FESTIVALS & FRIVOLITIES

Saturday Night Star Parties

Saturdays | Jack C. Davis Observatory | Carson City, Nev.

The observatory on the Western Nevada College campus hosts free star parties on Saturdays through Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. | wnc.edu

Baby Animal & Tulip Festival

April 5-May 6 | Andelin Family Farm | Sparks, Nev.

Celebrate the start of spring with a family-friendly festival on the farm with the arrival of baby animals and tulip blooms. | andelinfamilyfarm.com

Banff Mountain Film Festival

April 7-8 | Yuba Theatre | Downieville

April 14 & 15 | Bally’s Lake Tahoe | Stateline, Nev.

April 16 | Reno Events Center | Reno, Nev.

Banff Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition and annual presentation of films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, environment and adventure and exploration. | sierracountyartscouncil.org, casinos.ballys.com, nevadalandtrust.org

Achieve Tahoe Gala

April 8 | Palisades Tahoe | Olympic Village

The annual Achieve Tahoe Gala is an evening of dinner and drinks, a silent and live auction, raffle and presentations honoring those who exemplify Achieve Tahoe’s mission. | achievetahoe.org

Trail Running Film Festival

April 13 | Alibi Truckee

Donner Party Mountain Runners and Tahoe Mountain Sports are hosting a showing of the Trail Running Film Festival at 7 p.m. | donnerpartymountainrunners.com

Haunted Ghost Tours

April 13, 27; May 11, 25; June 8 | Gold Hill Hotel | Virginia City, Nev.

After a gourmet dinner, Northern Nevada Ghost Hunters will guide guests back in time with tales of the history and the hauntings of the hotel and the surrounding area, known as Slippery Gulch. | goldhillhotel.net

Tahoe Tattoo Show

April 14-16 | Harrah’s Lake Tahoe | Stateline, Nev.

The Tattoo Show features artists and vendors, a contest and more. | tahoe.tattoo

Tahoe Truckee Earth Day

April 15 | Village at Palisades Tahoe | Olympic Valley

This festival is a volunteer-run, nonprofit event to recognize, celebrate and promote the region’s unique beauty. Enjoy live entertainment while learning how to preserve and protect local and global natural resources. | palisadestahoe.com

Sierra Poetry Festival

April 15 | The Center for the Arts | Grass Valley

The 7th Annual Sierra Poetry Festival will feature the new California Poet Laureate, Lee Herrick, along with a feast of local, regional, national and international poets and presenters. | sierrapoetryfestival.org

Social Science series

April 15, June 10 | The Discovery | Reno, Nev.

Social Science is an adults-only, brain-building series featuring science demonstrations, hands-on labs, expert presentations, a DJ, libations and sweet and savory bites. April’s event is Ladies’ Night and June’s is Social Science. | nvdm.org

World Trails Film Festival

April 20 | Nugget | Sparks, Nev.

Trails Film presents the world premiere at the International Trails Summit to benefit the Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation from 6 to 10 p.m. | trails.film

Mark Twain Days

April 21-23 | Downtown Carson City, Nev.

Discover what Samuel Clemens did when he left Missouri to find his true identity in Nevada with art, music, treasure hunts, costume contests, the Twain “Cocktail” Train and more. | visitcarsoncity.com

Monster Jam

April 21-23 | Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center

At Monster Jam, world champion athletes and their 12,000-pound monster trucks tear up the dirt in wide-open competitions of speed and skill. | monsterjam.com

South Lake Tahoe Earth Day

April 22 | Lake Tahoe Community College | South Lake Tahoe Earth Day recognizes, celebrates and promotes the region’s unique beauty while educating the public about local environmental issues. | southtahoeearthday.org

Lake Tahoe Wedding Expo

April 23 | South of North Brewing Co. | South Lake Tahoe

This wedding day expo is where you can celebrate, visualize and plan your special day with local vendors, champagne deck, gourmet bites, silent disco, trunk shows and more. RSVP to enter win a raffle prize. | Sierra Bride Magazine on Facebook

Northern Nevada Science & Technology Festival

April 23-29 | Area venues

This week-long celebration of the area’s innovation connects the community with the power of science and technology through hands-on school programs, as well as a series of free, family-friendly events. | nnsciencefest.org

