Book binge
Celebrate National Friends of Libraries Week and support local libraries at the final Friends of Washoe County Library book sale of the year. Browse through thousands of books, CDs, DVDs and jigsaw puzzles in need of a new home. All books have been cleaned and sorted into the appropriate category. Hardcover books and large paperbacks are $1. Newer and more valuable books are individually priced. Bag Day, Sunday, Oct. 26, is the last day of the sale. For only $5, you can fill up a bag provided by Friends volunteers with as many books and other items that can fit. Only cash and checks will be accepted for payment. Book sale hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 23-26. The sale takes place inside Reno Town Mall, 4001 S. Virginia St., adjacent to the Sierra View Library. Proceeds benefit Washoe County libraries. Visit washoelibraryfriends.org for more information.
Metal mayhem
Intergalactic shock rockers GWAR will bring metal mayhem to the masses this weekend. The band marks 40 years of head-banging riffs; dirty, filthy satire; over-the-top performance art; and “full-frontal interstellar absurdity” with their latest campaign of degeneracy and destruction. BälSäc, Beefcake, JiZMak, Blothar and Grodius Maximus are touring in support of their new multi-media release The Return of Gor Gor, which features three new songs, live tracks and a 32-page comic chronicling the comeback of their “long-lost, crack-addicted, cross-dressing dinosaur” Gor Gor. They’ve also recruited Helmet, Dwarves and Blood Vulture on their latest quest to sonically conquer audiences across the nation. The 18+ show starts at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 24, at the Virginia Street Brewhouse, 211 N. Virginia St. Tickets are $37.50. Check www.jmaxproductions.net or renobrewhouse.com.
Walks through time
Reno and Sparks have their share of historical sites and interesting stories to go with them. Uncover some of our area’s hidden secrets with several history tours happening this week. Local guides with Reno Haunted Tours will take curious history buffs on a one-hour walk through downtown Reno, sharing tales of restless souls, unsolved mysteries and eerie legends tied to the city’s most historic landmarks. Tours start at 8:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 23-25, 30-31 and Nov. 1, in front of the Frisch House, 247 Court St. Tickets are $35 for the walking tour. Visit renohauntedtours.com.
Whether you like spirits that haunt a house or the kind that are served at a bar, you can have a bit of both during the Haunted History Spirit Walk along Victorian Avenue in downtown Sparks. Festivities include haunted history talks at select locations, a costume contest with prizes for best individual and group costumes, food and themed drink specials at participating venues, admission to the Sparks Heritage Museum, 814 Victorian Ave., and admission to the Spooky Sparks Film Showcase at the Galaxy Theatres Victorian, 1250 Victorian Ave. The event is open from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25. Tickets are $10 and include a commemorative cup for participants age 21 and older. Check sparksmuseum.org or www.facebook.com/SparksMuseum for more details.
Finally, Hillside Cemetery Preservation Foundation will hold its Halloween Walking Tour on Friday, Oct. 31. Hear stories about some of the people buried at the historical graveyard, which dates back to the 1870s. Costumes are encouraged, and treats will be passed out at sites along the way. The self-guided tour takes place at 6 p.m. on Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, at the Hillside Cemetery, 920 Nevada St. Suggested donation is $5 at entry. Go to hcpfoundation.squarespace.com or www.facebook.com/HCPF2016.
Ghost striders
Next week, neighborhoods will be overrun with candy-craving ghosts and ghouls in search of tricks or treats. But in some places, the spirits stay long after the candy has been eaten and the Halloween costumes have been packed away. Discover the “Strange Magic” of Nevada’s capital city during the 32nd annual Carson City Ghost Walk. Madame Curry and her Spirit Wranglers will lead this daytime walking tour through the downtown district’s west side historical homes and businesses, highlighting the tales and legends of the Wild West town. Hear about lingering spirits from past centuries, paranormal stories and gossip from the past. Tours depart every half hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25. Meet at McFadden Plaza, at Third and Curry streets, adjacent to The Fox Brewery and Pub/St. Charles Hotel. Dress for the weather and for the walk, or come in costume if you’d like. Online tickets are $25 until Oct. 24. Tickets will be available onsite for $30, cash only. Go to carsoncityghostwalk.com.
Ghosts in the galleries
Get a jump start on trick-or-treating this weekend at several local museums. Nevada State Museum will hold its trunk-or-treat event and block party featuring a Spooky Critters Curator’s Corner in the Dema Guinn Concourse; free admission to the family-friendly “haunted” ghost town and mine exhibits inside the museum; food trucks onsite; and volunteers passing out candy from decorated vehicles along North Curry Street, between Robinson and Washington streets. The fun takes place from 5 to 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 24, at the Nevada State Museum, 600 N. Carson St., Carson City. Visit www.carsonnvmuseum.org.
