Musical medley
You’ll hear a little bit of everything at the Jazz and Beyond Festival, which offers 10 days of free performances by various musical acts at multiple venues in Carson City. The Mile High Jazz Band Association’s 23rd annual event opens on Friday, Aug. 14, with classical repertoire, popular songs and other selections by the Marshall/Knock Chamber Duo at 4:30 p.m., followed by the big band jazz sounds of the Reno Jazz Orchestra at 6 p.m. The show will be held outside the Governor’s Mansion, 606 Mountain St., Carson City. Other festival highlights include the country-themed “Day at the Silver Saddle Ranch” featuring music by the Sagebrush Rebels and Joey Carmon and Kentucky Blue and cowboy poetry by Dennis Golden, Larry Marinel and Jo Foster, on Sunday, Aug. 16; Mile High Jazz Band’s Basie’s Birthday Concert on Friday, Aug. 21, and the closing concert, A Tribute to Natalie Cole and Nancy Wilson, performed by the Sapphire Jazz Ensemble on Sunday, Aug. 23. A full schedule of events can be found at jazzcarsoncity.com.
Skate it ’til you make it
Local skateboarders will show off their best moves at the second annual Skate Jam, presented by Washoe County Regional Parks and Open Space in partnership with Classic Skate Shop. Skateboarders of all levels can watch pro skaters from Classic Skate Shop demonstrate their aerial skills and pick up a few more tips during the best trick contest. While the “learn to skate” session has filled, there are still spots available for the contest. Go to this sign-up link for more info. The skate jam is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Spanish Springs Skate Park at Lazy 5 Regional Park, 7100 Pyramid Way, Sparks. Visit www.washoecounty.gov/parks/calendar.php or www.instagram.com/classicskateshop.
La playa awaits
Experience a mini-version of Burning Man at Recompression 2026: A Cheney Block Party. This celebration and benefit for local artists, musicians and makers in the Burning Man community features art cars, art installations, DJs, fire dancers and other performers, a makers’ market, face-painting and more. The fun starts at 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 15, at Noble Pie Parlor, 777 S. Center St., Suite 100. The event is free to attend, but please consider making a donation to artists and makers’ projects before they head out to the playa. Go to www.facebook.com/noblepiemidtown.
Shake a tail
The dog days of summer continue—not with double-digit temps, but with fiery, intense and passionate expressions through movement. The fifth annual Dog Days of Summer Dance Festival features three days of performances by local dance companies—ranging from folklórico to fire. The festival kicks off on Friday, Aug. 14, with performances by Ballet Folklórico Pueblo Nuevo, Heart and Sole Dance Company, Northern Nevada Ballet Academy and Note-Able Music Therapy Services. The showcase continues on Saturday, Aug. 15, with Nevada Dance Company, Whitelight Bollywood Productions, Danza Azteca Aztlán and Entity Movement Dance Company. The festival concludes on Sunday, Aug. 16, with performances by Reno Movement Collective, Controlled Burn, Luminescent and Honey Dance Productions. The family-friendly production also serves as a benefit for the SPCA of Northern Nevada, which will have some of its canine buddies strutting down the stage during the Pup Parade taking place each day in between sets. The outdoor shows start at 7:30 p.m. on the E.L. Cord Plaza in front of the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 S. Virginia St. Admission is free, but seating is first come, first served. Please bring a foldable chair or blanket for seating on the plaza. Visit pioneercenter.com or spcanevada.org/dogdaysofsummer for more details.
The queen of percussion
The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival’s Showcase Series continues with a performance by Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sheila E. Born into a legendary musical family, Sheila Escovedo broke barriers as a trailblazing percussionist and became one of the most influential artists of her generation. Over her six-decade career, she has collaborated with musical icons such as Prince, Lionel Richie, Herbie Hancock and Beyoncé, and topped the music charts in the 1980s with hits such as “The Glamorous Life” and “A Love Bizarre.” Backed by her band The E-Train, Sheila E. delivers an electrifying mix of funk, jazz, Latin grooves and global rhythms. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 17, at the Warren Edward Trepp Stage at Sand Harbor State Park, 2005 Highway 28, Incline Village. Tickets are $47-$99. Check laketahoeshakespeare.com for tickets.
Flower power
Brighten your day with a bouquet of sunflowers that you picked at Andelin Farm’s annual Sunflower Festival. The farm will be open for sunflower field and wildflower field visits starting on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The festival will expand to include barnyard activities and attractions—including a straw bale maze, mini zip lines, hay rides and a chance to interact with farm animals—on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday; 4 to 8 p.m., Friday; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, through Sept. 5. The farm is closed on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Admission is $16-$18 with separate fees for certain activities. Entry is free for children under age 2. Andelin Family Farm is located at 8100 Pyramid Way, Sparks. Visit andelinfamilyfarm.com/summer-events for more details.
Shining stars
While the Perseid meteor showers get the most attention this time of year, there are other celestial wonders to behold in the nighttime sky this month. Learn about the “Summer Triangle”—an astronomical asterism or pattern in the northern sky whose defining vertices include Altair, Deneb and Vega, the brightest stars in the constellations Aquila, Cygnus and Lyra, respectively. (Regular readers of the RN&R’s monthly astronomy column know all about it!) Telescopes will be set up in the parking lot for an unobstructed view of the Summer Triangle and deep sky objects after the presentation, which begins at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 21, at the Visitor Center at Galena Creek Regional Park, 18250 Mount Rose Highway. Go to www.washoecounty.gov/parks/calendar.php for more info.
Take it outside
Fights usually aren’t tolerated at most drinking establishments—unless you confine the battle to a ring. This weekend, The Brewer’s Cabinet teams up with Fight Frequency Boxing Club and RWF Pro Wrestling to present Brewer’s Bout: Two Nights of Punches and Pints. Longtime radio personality Chris Payne will serve as emcee during the two-day event, which features live professional wrestling, amateur boxing and Muay Thai bouts. In between the matchups, attendees can indulge in a pint of craft beer, grab a meal from local food trucks, and browse for unique items in the vendor area. The action takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21 and 22, in the parking lot of The Brewer’s Cabinet, 475 S. Arlington Ave. General-admission tickets are $40 for a single-day pass or $60 for a two-day pass. VIP admission is $50 for a single-day pass or $70 for a two-day pass. VIP guests will also receive one-hour early entry, a Brewer’s Bout event T-shirt, and their first beer. Visit www.brewerscabinet.com/punchesandpints/eventbrite.
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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