Siding Road. Prices for the ride range from $25-$55. Rediscover Nevada’s rich history in mining and mill on the V&T Carson City-Virginia City route as you meander through tunnels, canyons and mining towns aboard a restored 1914 Pullman coach led by a 1916 Baldwin 2-8-0 steam locomotive. This relaxing all-day train excursion is fully narrated with historical facts and anecdotes. Departing from Carson City’s Eastgate Depot, the 24-mile round-trip tour includes a fun 3.5-hour stopover in historic Virginia City, where you can stroll the boardwalks and explore restaurants, shops, saloons, museums, mines and more. Please arrive at the depot 1/2 hour prior to departure. Tickets are available online or by calling 877-724-5007 or 775-291-0208.

— Guided tours of the Nevada State Capitol. Two separate tours will take place at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. every Saturday in Carson City. Tours typically take an hour and include both the exterior of the building, nearby memorials as well as the interior of the building. Tours are available for up to 20 people on a first-come, first-served basis. The building includes numerous historic artifacts that range from portraits of past Nevada governors to sculptures to historical items showcased during Nevada’s Sesquicentennial celebration. The Capitol remains open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Guided tours of up to 20 people can be arranged in advance by calling the Nevada State Museum’s Education Program at 775-687-4810, ext. 237.

— History Talk at Mormon Station Park. 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. For many emigrants who braved the California Trail in the mid-1800’s, the segment through Nevada was the most hated and feared portion of the entire journey. A park interpreter will discuss what made travel through the Great Basin of Nevada so arduous for wagon trains, and will also explore topics such as the forty-mile desert, the Humboldt River and the legend of the Buenaventura River.

— Mills Park Train Rides. 12 to 4 p.m. The Carson City Railroad Association (CCRA) maintains and operates Carson City’s only Narrow Gauge Railroad and Model Railroad Club. The narrow gauge railroad is approximately 1.5 miles long and runs throughout Mills Park, with a duration of about 10 minutes. The two indoor model railroads are a HO and N gauge railroad, located in the CCRA train station at the east end of the park. Train rides are $2 per passenger, and free for children under 2 years old.

— 8 Ball Pool Tournament at Bulldog Cyber Cafe and Billiards. 1 p.m. at 251 Jeanell Drive in Carson City. Come on down and test your skills with the cue stick and put a few pool balls in the corner pocket at the Bulldog Cyber Cafe and Billiards grand opening.

— Carson City's Pediatric Dentistry celebrates grand opening with open house event. 1 to 3 p.m. at 6 Pinecone Rd. in the Smith’s Shopping Center. Carson City Pediatric Dentistry is now accepting appointments for its new Dayton practice, Dayton Pediatric Dentistry, which opens Tuesday, Aug. 6. The office is located at 6 Pinecone Rd, Ste #2, in the Smith’s Shopping Center. Dayton Pediatric Dentistry, the only pediatric dentist provider in Dayton, celebrates its grand opening with a family friendly open house event on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 1-3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Office tours and snow cones will be provided by Dayton Pediatric Dentistry, and Dayton Valley Lion’s Club will be onsite to provide goodie bags and face painting for kids.

— Saturday Beginning Wheel Throwing at Ogres-Holm Pottery. 1 to 4 p.m. at 1215 S. Carson St. in Carson City. The Ogres of Ogres-Holm introduce you to clay in this 6-week open start class, including open studio time, is designed to get you started. It’s a great way to relax on a Saturday afternoon. $175 for 6 weekly sessions or $45 drop ins.

— Wine Walk returns to downtown Carson City. 1 to 5 p.m. at 101 N. Carson Street. The Downtown Wine Walk is a must not miss! Held the First Saturday of every month from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. For just $15 you’ll receive a commemorative wine glass and endless reasons to stroll through Downtown sipping and tasting the afternoon away. Bring your wine walk glass with the Carson City Logo on it and pay only $12. You can purchase tickets at the following locations: The Carson Nugget, Cactus Jack’s, Carson Jewelry and Loan, Bella Fiore, and Touched by Angels.

— Junior Ranger activity at Mormon Station Park. 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. Children ages 7-12 are invited to join park rangers for a fun program that will consist of educational activities and short walks. At the end of the program, participants will receive their own Nevada State Parks junior ranger badge!

— Lego Club at the Carson City Library. 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at 900 N. Roop Street. Build self-led creations through hands-on learning with LEGO Education materials. Participants 9 and under must be accompanied by a caregiver of at least 13 years of age at all times.

