Local Events – Northern Nevada

MAY

15-16 – Fernley ACES Annual Music, Murals & Margaritas
A free celebration of the arts at Fernley Out of Town Park. This two-day event brings together art, music, food, and community with live entertainment and interactive activities for all ages. Visitors can enjoy live music, dance performances, fire dancers, art activities, and new murals created during the event, along with vendors, food trucks, and a kids’ zone.

16 – Stetina’s Paydirt
Stetina’s Paydirt is a unique, “un-traditional” gravel bike race curated by former professional cyclist Pete Stetina in Carson City, Nevada, focusing on camaraderie over full-out racing. It features a “social-to-serious” format with 2-4 timed segments in the Pine Nut Mountains and surrounding terrain, allowing riders to regroup and socialize between efforts.

17-18 – Dayton Valley Days
Get ready for an unforgettable weekend in the heart of Nevada’s oldest settlement as Dayton Valley Days 2026 returns. This year’s celebration honors the 250th anniversary of America with the theme “A Celebration of Community, Heritage & What’s Next.”

23-24 – Drifters Music Festival
Drifters Music Festival at J Resort Festival Grounds in Reno creates a two-day lineup built for singalongs and late-night memories, this weekend feels like Reno’s own country-road getaway without leaving town.

23-25 – Jam On It Memorial Day Tournament
The Reno Memorial Day Tournament now sees nearly 700 teams from Alaska, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming compete in what used to be the largest tournament in the world before the Covid-19 pandemic.

29-31 – Reno River Festival
Rock the river with The Calling and Everclear at the Reno River Festival! RiverFest heats up in 2026 with three days of outdoor adventure at its new location in Idlewild Park. The festival features 30 acts on 2 stages, food, local craft beer, award-winning hard seltzers, shopping, adrenaline-pumping thrill rides, an 18-hole Bucket Golf course, yoga in the park, an interactive dog park, a festival scavenger hunt, and a raft ride down the Truckee River!

30 – Capital City Brewfest
250th Birthday with patriotic vibes, special brews, red-white-and-blue fun, games, and community spirit! We’ll have themed activities, giveaways, and more, because nothing says ‘freedom’ like great craft beer in the heart of Carson City.

JUNE

11-13 – State Fair of Nevada
The official State Fair of Nevada returns to the Nevada State Fairgrounds in Reno, June 11-13. Don’t miss this vibrant celebration of Nevada’s rich heritage and agricultural roots.

18-27 – Reno Rodeo
The Reno Rodeo is a PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) sanctioned sporting event and is a non-profit organization made up of over 1,000 volunteers. Each year, over 140,000 fans attend the 4th richest PRCA tour rodeo and the 3rd best as recognized by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers Choice. The event impacts the Reno/Sparks area economy with $42 million going to hotels, casinos, restaurants and retail outlets.

19-20 – BBQ, Brews & Blues Festival
Indulge in mouthwatering barbecue, sample over 100 beers from breweries nationwide, and enjoy free live entertainment at the 29th Annual BBQ, Brews & Blues Festival in downtown Reno, hosted by Silver Legacy, Eldorado, and Circus Circus Reno (Caesars Entertainment).

20 – Reno Punk Rock Pride
Celebrate LGBTQIA+ culture with us at our second Punk Rock Pride hosted at Note-Able Music Therapy. Pride is an outdoor only event in the courtyard and parking lot at Note-Ables.

6/30 – 7/4 – Celebrating Fernley’s 4th of July, America’s 250th Birthday, and the Anniversary of the City of Fernley
For over 50 years, Fernley has proudly celebrated Independence Day with a community-centered event that honors the spirit of our nation. Join us as we celebrate Fourth of July the old-fashioned way–starting with a hearty pancake breakfast at the Fernley Masonic Lodge #34, they have been serving our city for over 100 years.

JULY

4 – Star Spangled Sparks Celebration
For 21 years, Star Spangled Sparks has been the largest Independence Day celebration and fireworks display in Northern Nevada. The event attracts nearly 50,000 people to downtown Sparks and thousands more watch from the surrounding areas. The all-American style block party spans throughout the downtown Sparks corridor on Victorian Square and features live music, crafts, food vendors, and fireworks. The party and spectacular fireworks display is free and open to the public. Tickets are also available for a VIP Fireworks Viewing Party.

4 – Celebrating America 250
The Aces are celebrating America 250 at Greater Nevada Field on July 4, 2026. Fans can look forward to an unforgettable night packed with pregame festivities, interactive activities throughout the night, and the exciting California Collegiate League All-Star Game. Stick around after the final pitch for a spectacular fireworks show lighting up the Reno skyline for the Fourth of July.

11 – Carson City Downtown Revival Car Show
Join Esther Chapter #3, Order of the Eastern Star, for their eighth annual Downtown Revival Car Show on Saturday, July 11th, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Enjoy showing off your ride and enjoying Downtown Carson City, while supporting the Veterans Guest house and Local Charities.