The Discovery offers sweet treats to costumed trick-or-treaters as they move from gallery to gallery during the 14th annual Halloween Trick or Treat. Early entry for Discovery members is from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by general admission entry from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25. Member admission fees are $3 for children and $2 for adults. General admission is $4 for kids and $3 for adults. Advance tickets are suggested but not required. Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum (The Discovery) is located at 490 S. Center St. Go to nvdm.org.
The National Automobile Museum will also open its doors for a day of Halloween-themed activities. While festivities have been scaled back this year, the museum will offer a spooky scavenger hunt, Halloween coloring pages in the Changing Exhibits Gallery, showings of Hotel Transylvania and Scooby-Doo in the theater, and limited candy at the admissions desk. Admission is $16 for adults, $15 for seniors and $13 for youth ages 6-17. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31, at the National Automobile Museum, 1 Museum Drive. Visit automuseum.org.
Genuine imitation
Did you hear?! AFI, Green Day and Weezer are going to perform in Reno! Radiohead, Gorillaz and Ween have also joined the lineup! The Police are reuniting, and rumor is that David Bowie is coming back to Earth just to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime concert experience! What? Sounds too good to be true? Well, it’s kinda, sorta true. The actual bands won’t be there, but it’ll be almost as good as (or perhaps even better than) the real thing when you attend The Holland Project’s Halloween Show this weekend. Local bands will conjure the personas and creative spirits of more than 20 iconic and influential musical artists and groups—from Motörhead to Portishead—on two outdoor stages at the annual tribute show and fundraiser benefiting HP’s music programming. Dress in your Halloween best, and check out the bands, makeup artists, tarot readers and food trucks on the street outside Holland Project, 140 Vesta St., which will be closed off to traffic, so plan a nearby parking spot in advance. The all-ages show gets started at 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25. Tickets are $20. A performance schedule will be posted on HP’s Instagram page on the day of the show. Should the as-of-today-hard-to-predict atmospheric river affect Reno weather on the day of the event, check hollandreno.org and www.instagram.com/hollandreno for updates.
Oh my squash
What’s more adorable than a bear or a porcupine munching on a pumpkin? How about a bunch of kiddos in Halloween costumes taking delight in watching some Animal Ark’s resident animals gorging on gourds? You’ll have a chance to view furry and furless creatures joining in the Halloween fun this weekend at Animal Ark’s annual Harvest Festival. Take the family out for a day of fall-time festivities while supporting animal care and education programs at the nonprofit wildlife sanctuary. See the Ark’s big cats, bears and other critters devour their jack-o’-lantern pumpkin treats throughout the day, and head down the trick-or-treat trail with themed booths from local sponsors and activity tables, including the “Creepy Crawlie” stop where guests can meet the sanctuary’s millipedes and desert tarantula. You can also cheer on your own wee beasties as they march in a costume parade. After all that walking around, make sure to treat them to lunch from local food trucks. The weekend event is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 25-26, at Animal Ark Wildlife Sanctuary, 1265 Deerlodge Road, 25 miles north of downtown Reno. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and $16 for kids ages 3-12. No advance tickets are required. Go to www.animalark.org or www.facebook.com/AnimalArk.Nevada for more information.
Gives one the shivers
We all love those classic songs that end up on Halloween party playlists—“Thriller,” “Ghostbusters,” etc. Now what if you take some of those ditties, replace the drums and other instruments with violins and cello, and perform them live on a dimly lit stage? You’ll end up with “Candlelight: A Haunting Night of Halloween Classics.” Listeso String Quartet will play spooky music against a backdrop of candles, creating a more solemn, nay, chilling, experience. The tentative setlist includes pop hits, TV and movie themes and classical compositions, such as Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Danse Macabre,” a medley of Danny Elfman’s music from The Nightmare Before Christmas and even the “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Seats are still available for the 8:30 p.m. show on Sunday, Oct. 26, and for the 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. shows on Thursday, Oct. 30, at the Celebrity Showroom inside the Nugget Casino Resort, 1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks. Tickets are $27-$53. Go to feverup.com/en/reno/candlelight for tickets.
The Reno Wind Symphony will also present its Halloween-themed concert titled “Ghoulish Delights.” Listen to a selection of spine-tingling tunes at this family-friendly performance which starts at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 30, at the Nightingale Concert Hall in the Church Fine Arts Building, 1335 N. Virginia St., at the University of Nevada, Reno. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students and children. https://www.renowindsymphony.com.
11 Days a Week is written and compiled by Kelley Lang. your event included in 11 Days a Week? Email 11days@renonr.com for consideration. Email advertising@renonr.com for advertising info!
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