— Youth Theatre Carson City's 'The Little Mermaid, Jr.' 2 p.m.. at the Bob Boldrick Theatre. Youth Theatre Carson City will feature its production of Disney’s "The Little Mermaid, Jr." beginning this Friday and running weekends through August 4, 2019 in the Bob Boldrick Theatre at the Carson City Community Center. From classic literature to the Academy Award-winning film and Broadway musical, Ariel’s undersea journey is a beautiful love story for all ages. In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home — and her fins — behind and live in the world above.

— A Night with Notorious Nevadans: Mint Edition premieres in Carson City. 4 to 8 p.m. at the Governor's Mansion, 606 N. Mountain Street. Join the Friends of the Nevada State Museum on Saturday, August 3 for an evening of Chautauqua in the Nevada Room of the Governor’s Mansion in Carson City. The event will celebrate the remarkable history of the United States Mint in Carson City and the Nevada State Museum.

— Hip Hop for Hope in Reno hosted by Revenue Cycle Team at Carson Tahoe Health. 4 p.m. at Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor, 71 S. Wells Street in Reno. A cancer diagnosis is life-threatening, financially devastating, and strikes without warning. Even patients who have worked hard all their life can find themselves struggling to afford necessities such as keeping their lights on, buying gas (for travel to treatment), and covering the high cost of medicine. As one of the regions only organizations providing such support for patients, Carson Tahoe is their only safety net.

— Flavors of India to host fundraiser for local man in Carson City. 5 to 7:30 p.m. at 1105 S. Carson Street. Flavors of India restaurant in Carson City will host a fundraiser Saturday for a local barber who was critically injured in a vehicle accident last month. Brandon Baxter, who is training at Carson City’s Cipriani’s downtown barber shop, was involved in a car accident in which he was critically injured. Baxter was returning home from barber school when the accident happened. He has twin boys and a baby girl on the way.

— 1883 Carson City Morgan Silver Dollar Highlights Notorious Nevadans Raffle. 5:15 p.m. at the Nevada State Museum. An uncirculated 1883 Carson City Morgan silver dollar will highlight a raffle during the Friends of the Nevada State Museum fundraiser on Saturday, August 3. The coin, donated by Northern Nevada Coin, will be raffled off during the Night with Notorious Nevadans – Mint Edition event in the Nevada Room of the Governor’s Mansion. Raffle tickets for the Morgan silver dollar are $5 and are currently available at the Museum Store. They will also be available the night of the event.

— Traditional Peruvian music featured on the Comstock. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 385 High St. in Silver City. The historic Comstock town of Silver City, Nev. will host another free, family-friendly public event on Saturday August 3. Kantu Inka will perform on the town’s outdoor stage, the Silver Pavilion, starting at 6:30 p.m. Kantu Inka is a duo including Carlos Ocampo and Julie Lozada Ocampo. They bring Peruvian culture alive with dance and traditional instruments such as zampoñas, quenas, charangos, bombos, chacchas, and cajón.

— Levitt AMP Carson City: Flor De Toloache presented by the Change Companies. 7 to 10 p.m. at the Brewery Arts Center’s Change Companies Outdoor Amphitheater, 449 W. King Street. Flor de Toloache have taken the city by storm and made New York City history as the “First and Only All-Woman Mariachi Group.” Their unique flavor and sound is a result of working to preserve old traditions of Mariachi while adding original flare influenced from diverse cultural backgrounds from all over the globe.

— Carson Comedy Club at the Carson Nugget. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at 507 N. Carson St. Live Comedy every Friday and Saturday night at the Carson Nugget! Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Purchase tickets at the Winner's Club or online.

— King Arthur, 'Superhuman' presentations at WNC observatory. 7:30 p.m. at 2201 West College Parkway. A night of fact or fiction is coming to Western Nevada College’s Jack C. Davis Observatory in Carson City. Mike Thomas will provide his take on the legitimacy of the “Legend of King Arthur” on Friday, Aug. 2 at the observatory. Speaking of “Superhumans,” a night later on Saturday, Aug. 3, Thomas will kick off the observatory’s star party with a slide show presentation of a variety of real people who have abilities who can only be described as “super.”

— Transcontinental Railroad quilt raffle highlights Friends of NSM fundraiser. The annual fundraiser for the Friends of the Nevada State Museum is set for Saturday, August 3. Member Judi Miller has created another fabulous quilt to be raffled off at the Night with Notorious Nevadans – The Mint Edition fundraising event. Miller, owner of Sew Fine, has designed and pieced together an original, one of a kind quilt depicting the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad through Northern Nevada. The quilt contains nine historic photographs transferred to material and a map depicting the route of the Union Pacific Railroad.

