Observatory

The very talented students in the Carson Middle School Jazz Band have been practicing up a storm to get ready for tonight’s joint performance with the Mile High Jazz Band. Their Jazz Extravaganza kicks off at the Carson City Community Center at 7 p.m. Swing by Firehouse Subs for dinner tonight and you’ll be helping the Carson/Douglas Relay for Life in addition to filling your tummy. Smarty pants are encouraged during trivia night at the Fox Brewpub and Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint.

Sunny days in the fifties are okay for spring, but we still need some winter to come our way. Take advantage of the warmer weather during a Winter Hike along Carson Valley’s Pinion Trail with Muscle Powered. Song and dance kids will want to audition for the upcoming performance of ‘Willy Wonka, Jr.’ If you’re a fan of song, but possibly too old to join the Youth Theater Carson City cast, check out the monthly jam in Silver City at their historic School House. All instruments are welcome, in addition to vocalists and those who just want to listen.

Ready, set, crawl. The Brew Crew’s monthly pub crawl kicks off from the Laxalt Plaza next to the Nugget and includes up several downtown area taverns and restaurants. If your new year’s resolution includes volunteering, the Muscle Powered Trash Mob is a quick, but mighty, helping hand. Learn about the future of the Stewart Indian School Historic Site during an encore lecture at the Nevada State Museum. Flashback to Beatle-mania at the Brewery Arts Center or karaoke at Battleborn Social are just some of your nightlife options.

SATURDAY:

Playing in the snow probably isn’t an option for this weekend, but Singing in the Rain sure is. The kids of Youth Theater Carson City present a junior adaptation of the musical favorite this weekend and next. The Experimental Aircraft Association hosts ‘Young Eagle’ flights every few months at the Carson Airport to give kids 8 – 17 a plane ride to remember. Help out the Dayton Food Bank during their ‘Stuff-a-Cop-Car’ food drive at the Smith’s in Dayton; unexpired non-perishables of all kinds are appreciated. Read on and see what else the weekend brings.

SATURDAY:

January is a busy month for the Jack C. Davis Observatory at Western Nevada College in Carson City. Among the happenings are: The first blue moon total lunar eclipse in 150 years. A Western Nevada College grad returning to campus to give a lecture on Stellar Archaeology. And then there's a lecture on separating facts and fiction about Atlantis.

After back to back three-day weekends, this one may feel a little short. Grab onto the hours allotted and have a good time. The monthly downtown wine walk is a great way to catch up with friends after the bustle of the holiday season. The annual Be Bold, Run in the Cold Winter Trail Series offers the Winter Round-up 5 or 10K. If staying active is a resolution, then a brisk run in our hills fits the bill. For something less strenuous, you can join our Parks and Recreation Department for a Winter Wonderland Walk along the Carson River.

It’s finally here, the last weekend of 2017. It’s fairly quiet around town, until Sunday night, that is. Today, Muscle Powered is leading a five-mile half-day hike along Prison Hill. Take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather, and join them. The Carson Nugget is hosting three nights of comedy this weekend: catch Myles Weber on the stage tonight. Head’s up. Galaxy Theater usually plays a movie from the past on Sundays and Wednesdays. This week, we get treated to the Christmas Classic, Die Hard. You won’t want to miss that.

SATURDAY:

If you’re anything like me, there are still plenty of last-minute preparations for the holiday. Luckily the shops and businesses around Carson City are there with open arms. Find something one of a kind at the Carson Mall Craft Fair, drop it off at the Rainbow Girls Assembly #7 gift wrapping booth, and grab lunch while you wait. Breakfast with Santa at the Fox Brewpub serves as a toy drive for area kids and as no-fuss way to get start the day with a full belly. Read on for a weekend full of holiday happenings.

SATURDAY:

Santa comes in all shapes, sizes, and apparently, vehicles. Hop aboard the Santa Train at the Nevada Railroad Museum. It’s an out-of-this-world Alien Santa at the annual Zen Christmas at A to Zen. A cookie-loving Santa can be found at Adele’s during their annual toy drive for the Ron Wood Resource Center. If your ‘kids’ are the four-legged kind, then head over to PetSmart or Paws to Pur-fection Dog Grooming for your holiday photos. In addition to the Santa-mania, you’ll find a downtown Carson Beer Crawl, two plays at the Brewery Arts Center, and plenty of music.

