Well versed
See young poets and public speakers in action at the 2026 Poetry Out Loud Washoe County Semifinal Competition. Poetry Out Loud, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, encourages the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public-speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage. High school students compete at local, district and state levels before advancing to the national finals. Students from Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology (AACT), Coral Academy, Debbie Smith CTE Academy, and McQueen, Reed and Wooster high schools will compete in the semi-final, which starts at 5:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, at the Holland Project, 140 Vesta St. Admission is free. Visit hollandreno.org or www.nvartscouncil.org.
Got some wild, wildlife
Learn about some of the birds and mammals that visit or reside in the Truckee Meadows at several upcoming presentations and field trips taking place over the coming week. Get a chance to see raptors, waterfowl and songbirds during a field trip to the Damonte Ranch wetlands. The Northwest Nevada Bird Alliance hosts the free event, which starts at 8 a.m., Friday, Feb. 6, at a location to be revealed when you register online. Find out more at www.nevadaaudubon.org.
Discover the world of “Suburban Bobcats” with biologist Meeghan Gray. The 45-minute presentation will be followed by a short game or activity. The free event begins at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the Cottonwood Community Center at Lazy 5 Regional Park, 7100 Pyramid Way, Sparks. Go to www.washoecounty.gov/parks/parks/calendar.php or www.facebook.com/WashoeCountyParks.
Finally, go on a “Valentine’s Nature Stroll” along the Galena Interpretive Loop Trail as a guide talks about how native wildlife mate. Bring a headlamp and good walking shoes for this evening walk, which gets underway at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Galena Creek Visitor Center, 18250 Mount Rose Highway. The event is free, but a suggested donation of $5 per person is requested. Sign up online at galenacreek.org/events-galena-creek.
Toytopia: The fun-filled exhibit returns!
Toytopia is a celebration and history of toys both vintage and new! Learn about the history of your favorite toys from the last century and play to your heart’s content with our interactive Lego wall, giant dancing piano, oversized Battleship, life-size Barbie Dreamhouse, arcade game classics, and so much more! Toytopia takes place through April 26 at the Wilbur D. May Museum at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St., in Reno. Admission is $13 for adults; $11 for children and seniors; $7 per person for groups 15+; and free for children 2 and younger. Click here to learn more. (Sponsored Content)
Voice of Scotland
Churchill Arts Council welcomes acclaimed Scottish Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis to Fallon this weekend. Praised for her “crystalline” vocals, Fowlis’ music is deeply influenced by the Hebridean islands where she grew up and by the Highland landscapes where she now resides. The multi-award-winning performer has released numerous studio albums as a solo artist, as a member of the folk supergroup Spell Songs, and as part of traditional music group Dòchas, and has collaborated with a variety of artists including James Taylor, KT Tunstall, Chris Thile, Graham Coxon, electronica duo Valtos and Mary Chapin Carpenter. In 2012, she contributed her vocals to the soundtrack of the Disney Pixar film Brave. Among her many awards and achievements, she was Scotland’s inaugural “Tosgaire na Gàidhlig” (National Gaelic Ambassador), an honor bestowed on her by the Scottish government, and was voted Musician of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2023. Fowlis performs at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, at Barkley Theatre in the Oats Park Art Center, 151 E. Park St., Fallon. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students and children age 12 and younger. Learn more at www.churchillarts.org.
Gimme a beat
The international percussion production STOMP returns to Reno for a weekend of banging, pounding, toe-tapping entertainment blending rhythm, movement, physical comedy and dance. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments—matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps—to create an inventive, provocative and unique experience for audiences of all ages. As of deadline, there were still some seats available for this weekend’s performances, which start at 3 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7; and 1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 S. Virginia St. Tickets are $48.65-$105.58, with $25 student rush tickets available two hours prior to performance time. Visit pioneercenter.com.
Food for thought
Learn about Reno’s culinary past at “A Taste for History: Discovering Untold Stories about the Region’s Food,” presented by the Historic Reno Preservation Society. Writer Sharon Honig-Bear will discuss the colorful characters, one-of-a-kind eateries and stories that touch on the Chinese, Jewish and Italian influences on our community. This event is part of the HRPS’ Second Sunday Speaker Series, a monthly series of presentations on subjects of local historical interest. The free program starts at noon, Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Downtown Reno Library, 301 S. Center St. Registration is required. Go to events.washoecountylibrary.us/event/15617553 or www.historicreno.org.
Hearts and crafts
Make a special card or small gift for your sweetheart at a Valentine’s Day-themed crafting workshop starting at noon, Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Holland Project. Laika Press will also hold an open house next door from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. where visitors can tour the press and make a Valentine’s paper craft. Everything for each craft will be included while supplies last. Prices range from $5 to $25. Participants are welcome to bring extra paper, photos and other supplies they would like to use for their craft. Laika Press and Holland Project are located at 136 and 140 Vesta St. Go to hollandreno.org or www.laikapress.org for more details.
Fresh art
Truckee Meadows Community College Art Galleries kicks off the spring semester with four new art shows featuring local artists and work by TMCC and Clayton Middle School students. The TMCC Main Gallery will feature Ashley Brock’s immersive exhibition Things That Become Holy When No One’s Looking, which explores how ideas of home, memory and identity are shaped by movement and loss. The Red Mountain Gallery will display Artist Battles: Pop Art and Abstract Art, showcasing the creativity and curiosity of students at Clayton Middle School as they interpret and reimagine the two influential art movements. The Erik Lauritzen Gallery will feature the student photography show Dichotomy, which examines how black-and-white and color photography offer contrasting yet interconnected ways of interpreting the same subject through form, mood and emotion. Lastly, Red Mountain Student Gallery will show Kay Vergilio’s mixed media exhibition Things That Made Us, which explores how identity is shaped by the accumulation of experience, giving equal weight to monumental and easily forgotten moments. The shows are on view from Monday, Feb. 9, through Thursday, March 5, at the four gallery locations in the Red Mountain Building at TMCC, 7000 Dandini Blvd. An opening artists’ reception will take place from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the V. James Eardley Student Services Center and the Red Mountain Gallery on the third floor of the Red Mountain Building on the Dandini Campus. Check www.tmcc.edu/art-galleries for more details.
Cultural exchange
The University of Nevada, Reno’s Performing Arts Series presents Afro-jazz fusion performer Okaidja Afroso. The internationally acclaimed singer, percussionist, guitarist and dancer creates modern African music that mixes indigenous traditions, ambient textures, and what he calls “Afro-Zeng.” With roots in the traditions of the Ga-Dangme people of Ghana and a spirit shaped by decades of global travel and collaboration, he invites audiences into a celebration of humanity’s shared rhythms with music that defies borders. Okaidja Afroso performs at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Harlan O. and Barbara R. Hall Recital Hall, 1338 N. Virginia St., in the University Foundation Arts building at the University of Nevada, Reno. Tickets are $40. UNR student and faculty tickets are available for free with a WolfCard at the box office the night of the concert. Visit events.unr.edu/event/performing-arts-presents-okaidja-afroso.
11 Days a Week is written and compiled by Kelley Lang. Want 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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