Science Speaks Series

April 27, May 18, June 1, 13 | Area venues & virtual UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center offers talks with professors and experts on different environmental concerns. | tahoe.ucdavis.edu

LUNAFEST

April 27 | Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema | Tahoe City

LUNAFEST film festival celebrates films made by women and gender nonconforming directors, including “This is Beth,” a story about South Lake Tahoe’s Beth Rodden. Read the story on the film at TheTahoeWeekly.com. Tahoe Weekly is a sponsor. | girlsontherunsierras.org

Crystal Cabaret: Speakeasy

April 27 | The Chateau | Incline Village, Nev.

Tahoe Family Solutions presents a night of entertainment, dancing and dinner. Dress in Prohibition Era cocktail attire. | tahoefamily.org

Cowboy Music & Poetry Show

April 28-29 | Grange Hall | Vinton

Sierra Valley Grange presents singer and harmonica player Gary Allegretto, cowboy poet Larry Maurice and singer/songwriter Richard Elloyan with Steve Wade. Dinner is at 5 p.m. followed by the shows at 7:30 p.m. | sierravalleygrange.org

Genoa Western Heritage Days

April 28-30 | Genoa, Nev.

Celebrate local history with Town Hall concerts and a day-long festival with Civil War reenactments, Chautauqua living history performances, Native American demonstrations, cowboy poetry and more. | genoanevada.org

Lei Day

April 29 | Nevada State Museum | Carson City, Nev.

Nevada State Museum is celebrating Lei Day with a lei making demonstration by Nā ʻŌiwi O Hawaiʻi, a lei-making contest for adults and kids, Hawaiian shaved ice, a kids’ corner, live music and more. | visitcarsoncity.com

Virginia City Grand Prix

April 29-30 | Virginia City, Nev.

Experience the legendary racing in historic Virginia City during this off-road motorcycle race. After the race, head to the Village Saloon to talk bikes and celebrate. | visitvirginiacitynv.com

An Evening in Hollywood

May 5 | North Tahoe Event Center | Kings Beach

Sierra Community House hosts its annual family dance with the theme: An Evening in Hollywood. Children and their role models can get dressed up, walk the red carpet, learn dance routines and enjoy other activities. | sierracommunityhouse.org

Cinco de Mayo Festival

May 5-7 | Glow Plaza Festival Grounds | Reno, Nev.

Northern Nevada’s largest Latino heritage celebration offers music with top local and regional Latin groups and Mexican bands, carnival rides, games and prizes and vendors of clothes, art, crafts and food. | Cinco de Mayo Festival on Facebook

Spring Fiesta Horse Show

May 5-7 | Reno-Sparks Livestock Event Center | Reno, Nev.

Arabian horses, beautiful, elegant and versatile, are the most recognized horse breed in the world. Enjoy the spirited competition that feature Arabians, Half Arabians and Anglo Arabians.| comstockarabianassociation.com

Spring Fling

May 6 | The Chateau | Incline Village, Nev.

This handcrafted holiday fair will have more than 20 local artists, crafters and small businesses with great gifts for Mother’s Day. | Spring Fling on Facebook

Sierra Speaker Series

May 6 | Donner Memorial State Park | Truckee

The History Expedition Team 2023 presents “History Got It Wrong: the True Discoverers of the Comstock Lode, the Grosh Brothers.” The team retraced the routes of the Grosh Brothers in February to uncover whether they were the rightful discoverers of the world’s largest concentration of silver. | sierrastateparks.org

Kite Weekend

May 13-14 | Dangberg Ranch | Minden, Nev.

An event beloved by locals and visitors features an assortment of big and beautiful kites. Everyone is welcome to bring their own kites, as well. Park volunteers will assist children in making giant bubbles. Free. | visitcarsonvalley.org

Big Mama’s Show & Shine

May 13-14 | Lampe Park | Gardnerville, Nev.