The Carson City Library held an event Thursday at the Jack C. Davis Observatory at Western Nevada College as part of the nationwide NASA@ My Library initiative.

The Carson City area is awash in entertainment, shopping, and family-friendly options this weekend. Santa Claus is popping up all over, including at Benson Feed for the annual CASI Pet Photos with St. Nick and aboard the train at our Railroad Museum’s Santa Train. The musical ‘Honk, Jr’ for the young ones and Love/Sick for the older crowd are on the stage at the Brewery Arts Center. Spend the day at the Silver Saddle Ranch: their annual Holiday Open House is the perfect time to explore their trails and learn more about the working ranch’s preservation.

The air may be brisk, but the view from C-Hill is rewarding. Meet up with Muscle Powered in the Curry Street parking lot behind the Railroad Museum for their afternoon conditioning hike. Get the little ones to the Carson Library for story time today; the Library will be undergoing some much needed sprucing up and will be closed for up to two months starting Dec. 10. Community Roots in Dayton hosts an open house to show off their collection of gifts, flowers, and more.

THURSDAY:

The rumors of Santa Claus coming to town are true. The jolly old man is making several appearances today, and is feeling photogenic. Take a ride with him at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, join him on the ‘Elf Crawl’ from the Capitol to the Carson Mall, or tell him your wish list at Debug Computers. Adults have a hard choice to make: the monthly downtown wine walk and the Holiday with a Hero Pub Crawl both take place today, and I’m not sure I’d recommend attempting both.

Everyone has a favorite alien movie. Whether it’s Alien, Star Wars, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Independence Day, Men in Black or Predator, extraterrestrials certainly have long captivated movie lovers.

Once the turkey has been devoured, all thoughts turn toward shopping. Shop Small Saturday helps to throw a spotlight on our local gems, and the great gifts you’ll find. New this year is Museum Store Sunday with both the Nevada State Museum and the Nevada State Railroad Museum participating. Make time for family and friends at the annual Nutcracker Ballet performed by Pinkerton Ballet at the Carson City Community Center. Keep reading and have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

FRIDAY:

With Thanksgiving just days away, the holiday season is just around the corner. The annual Holiday Craft Fair at Carson High features a plethora of handmade and locally crafted gifts for the loved ones on your shopping list. Take the plunge at the Carson Aquatic Center if you want to get a picture with Scuba Santa. Grab a coat, some friends, and your ID and head downtown for this month’s beer crawl. $15 gets you a glass and your first beer, from there you’ll pay only $1 for refills at several watering holes. There’s even more to enjoy this weekend, so keep reading for your options.

Although Veterans Day was observed yesterday, there are several things today that honor our former members of the military. Battle Born Harley Davidson is throwing an appreciation party complete with food trucks. Virginia City’s annual Veterans Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. and the City of Reno will commence their parade after a short ceremony beginning at 11:11 a.m. You’ll find an abundance of craft fairs in Carson City, Carson Valley, and Dayton. Western Nevada Musical Theater Co.

Gain a better understanding of the universe you live in by attending a free lecture by Mike Thomas on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Western Nevada College’s Jack C. Davis Observatory.

Welcome to the weekend, Carson City. Now that we are in November, thoughts turn to the holiday season. That means craft fairs. St. Paul’s Lutheran Family on Saliman welcomes you to their annual Craftique Open House. You’ll find the Young at Heart Seniors Club hosting a faire at the Douglas County Community Center. The Carson Nugget’s Sierra Room will be home to several artisans, vendors, and crafters during today’s wine walk. There’s quite a bit more, and plenty that doesn’t involve shopping, so take a look and have a great time.

SATURDAY:

It’s Nevada Day weekend, and that means the annual parade and festivities will bombard downtown Carson City with thousands of revelers. I made the decision to put all of the parade related events into a separate list for a few reasons: one, this list would be way too long otherwise; two, Halloween fun is plentiful all weekend long; and three, I want my list to be as easy to read as possible. Read on for events throughout Carson City, Carson Valley, Dayton, Silver and Virginia Cities.

