Last chance: Best of Northern Nevada voting ends Sunday!
The Reno News & Review’s Best of Northern Nevada contest is the region’s largest, most comprehensive, longest-running reader survey. It’s your chance to vote for your favorite people, places and things in Northern Nevada. Vote for your favorite restaurants, favorite ski resort, favorite plastic surgeon, and on and on—and final-round voting concludes Sunday, Aug. 2.
Winners will be announced in the special Best of Northern Nevada RN&R print edition, and online at RenoNR.com on Monday. Sept. 14.
Under the big top
Do you have days when you just want to run off and join the circus? Well, we’re not saying you should join, but we wouldn’t stop you from going to the circus—and two, in fact, will be in the area this week.
The Garden Bros. Circus presents its Fun Factory show with five rings of thrills and more than 60 performers. Showtimes are 4:30 and 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, July 30-Aug. 2, with additional matinee performances at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 1, and 1 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 2. The big top will be set up outside Meadowood Mall, 5000 Meadowood Mall Circle. General admission adult tickets start at $24.42. Admission is free for one child aged 3-13 with one paid adult entry. Go to gardenbroscircus.com/shows/1?location=ff-reno.
Cirque Ma’Ceo’s showcase of “mesmerizing acrobatic feats, aerial dancing and exotic horses” continues for another week in Carson City. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m., nightly through Sunday, Aug. 2, at Fuji Park, 601 Old Clear Creek Road, Carson City. Tickets start at $40 for adult admission and $25 for children ages 3-12. Visit tickets.cirquemaceo.com/locations.
A movie with bite
Turn back the clock to the summer of 1975, when filmmaker Steven Spielberg made jittery beachgoers think twice before dipping their toes in the water. Carson City Classic Cinema Collective (C5) will kick off its three-part “Rise of the Summer Blockbusters” film series with a screening of Jaws, Spielberg’s 1975 thriller about a massive, man-eating, great white shark that terrorizes a quiet seaside town. This month’s event, “The Summer That Changed Cinema,” starts off on a light note with the 1964 cartoon beach romp Looney Tunes: Hawaiian Aye Aye. Then, the mood shifts as the menacing, two-note ostinato of composer John Williams’ ominous theme introduces viewers to Spielberg’s blockbuster on the big screen. Bring a beach chair and a blanket (and stay away from any large bodies of water). The free event starts at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 30, at the outdoor stage at Brewery Arts Center, 449 W. King St., Carson City. Visit breweryarts.org/event/20260730-c5-jaws.
Learning on the fly
Local filmmakers, actors, writers and anyone interested in making movies are invited to attend Cue the Chaos, a fast-paced networking event hosted by Malevolent Mouse Productions, where participants can learn about the 48 Hour Film Project; meet members of the local film community; and form teams that will have only 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and upload their short film. This official kickoff to the Reno 48 Hour Film Project season offers auditions, headshot opportunities, a voice-over competition, skill-sharpening workshops, a costume contest and other activities to encourage creativity. The fun takes place from 2 to 9 p.m., Friday, July 31, at the Reno Public Market, 299 E. Plumb Lane. Find out more at www.renopublicmarket.com/community-events or malevolentmouseproductions.com/reno-48-showcase.
And that’s a wrap
Artown concludes its 31st season with its Closing Night concert featuring international touring group Playing for Change. Music producer/engineer Mark Johnson and philanthropist Whitney Kroenke founded the project in 2002 with the belief that music has the power to break down barriers and bridge distances between people. While on a walk in Santa Monica, Calif., Johnson heard street musician Roger Ridley performing Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me.” The encounter inspired an idea to “take the studio to the streets” and produce a global version of the 1961 hit. Using a mobile recording studio and simple camera set up, Johnson and Kroenke traveled the globe in search of musicians who would perform the song, adding each artist’s style to the mix. The resulting song and video—featuring Ridley and musicians from Africa, Europe, North America and South America—went viral on YouTube, hitting more than 2 billion views on various platforms. The multimedia music project has released other renditions of popular songs over the years, and its nonprofit foundation carries out its mission to connect, inspire and change the world through music. Playing for Change hits the stage at 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 31, at the Helaine Greenberg Stage, located in the Nevada Farms and Families Area at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St. Admission is free. Visit artown.org.