11-12 – Silver Age Comic Con
The longest-running pop culture & comic convention in Northern Nevada. Silver Age Comic Con is a Northern Nevada tradition and Northern Nevada’s official comic con. Silver Age Comic Con is the largest pop culture event in Northern Nevada that brings all fandoms together. From comic books, movies, celebrity guests, video games, cosplay, toys, games, anime, live entertainment, and much more… Silver Age Comic Con has been building memories for families and friends that gives the community long-lasting fun that brings everyone together. One or two-day tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

25-29 – VFW National Convention
Every year, thousands of VFW and Auxiliary delegates gather to represent the organization’s more than 1.3 million combined membership at the week-long national convention. While there, our mission is to approve new national priorities that will guide our organization into the future as we focus on caring for veterans and as we lobby Congress on issues important to the nation’s veterans, service members and their families.

31 – Hot August Nights Kickoff
Get ready, Reno-Sparks—Hot August Nights is back and bigger than ever for the 40th Anniversary Celebration from July 31 – August 9, 2026! For 10 straight days, the streets rumble with horsepower, music fills the air, and the nostalgia of the 50s, 60s, and 70s takes center stage.

AUGUST

1-9 – Hot August Nights
Get ready, Reno-Sparks—Hot August Nights is back and bigger than ever for the 40th Anniversary Celebration from July 31 – August 9, 2026! For 10 straight days, the streets rumble with horsepower, music fills the air, and the nostalgia of the 50s, 60s, and 70s takes center stage.

14-23 – Jazz & Beyond Music Festival
he 23rd annual Jazz & Beyond Music Festival is planned for August 14 to 23, 2026. Annual Jazz & Beyond Festivals are presented by the Mile High Jazz Band Association and are supported by grants from the Carson City Cultural Commission, the Nevada Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts, the Music Performance Trust Fund, and by private donations.

18-23 Watercolor Carson City Plein Air Festival
Participating watercolor artists will paint plein air in and around Carson City and present work for the 3-day fundraiser auction / exhibits.

20-22 – Cosmic Baseball
As seen on The Today Show, ABC News, Sports Illustrated, MLB Network, and many more, Cosmic Baseball is flipping America’s favorite pastime on its head with an electrifying, glow-in-the-dark twist. Fans can watch the Chili Peppers and Glow Mojis take the field under black light in a jaw-dropping spectacle that’s part baseball, part neon-fueled party, and 100% unforgettable. Neon uniforms, UV-reactive baseballs, and electrifying entertainment are all things fans can expect when joining the tour in 2026.

8/30 – 9/7 – Burning Man Festival
Once a year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert for the Burning Man Festival, coming together to create Black Rock City, a temporary metropolis focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. This annual event is a celebration of creativity, where participants build a city from the ground up, transforming the desert into a vibrant hub of interactive art and culture. In this unique environment, all are welcome to contribute, and everyone plays a part in shaping the experience.

SEPTEMBER

2-7 – Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off
Often referred to as the Super Bowl of rib competitions on the national BBQ competition circuit, the annual Labor Day Weekend event spans more than 6 city blocks in the heart of downtown Sparks, Nevada. Two dozen of the country’s best BBQ teams competed for nearly $20,000 in prize money plus prestigious bragging rights! It is estimated that 350,000-400,000 BBQ enthusiasts take part in the festivities each year consuming more than 250,000 pounds of mouthwatering ribs during the 6-day festival.

10-13 – The Great Reno Ballon Race
The Great Reno Balloon Race, the world’s largest free hot-air ballooning event, taking place September 10th – 13th at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, just north of downtown Reno. Since its inception in 1982 with 20 balloons, it has grown to feature up to 100 balloons and attracts over 150,000 spectators annually.

24-26 – Street Vibrations Fall Rally
Street Vibrations Motorcycle Festival is the ultimate celebration of motorcycles, music, and metal, drawing over 35,000 riding enthusiasts. This action-packed event features poker runs, live entertainment, stunt shows, ride-in shows, and more across several locations in the region, including Historic Virginia City, Reno Harley-Davidson, Michael’s Reno POWERsports, and Battle Born Harley-Davidson in Carson City.

14-19 – Carson City Murals & Music Festival
Carson City has embraced the mural culture, inviting artists from around the country and around the world to leave their artistic mark. The inaugural 2023 event brought 23 murals to life and in 2024/2025 another 40 were added. In 2026, we are excited to bring HEESCO from Australia and Basque artist Jokin Sortwo to continue our public art collection.

ONGOING

Fridays (May-Sept)
Riverside Farmers Market

Select Saturdays (May-Oct)
MidTown Farmers Market

Select Dates (May-Sept)
Reno Riverwalk Wine Walk

First Saturday of Each Month
Carson City Wine Walk (May 2, Jun 6, Aug 1, Sep 5, Oct 3, Nov 7, Dec 5)

_{*Events subject to change.}

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