Welcome back to the weekend, readers. Halloween stuff is plentiful (go HERE for a complete list of upcoming activities), pumpkins are patched, the ghosts are walking, and there are loads of events to keep you, your friends and family entertained. The Harvest Train at the Nevada Railroad Museum is a fun treat for kids of all ages. It’s time for the annual all-day downtown Ghost Walk. From 10 a.m.

Leaves turning, wind blowing, and all things pumpkin sprouting up everywhere. It is absolutely autumn in Northern Nevada. Get ready for Halloween with your choice of pumpkin patches. Seeliger Elementary School is hosting theirs for the twenty-fifth year in a row. Take a trip on the V and T Steam Train at the Nevada Railroad Museum, actually take several trips. The annual Harvest Train event offers an all-day wristband that allows for as many rides as you’d like, in addition to museum admission. So many more fun activities are available to you, you’ll have to read on to see them all.

There have been quite a few exciting changes to downtown this year. Today we celebrate the grand opening of the Union Carson eatery, taphouse and coffee bar with a ribbon cutting and tasty fundraiser. $20 gets you a few hours of food, beer and wine, and great live music, and it’s all for a great cause. Artist Adrienne Harrington is the star of this evening’s reception at Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery. The Gold Hill Hotel hosts a weekly lecture series: learn more about the near-by historical ghost town, Bodie, while enjoying a meal. Hoops with Heroes at Dayton High School pits the varsity and j.v.

Some weekends are pretty cut and dry, just a few things to choose among. This, however, is not one of those weekends. High-flying, death-defying action takes over the Minden Airport as the Aviation Roundup Air Show takes to the skies. Pasta-lovers won’t want to miss the Eldorado Great Italian Festival in downtown Reno. Carson City’s monthly Downtown Wine Walk gets a dose of nostalgia as the Western Airstream Convention sets up shop and welcomes the curious.

With all the motorcycles on the road, you may be looking for some peace and quiet. Luckily, it’s fee-free day at all of the Nevada State Parks. Load up the kids, pack a picnic, at head to the great outdoors. Don’t miss out on the last-of-the-season Farmers Market at Third and Curry, stock up on local honey and load your basket with yummy stuff. Oktoberfest takes over the McFadden Plaza at 3 p.m. Bavarian and German beers, authentic food, and live music await. Keep reading for everything the area has to offer.

SATURDAY:

One might think that the end of summer means that the fun times are over: they would be wrong. This list of happenings in the Carson City area isn’t getting any shorter. The annual Genoa Candy Dance is a favorite among locals and visitors alike, and this weekend welcomes the first ever Silver State Arts Festival at Fuji Park, as well. The first ever Community Garage Sale at the Community Center offers one-stop bargain hunting. Swing into the season at the monthly dance party hosted by the High Sierra Swing Dance Club.

SATURDAY:

Meet at the Western Nevada College (WNC) Observatory parking lot on Vanpattern Avenue. Closed-toed shoes and water are required. Bring a friend and/or friendly dogs. Thursday Hikes program are hikes of between 2 to 4 miles in length, often with some elevation gain (no more than 500') and can be on a paved path, smooth wide trail, or single track.

If it rains or snows, meet at the Multi-Purpose Athletic Center (MAC) at 1860 Russell Way.

Enjoy these September days, it will be blustery and cold before we know it. Celebrate our neighbor to the east during their annual Dayton Valley Days street festival. Tour their museums, pan for gold, and enjoy samples at their Chili cook-off. Downtown Carson is a hotbed of fun tonight with two pub crawls and the Ghost Walk Haunted History Tour. Keep reading for all of the happenings.

SATURDAY:

I’m going to suggest that you keep this weekend’s plans flexible. There’s only a chance of rain, but the chance of it showing up at the wrong time is always high. The very early morning is best spent watching the hot air balloons against the Reno skyline, but you’ll probably want a sweater for the pre-dawn chill. Head up the hill to Virginia City this weekend. If you’ve never been to the annual International Camel Races, you’ve been missing out. Keep reading, there’s something for everyone on this list. Find your fun.

SATURDAY:

Mark your calendars to attend a pair of science lectures at Jack C. Davis Observatory in September. This Saturday, Sept. 9, WNC physics professor Dr. Thomas Herring will lecture on “Nuclear Physics for Everyone,” while on Sept. 23, WNC astronomy instructor Dr. Marla Moore will talk about “The Cassini Probe at Saturn: Its Journey and Legacy.”