Ready for their close-up
A documentary on a family’s quest to see natural wonders around the world before a rare disease steals their children’s eyesight, a biopic about opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, and a stop-motion animated feature from Australia are some of 27 films you can see this week at the 10th annual Tahoe Film Fest. The festival features a variety of new and important environmental films, as well as distinguished American independent films, new films from Latin America and award-winning music documentaries—with special guests and filmmakers introducing several of the films. This year’s selections include include Maria, White Bird, September 5, Blink (pictured), Separated, Memoir of a Snail and ODESZA: The Last Goodbye. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit science education at Lake Tahoe through the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC). The Tahoe Film Fest kicks off on Thursday, Dec. 5, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 8. Screenings will be held at Incline Village Cinema, Northstar Village Cinemas and the Crown Room inside the Crystal Bay Casino. Tickets are $12 per screening or $75 for a four-day pass. Visit tahoefilmfest.com for a list of films, tickets and other information.
Looming large
You better watch out. You better not cry. Better not pout, I’m telling you why: Dinosaurs are coming to town. The traveling dinosaur experience Jurassic Quest brings its life-sized animatronic and static prehistoric creatures to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. The show also features interactive shows and demonstrations, walking and stationary dino rides, bounce houses, fossil digs and hands-on activities. The three-day exhibit is open from noon to 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 8, at the convention center, 4590 S. Virginia St. All guests must select an arrival time (9 a.m., noon or 3 p.m.). Ticket holders will be admitted into the event any time after the selected arrival time. General admission tickets are $22 for visitors age 11 and older. Standard tickets are $22 for kids age 2-10. Rides and activity tickets for children may be purchased individually onsite. Or for $36, you can purchase a Kids Ultimate Admission, which includes a standard ticket admission, plus access to various attractions. Babies under 2 get in for free. Go to www.jurassicquest.com for more details.
Cowboy up
Santa caps and cowboy hats will mingle at the 37th annual Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade. This year’s theme is “A Cowboy Christmas!” so put on your best cowboy attire and give a big howdy to an assortment of holiday-themed floats, marching bands and festively dressed representatives from local businesses, organizations, media and government as they head down Victorian Avenue spreading Christmas cheer to the crowd. The parade starts at the corner of Pyramid Way and Victorian Avenue on Saturday, Dec. 7, heading west on Victorian Avenue to Victorian Plaza Circle West in downtown Sparks. The festivities include light displays, train rides, food trucks, live music and other entertainment and a crafters’ area from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 39 North Pole Village. The Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows will offer free photos with Santa Claus from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m. The village will also be open ahead of the parade from 4 to 9 p.m., Thursday and Friday, Dec. 5-6. Entry is free to the parade and to 39 North Pole. The city of Sparks’ annual tree lighting ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6, next to the large gazebo on the corner of Victorian Avenue and Victorian Plaza Circle East. The ceremony includes music from Dusty Miles and the Sundown Drifters. Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson will flip the switch to light the 60-foot Christmas tree. Visit www.cityofsparks.us or www.facebook.com/39NorthDowntown.
Top brass
Since 1974, tuba and euphonium players of all ages and skills have gathered annually to perform traditional Christmas music arranged by American composer Alec Wilder as part of TubaChristmas. The annual concert (stylized as TUBACHRISTMAS!) was conceived in 1974 by tuba player Harvey Phillips as a tribute to his teacher and mentor William J. Bell, who was born on Christmas Day in 1902. The first TubaChristmas was conducted by Paul Lavalle in the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Fifty years later, musicians continue the tradition by performing in TubaChristmas concerts around the world. The Reno performance will take place at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, in the Garden Court at the Wilbur D. May Center at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Virginia St. Before the show, check out a performance by the Sierra Alphorn Players at 1 p.m. and enjoy free admission to the Wilbur D. May Museum and the Sierra Watercolor Society’s Color Fusion art show on view in the gallery. Please consider bringing a canned food donation for the Food Bank of Northern Nevada or a new, sealed toy donation for Toys for Tots. Attendees who drop off donations will get 10 percent off purchases in the museum’s gift shop. Tuba or euphonium players interested in performing can go to tubachristmas.com to learn more. For other information, go to www.facebook.com/RenoMayCenter.
