Rhythm is gonna get you
Dancers from across the country will show off their best moves at the 18th annual Reno Latin Dance Fest. Open to dancers of all skills, the four-day convention offers workshops, showcases, competitions, dance parties and more, in styles ranging from bachata to jazz to salsa. DJ R-Boogie will host the official pre-party, which starts at 9 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Rum Bullions Island Bar in the Silver Legacy. The main event kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 8, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 11, at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino, 407 N. Virginia St. Single all-day passes range from $150 to $230, with evening passes, late-night passes and VIP options available. Visit www.renolatindancefest.com for a complete schedule and ticket information.
Nature calls
Explore local parks and learn new skills by participating in the city of Reno’s Junior Ranger Program. Pick up a free Junior Ranger Guide at any city of Reno recreation facility, or access it online. The guide encourages participants to collect stickers by completing activities hosted by the park rangers. Once they complete six activities and collect six stickers, they will be invited to a Reno Recreation and Parks Commission meeting for a swearing-in ceremony, where they will be given an official Junior Ranger badge. The program offers activities twice a month at different parks, rotating among Idlewild Park, Huffaker Park, Mayors Park, Mira Loma Park, Paradise Park and Valley Wood Park. The first Junior Ranger activity of the year, “Birding Bonanza,” starts at 8 a.m. (weather permitting), on Friday, Jan. 9, at Idlewild Park, 1900 Idlewild Park. Learn more at www.reno.gov/government/departments/parks-and-recreation/park-activities or www.facebook.com/cityofreno.
Action films
See some of the latest adrenaline-pumping adventure sport films at the 24th annual Tahoe Adventure Film Festival. TAFF organizers narrow down film submissions to the top 10 from every corner of the action sports world. Each filmmaker then produces a special 10-to-12-minute clip or segment to premiere at the festival, which brings together members of the outdoor adventure community for a night of tongue-in-cheek humor, music and entertainment. The fun begins at 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 10, at Bally’s Lake Tahoe, 55 Highway 50, Stateline. Tickets are $53.55-$68.85. Go to www.laketahoefilmfestival.com or casinos.ballys.com/lake-tahoe.
Take the chill off
Warm up the body and soul with feel-good music ranging from cowboy tunes to big-band jazz during the annual Come in From the Cold concert series. Grab a complimentary cup of hot chocolate or tea, and settle in for an evening of bluegrass music by Monday Night Volunteers, who will kick off the series on Saturday, Jan. 10. Other acts scheduled to perform this month include Dennis Golden and Texas Tom Weatherby on Jan. 17, Silver City on Jan. 24, and The Birches on Jan. 31. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and shows start at 7 p.m. on Saturdays through March 14, in the Western Heritage Interpretive Center at Bartley Ranch Regional Park, 6000 Bartley Ranch Road. A $5 donation is suggested to help fund performances. Visit www.washoecounty.gov/parks/calendar.php or www.facebook.com/WashoeCountyParks.
Post of the town
Explore the history of Reno’s postal service with speaker Debbie Hinman who will present “Reno’s Mail Service: The Earliest Days to Now.” See photos of Reno’s first post office building, and hear details of the remarkable décor of the second post office, which has been decommissioned but still stands in downtown Reno. This free event is part of the Historic Reno Preservation Society’s Second Sunday Speaker Series, monthly presentations on subjects of local historical interest. Registration is required. The talk begins at noon, Sunday, Jan. 11, at the Downtown Reno Library, 301 S. Center St. Visit events.washoecountylibrary.us.
Toy stories
Tap into your inner child and let your imagination loose at Toytopia. Through informative and interactive displays, the traveling exhibit explores the history of toys from the 1900s to today. Visitors will learn about the inventors and companies behind some of the world’s most well-known toys, as well as why some toys succeeded and others failed, and why some have become collector’s items. There’ll be plenty of opportunities for playtime with vintage arcade games and large-scale attractions—including an 8-foot-tall Etch-A-Sketch, a Monopoly car token big enough to sit in, a life-size dollhouse and an electronic floor piano. Toytopia opens on Sunday, Jan. 11, and runs through Sunday, April 26, at the Wilbur D. May Museum at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St. The exhibition is open during regular museum hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday; and noon to 4 p.m., Sunday. Admission is $13 for adults; $11 for children ages 3-17 and seniors age 62 and older; and free for kids age 2 and younger. The admission price includes access to the museum’s permanent collection, which features a variety of artifacts, paintings, taxidermy and personal items owned by local adventurer Wilbur D. May. Visit www.washoecounty.gov/parks/maycenterhome or www.facebook.com/RenoMayCenter.
If it ain’t baroque …
Tahoe Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus’ Go 4 Brrroque concert series celebrates the brilliance of Baroque-era composer Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries. The program offers two Bach compositions—the Double Violin Concerto featuring violinists Kevin Matheson and Cliff Richardson, followed by the Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 showcasing flute duo Lisa Norton and Elizabeth Neudeck. Soprano Anne Davidson will close out the evening with a selection of expressive Baroque arias. Performances start at 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 11, at Lake Tahoe Community Presbyterian Church, 2733 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe; 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 13, at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 341 Village Blvd., Incline Village; 6:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 16, at Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral, 310 W. Second St., Reno; 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 17, at Church of the Mountains, 10069 Church St., Truckee, and 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 18, at Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, 955 W. Peckham Lane, Reno. Tickets are $15-$100. General admission seats are free for youth under age 23. Visit www.tahoe-philharmonic.com/concerts for more information.
In season
Experience an audiovisual treat this coming week when Higher Elevation Music performs Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Under the direction of Alex Eisenberg, this program combines the various moods and sounds of the Baroque-era composer’s four violin concertos with expressive cinematic works that bridge classical tradition and modern storytelling. This series of concerts kicks off the nonprofit’s inaugural season titled “New Horizons.” Performances start at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 16, at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 200 Island Ave.; 3 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 17, at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 1070 W. Plumb Lane; 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 18, at the CVIC Hall, 1604 Esmeralda Ave., Minden; and 3 p.m., Monday, Jan. 19, at a location to be announced. Tickets are $10-$80. Visit higherelevationmusic.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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