Featuring classic cars, food vendors, music, craft beer, raffles and prizes. | youngatheartseniorcitizens.org

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

Yoga Room Wellness Weekend

May 19-21 | Yoga Room Tahoe | Tahoe City

Yoga Room Tahoe celebrates the 1st anniversary for owner Michelle Allen with a Wellness Weekend featuring BodyTalk, myofascial release, sound healing, and yoga, wellness and herbalism classes. | yogaroomtahoe.com

Hot Air for Hope Balloon Festival

May 19-21 | Lampe Park | Gardnerville, Nev.

This is the first year for Carson Valley’s newest cultural art festival, featuring a weekend of hot air balloons, concerts, competitions, displays and demonstrations by local musicians, artists and performers of all kinds. Free. | hotairforhope.com

Hot August Nights Spring Fever Revival

May 19-21 | Grand Sierra Resort | Reno, Nev.

A weekend of classic cars, rock ‘n’ roll and powerful engines. | hotaugustnights.net

Open House & Plant Faire

May 20 | Heritage Park Gardens | Gardnerville, Nev.

Celebrate the end of winter. There will be kids’ activities and a scavenger hunt. | mainstreetgardnerville.org

Made in Tahoe Festival

May 27-28 | Village at Palisades Tahoe | Olympic Valley

Celebrate all things Tahoe with an array of offerings that are made in or inspired by the Lake Tahoe basin and Truckee. | palisadestahoe.com

Nevada State Fair

June 1-4 | Mills Park | Carson City, Nev.

Enjoy four days of fun, entertainment, carnival rides and pig racing. There will be a car show, history reenactments and exhibits. Free. | nevadastatefair.org

BackCountry Festival

June 2-4 | Corley Ranch | Carson Valley, Nev.

This new event, BackCountry Festival, will feature an amazing lineup of country music performances, barbecue and brews. | backcountryfest.com

Street Vibrations Spring Rally

June 2-4 | Reno, Carson, Virginia City and Stateline, Nev.

Enjoy a weekend of motorcycle fun with live entertainment on six stages, bike games, poker runs, vendors and more. | roadshowsreno.com

Fur Ball Gala

June 3 | Hyatt Regency | Incline Village, Nev.

Pet Network hosts its 25th annual Fur Ball Gala fundraiser, “An Enchanted Tail.” | petnetwork.org

Solstice Festival

June 8-18 | Tahoe City venues

Celebrate the beginning of summer at the Annual Tahoe City Solstice Festival featuring amazing events and activities, including the annual Tahoe City Food & Wine Classic, the kickoff for Concerts at Commons, Grab Your Glass, Farmers Market and much more. Tahoe Weekly is a sponsor. | visittahoecity.org

Reno River Fest

June 9-11 | Downtown Reno, Nev.

Reno River Festival celebrates the love of the Truckee River with MusicFest, a vendor fair, Reno Tahoe Adventure Park, Reno River Roll, Cornhole Championships, Craft Beer & Seltzer Experience, food and more. | renoriverfestival.com

Carson Valley Days Festival

June 9-12 | Lampe Park | Gardnerville, Nev.

This lineup of carnival midway games, rides, music, a themed parade, craft and food vendors, children’s games, horseshoe tournaments and more for the 113th festivities. | visitcarsonvalley.org

Truckee Roundhouse Maker Show

June 11 | Truckee Tahoe Airport | Truckee

The seventh Truckee Roundhouse maker Show offers an eclectic assortment of interactive arts, technologies, hobbies and projects along with food trucks, beer, live music, art cars, kids’ activities, a silent auction and raffle. | truckeeroundhouse.org

Stargazing at Spooner Lake

June 17-Sept. | Spooner Lake Visitors Center

Tahoe Star Tours is offering docent-led stargazing. Events are scheduled on select Thursdays and Saturdays beginning in June and running through Labor Day weekend. | tahoestartours.com

Truckee Thursdays

June 22-Aug. 10 | Downtown Truckee

Truckee Thursdays returns to its full schedule with a street party featuring live music, vendors, food, local art, kids’ activities, beer garden and more. Tahoe Weekly is a sponsor. | truckeethursdays.com

Trails & Vistas

June 24-25 | Spooner Lake State Park

This year’s art hikes celebrates 20 years of celebrating art in nature with hikes for all ages offered. Tahoe Weekly is a sponsor. | trailsandvistas.org