Sunday, August 4

— Muscle Powered Sunday Bicycle Ride. 8 a.m. Fremont Elementary School, 1511 Firebox Rd. Come join Muscle Powered for a free, guided group walk, hike, or ride to enjoy Nevada outdoors around Carson City! Muscle Powered is a local non-profit organization that promotes walking, hiking, biking and trail building. A schedule of all upcoming activities and events can be found at www.musclepowered.org/calendar.

— Art Outside: Paint-A-Park. 9 to 11 a.m. at the Carson River Park, 5013 Carson River Rd. Calling all creative adventurers! Join the Parks, Rec & Open Space Dept. on our second-annual Paint-A-Park, 2019’s first event of the new “Art Outside” series of Interpretive Programs. This year, we’ll set up our mini easels in Carson River Park and get acquainted with the beauty of the outdoors under a gallery of Cottonwood trees. Registering will reserve you an easel, canvas, & brush. We’ll have acrylic paint to share, but feel free to bring your own supplies. Please make sure to wear close-toed shoes and bring plenty of water & sun protection.

— Canyon White at the Canvas Cafe. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Canyon White is at The Canvas Cafe every Sunday 9 a.m. to Noon so come on up and start your day right with some yummy breakfast and Canyon White!

— Guest speakers and Mo'z Motley Blues at Dangberg Historic Park. 10 a.m. at 1450 State Route Hwy 88 in Minden. The month of August begins with a presentation on “The Great State Embezzlement,” Mo’z Motley Blues in concert and a presentation on “The History of Baseball in Nevada” at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park. On Sunday, August 4, at 10 a.m., Glen Whorton, President of the Nevada State Prison Preservation Society, returns to the park to speak on this year’s topic “The Great State Embezzlement.” This is a free event for all to attend.

— Train to Virginia City from Carson City. Event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4650 Eastgate Siding Road. Prices for the ride range from $25-$55. Rediscover Nevada’s rich history in mining and mill on the V&T Carson City-Virginia City route as you meander through tunnels, canyons and mining towns aboard a restored 1914 Pullman coach led by a 1916 Baldwin 2-8-0 steam locomotive. This relaxing all-day train excursion is fully narrated with historical facts and anecdotes. Departing from Carson City’s Eastgate Depot, the 24-mile round-trip tour includes a fun 3.5-hour stopover in historic Virginia City, where you can stroll the boardwalks and explore restaurants, shops, saloons, museums, mines and more. Please arrive at the depot 1/2 hour prior to departure. Tickets are available online or by calling 877-724-5007 or 775-291-0208.

— Artifact Talk at Mormon Station Park. 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Many of the artifacts in Mormon Station’s collection were very important items to people living in the Carson Valley area 100-plus years ago. New inventions have made some of these items obsolete, while others are simply no longer a part of day-to-day life for many people. As a result, sometimes the purpose behind artifacts isn’t obvious to us. Join park staff for a talk that will highlight select artifacts in the park’s collection and discuss their purpose.

— Mills Park Train Rides. 12 to 4 p.m. The Carson City Railroad Association (CCRA) maintains and operates Carson City’s only Narrow Gauge Railroad and Model Railroad Club. The narrow gauge railroad is approximately 1.5 miles long and runs throughout Mills Park, with a duration of about 10 minutes. The two indoor model railroads are a HO and N gauge railroad, located in the CCRA train station at the east end of the park. Train rides are $2 per passenger, and free for children under 2 years old.

— Junior Ranger activity at Mormon Station Park. 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. Children ages 7-12 are invited to join park rangers for a fun program that will consist of educational activities and short walks. At the end of the program, participants will receive their own Nevada State Parks junior ranger badge!

— Youth Theatre Carson City's 'The Little Mermaid, Jr.' 2 to 4 p.m. at the Bob Boldrick Theatre. Youth Theatre Carson City will feature its production of Disney’s "The Little Mermaid, Jr." beginning this Friday and running weekends through August 4, 2019 in the Bob Boldrick Theatre at the Carson City Community Center. From classic literature to the Academy Award-winning film and Broadway musical, Ariel’s undersea journey is a beautiful love story for all ages. In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home — and her fins — behind and live in the world above.

— Martina McBride in concert at TJ's Corral. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Martina McBride has joined the 2019 Concert Lineup in TJ’s Corral! She will be performing on Sunday, August 4. Martina is a multiple Grammy® nominated country icon whose incomparable vocals have kept her at the top of the charts garnering six No. 1 hits and twenty top 10 singles. Selling more than 18 million albums to date, McBride has earned fourteen Gold, nine Platinum, three Double Platinum and two Triple Platinum certifications. McBride has been honored with more than 15 major music awards, including four wins from the Country Music Association and three Academy of Country Music Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year.