Festival Season

Spring and early summer means outdoor events galore in Northern Nevada.

By NEVADA MAGAZINE | May/June 2012

Reno River Festival Moves to June

Changes for downtown Reno’s annual whitewater kayaking event are in store for 2012 as the Reno River Festival announces the addition of former freestyle kayak world champion Ruth Gordon-Ebens as director. The ninth annual festival also makes a move to June 15-17, aiming for consistently warmer temperatures, while also adding two new sub-events: a Splash Dog Competition and the Biggest Little Dog Jog.

The Friday-through-Sunday festival includes the popular freestyle, boatercross, and slalom kayaking competitions, as well as the Run Amuck fun run on the 16th. Live music takes the stage throughout the weekend, along with Yoga in the Park and enough food and drink to satisfy any taste.

“We really took a close look at the event to determine what’s working and what’s not and moved forward from there,” says festival owner Jim Bauserman. “Not only do we anticipate better, more consistent weather in June, we think that the new additions, combined with the popular returning events, will be a welcome format.”

The festival brings dogs to the park for the first time in 2012—as competitors—with Splash Dogs (splashdogs.com) and the Biggest Little Dog Jog. Splash Dogs is a nationally recognized dog-enthusiast company that organizes and promotes dock-jumping events across the United States. Preliminary rounds are held Friday and Saturday, followed by the finals on Sunday afternoon. Sunday’s Biggest Little Dog Jog is a dog-owner fun run through downtown beginning at 11 a.m.

Only dogs that are registered participants are allowed in the park, and all dogs must be kept on a leash when not competing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Reno River Festival
June 15-17
renoriverfestival.com
775-784-9400 x.119

FESTIVAL FRENZY IN NORTHERN NEVADA

MAY 2
ELKO—Northeastern Nevada Orchestra Festival, exploreelko.com, 775-934-3700

MAY 5
BATTLE MOUNTAIN—Cinco de Mayo Festival, battlemountaintourism.com, 775-635-1112

MAY 5-6
RENO—Cinco de Mayo Festival, Grand Sierra, cincodemayoreno.com, 775-291-3651

MAY 12-13
VIRGINIA CITY—ICS Chili Cook-Off & Beltane Festival, Delta Saloon parking lot, nvshows.com, 775-847-7474

MAY 15-19
FALLON—Festival of Quilts & Quilt Walk, nvquiltguild.org, 775-423-4556

MAY 17
ELKO—Emil Matys Jazz Fest, exploreelko.com, 775-934-3700

*MAY 17-21
PYRAMID LAKE—Pyramid Eclipse Symbiosis Gathering, pyramideclipse.com
*Annular solar eclipse occurs on Sunday, May 20.

MAY 18-20
FALLON (and surrounding area)—Spring Wings Bird Festival,
Churchill County Fairgrounds, springwings.org, 775-423-5128

MAY 20
RENO—Turkish Festival, Wingfield Park,renoturkishfestival.org, 775-453-6217

MAY 26-27
LOVELOCK—I.D.E.S. Portuguese Festa, loverslock.com, 775-273-7213

MAY 26-28
CARSON CITY/VIRGINIA CITY—Rail Fest, visitcarsoncity.com, visitvirginiacitynv.com

JUNE 1-3
RENO—EuroFest Weekend, Sands Regency, sandsregency.com, 866-FUNSTAY

JUNE 2-3
MINDEN—MindenFest Street Fair,townofminden.com, 775-782-5976

JUNE 3
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE—Tahoe Bike Day Parade & Festival, tahoebike.org, 775-586-9566

JUNE 7-10
FALLON—Octane Fest, citywide racing, vvisitfallonnevada.com/octanefest, 775-423-4556

JUNE 9-10
WINNEMUCCA—Basque Festival, winnemucca.com, 800-962-2638

JUNE 14-16
GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK—Astronomy Festival, nps.gov/grba, 775-234-7331

JUNE 15-17
BAKER—Snake Valley Festival, protectsnakevalley.org, 775-234-7265

JUNE 22
LAKE TAHOE—Paddle Festival, laketahoepaddlefestival.com, 530-318-2704

JUNE 22-24
LAMOILLE—Country Fair, lamoillewomansclub.org, 775-385-3502
RENO—BBQ, Brews, & Blues Festival, downtown, eldoradoreno.com, 888-808-7720

JUNE 29-JULY 1
DUCKWATER—Duckwater Shoshone Tribe Festival, 775-863-0222

JUNE 24
SPARKS—Extreme Beach Sports Festival, Sparks Marina, cityofsparks.us, 775-353-2376

JUNE 30
CARSON CITY—Legends of the West Bike & Car Fest, downtown, eventsnevada.com, 775-887-1294
SQUAW VALLEY USA—Fine Arts & Crafts Festival, squaw.com, 800-403-0206