Yule vibes
Virginia City gets decked out for the holidays with its monthlong Christmas on the Comstock. This Victorian-style holiday festival kicked off with a tree-lighting ceremony last weekend and continues this week with several events around the historical boomtown, including craft fairs, a saloon crawl, a parade and a fireworks show. Shop a variety of handmade items made by local artists and artisans at the Senior Center Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 8, at the Storey Senior Citizens Center, 100 Mill St. St. Mary’s Art Center 10th annual Holiday Faire features four floors and more than 25 tables filled with one-of-a-kind fine art, artisan works, literature and more from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 7; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 8 at St. Mary’s Art Center, 55 N. R St. Admission is free to both craft fairs. Holiday revelers can sip on festive drinks at participating bars and vote for their favorite one during The Grinch Made Me Do It Saloon Crawl from 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7. Tickets are $15-$30. Enjoy sweet treats and hot cocoa from local shops as you watch a caravan of decorated and illuminated vehicles drive down C Street during the annual Parade of Lights, which starts at 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, followed by the Magical Christmas Fireworks Show at 6 p.m. Admission is free. Visit visitvirginiacitynv.com for a full list of events and other information.
Yule rule
Carson Valley’s holiday celebrations gets underway with the Town of Gardnerville’s 19th annual Christmas Kickoff. The free event features caroling, live entertainment, seasonal treats, photos with Santa Claus, a musical light show and a fireworks display starting at 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5, at Heritage Park, 1447 Courthouse Alley, in Gardnerville. Visit www.townofgardnerville.com. The fun continues on the weekend with the Candy Cane Main Shop Main Street Cookie and Cocoa Crawl district shopping event. Shoppers can preregister to access the electric carriage rides and receive an interactive map of participating businesses, a commemorative tote and a cookie box. The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, along Main Street in Gardnerville. Tickets are $15 and the proceeds will help fund future Façade Improvement Grant projects in the district. Go to www.mainstreetgardnerville.org for more details. The day’s festivities conclude with Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Parade of Lights event starting at 5 p.m. The 28th annual parade features illuminated floats, marching bands, color guard and an appearance by Santa Claus. The procession travels along Highway 395, beginning at Eddy Street and concluding at Minden Park, 1601 Sixth St., in Minden. Admission is free. Visit www.carsonvalleynv.org.
The passage of time
Get a look inside one of Ireland’s most enigmatic monuments at a special showing presented by the Sons and Daughters of Erin and the Fleischmann Planetarium. The show will use the planetarium dome to create a virtual 360° experience of the interior of Newgrange, an ancient mound and passage tomb located in Ireland’s Boyne Valley. It will feature images from Howard Goldbaum’s virtual reality project “Voices from the Dawn,” which explores the ancient monuments of Ireland in the context of their folklore. The tour will be led—from Ireland—by Clare Tuffy, former manager of the Brú na Bóinne Visitors Centre, which safeguards Newgrange and other important monuments located on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built 5,000 years ago, the entrance of the Newgrange passage tomb is aligned with the rising sun’s rays on the winter solstice, sending a beam of light into the innermost recess of the tomb. The show is the culmination of Fleischmann Planetarium Director Paul McFarlane’s work with Goldbaum, an emeritus professor at the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, in preparing his 360-degree photography of Irish monuments for the planetarium’s projector. The show begins at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center, 1664 N. Virginia St., on the north end of the UNR campus. Tickets are $10. Visit www.unr.edu/planetarium or irishnevada.org/events-2.
The gift of art
Enjoy a day of holiday-themed art projects and art education during Nevada Museum of Art’s Hands ON! Second Saturdays event. “Winter Wonderland” is the theme of this month’s happening, which offers free admission; hands-on art activities such as ornament painting and watercolor holiday cards; storytelling; a docent-guided tour; and a performance by In-Tune Tales who will present The Grinch. “Art Expeditions” provides children the opportunity to engage with museum staff and take a closer look at current work on view. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14, at the NMA, 160 W. Liberty St. Call 775-329-3333, or go to www.nevadaart.org.
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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