Wheels in motion
Hot August Nights cruises into town (and middle age) as July winds down. The 40th annual celebration of classic cars and rock ’n’ roll music from the 1950s through 1970s offers 10 days of show ’n’ shines, cruises, drag races and burnouts, competitions and concerts, as well as signature events such as the J Resort Swap Meet and Outdoor Car Corral, Motorsport Auction Group (MAG Auctions), Hot August Nights Prom, Car Awards Presentation and Parade of Champions and the Grand Finale Parade. The opening weekend festivities begin on Friday, July 31, in Virginia City, with the event’s official kick-off party taking place in Reno on Monday, Aug. 3, at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, 2707 S. Virginia St. The nostalgia trip continues through Sunday, Aug. 9, at various locations in Reno, Sparks and Virginia City. Check hotaugustnights.net for a full schedule and other information. (And if you want to learn about the history of the event, check out our most recent “From the Archives newsletter here!)
In related news, Grand Sierra Resort will hold its own car show called Street Heat. The inaugural event features classic cars, exhibitions and concerts with a different headliner each night from Wednesday, Aug. 5 through Saturday, Aug. 8. The lineup includes Voyager—A Tribute to the Music of Journey on Wednesday, Aug. 5; Mick Adams and the Stones on Thursday, Aug. 6; Blue Öyster Cult on Friday, Aug. 7; and George Thorogood and The Destroyers on Saturday, Aug. 8. Seating is provided on a first come, first served basis. Each night’s seating opens at 5:30 p.m., followed by the opening act at 6 p.m. and the headliner at 8:15 p.m. Visit www.grandsierraresort.com for more details.
Get a mouthful
Sink your teeth into all sorts chicken-y goodness at the 12th annual Biggest Little City Wing Fest. Cooks from near and far will present their best chicken wings to be judged in categories like “Best Unique Wing,” “Celebrities’ Choice,” “Best BBQ Wing,” and “People’s Choice,” during the three-day festival. The event also features a craft fair, camel rides, face painting, bungee jumping and country music by headliners Harper Grace on July 31, Restless Road on Aug. 1 and Mackenzie Carpenter on Aug. 2. Festival hours are 1 to 10 p.m., Friday, July 31; noon to 10 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 1; and noon to 8 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 2, along Virginia Street, between Second and Sixth streets in downtown Reno. Awards will be presented on Sunday night. Admission is free. Chicken wing connoisseurs seeking the VIP experience can purchase tickets for $113.40. Go to www.caesars.com/reno/events/wing-fest for more information.
Coming attractions
Get a sneak peak at some of the large-scale creations that are headed to next month’s Burning Man at the fourth annual Playa Art Preview. Dig into a heaping plate of paella while learning about the newly expanded makerspace and how the artists create their monumental sculptures and art installations. Then, head to the artists’ build spaces for desserts and drinks to get a better understanding of the process of creating such huge works of art. The fundraising event for The Generator includes a raffle and live entertainment. The party kicks off with an early-access VIP hour at 5 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 1, followed by the main event at 6 p.m., at The Generator, 2450 Oddie Blvd., Sparks. Tickets are $75 for general admission and $150 for the VIP hour. Visit www.therenogenerator.com.
Make a night of it
Discover the nighttime world of wildlife at Ark at Dark, an evening event that highlights the nocturnal behaviors and adaptations of the Animal Ark Wildlife Sanctuary’s residents. During guided nighttime tours, educators will discuss how different species thrive after sunset. Advance-ticket purchases are encouraged, as attendance is limited. Ark at Dark starts at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 8, and again on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Animal Ark Wildlife Sanctuary, 1265 Deerlodge Road, about 25 miles north of Reno. Tickets are $23 for adults, $21 for seniors and $17 for kids under the age of 12. Entry is free for kids age 2 and younger. Go to www.animalark.org for tickets and other info.
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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