Watch the stars
Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center hosts its 10th annual Sci-On! Film Festival. Billing itself as the “Biggest Little Science and Fiction Film Festival in the World,” the event showcases science-fiction short films from the United States and around the world. The celebration kicks off with a night of science, storytelling and sweets featuring Maya Warren, the “Ice Cream Scientist,” and Page Buono, director of the featured short Frosty Formulations. The free event starts at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 1, in Room 110 at Davidson Mathematics and Science Center, 1055 Evans Ave., at the University of Nevada, Reno. Go to www.unr.edu/science/news-events/discover-science/maya-warren for more details. The festival moves to the planetarium with screenings of live-action shorts films starting at 7 p.m., Friday, May 2, followed by screenings of the top contenders for Best Sci-Fi Short Film of the Year at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 3. Tickets are $10. The festivities conclude with Star Wars Day, where attendees can ride a landspeeder, train in laser sword combat and meet characters from the film franchise. The event takes place from 1 to 6 p.m. at the planetarium, 1664 N. Virginia St., at the north end of the UNR campus. Dome show tickets are $5 for students and $10 for general admission. Go to www.sci-on.org or www.unr.edu/planetarium.
Marriage of convenience
Catch the final week of Reno Little Theater’s production of Perfect Arrangement, a satirical comedy by award-winning playwright Topher Payne. The play takes audiences back to the 1950s, where two U.S. State Department employees, Bob and Norma, have found the perfect cover for their secret double lives. At the height of the McCarthy era, Bob and Norma—both in same-sex relationships—have created a seemingly ideal arrangement, living as married couples with their respective partners in a carefully constructed facade. However, when tasked with rooting out “undesirable” employees from their department, they must navigate a world of moral hypocrisy and personal risk, all while maintaining their carefully curated deception. Performances start at 7:30 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, May 1-3; and 2 p.m., Sunday, May 4, at Reno Little Theater, 147 E. Pueblo St. Tickets are $15 for students, $23 for seniors and $28 for adults. Call 775-813-8900, or visit www.renolittletheater.org.
Game on
Enjoy an evening of friendly competition playing Mario Kart on a Nintendo Switch at the National Automobile Museum. Check in; get your name on the roster; and wait for the emcee to call your race. After your turn, you can hop back in line and do it all again. Mario Kart Game Night is open to players age 21 and older. The fun begins at 6 p.m., Friday, May 2, at the National Automobile Museum, 1 Museum Drive. Tickets are $25 per person, and you’ll get to play two to four games per session, with four players at a time. Visit automuseum.org/nam_events/mario-kart-game-night or www.instagram.com/nationalautomobilemuseum.
Sisters are doin’ it for themselves
Women on Fire Reno presents She’s on Fire, a one-day art and music festival “dedicated to elevating, celebrating and empowering creative women,” featuring a diverse lineup of musicians, dancers, visual artists, poets, comedians and DJs. The lineup includes Nothing Like a Dame, Worm Shot, Sue Bird, Kat Heart, Rachael McElhiney and Kasey Christensen, Courtney Kelly, Elisa Garcia, Camilla Downs, Rachel Grey, Mallory Kate Creates and Braighlee, among others. Festival hours are 1 to 6 p.m., Sunday, May 4, at Abby’s Highway 40, 424 E. Fourth St. Pre-sale tickets are $17-$107 and can be purchased at www.indiegogo.com/projects/she-s-on-fire-women-s-art-and-music-festival-2025. A related Open Mic Night will begin at 6 p.m., Friday, May 2, at Underworld Distillery, 5301 Longley Lane, Building F, Suite 203; and the Ignition Party will take place from 7 to 10:30 p.m., Saturday, May 3, at Abby’s Highway 40. Visit www.womenonfirereno.org for more details.
Where’s the fiesta?
Cinco de Mayo, or Fifth of May, commemorates Mexico’s victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. While only a minor holiday observed in some parts of Mexico, it has become a celebration of Mexican heritage on this side of the border. It seems there won’t be a large outdoor festival in Reno as in past years, but there will be some Cinco de Mayo events this week. Carson City’s second annual Cinco de Mayo Festival will offer a taco competition, food trucks, an art market, a free screening of the Disney animated film Encanto, and live music by Paso Fino. The fiesta takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, May 4, at Brewery Arts Center, 449 W. King St., Carson City. Call 775-883-1976, or visit breweryarts.org/event/20250502-cinco-de-mayo. The Row offers La Fiesta de Mayo featuring colorful decor, tacos, nachos and other food, craft vendors, traditional dancers and strolling mariachi bands along the mezzanine between the Eldorado Resort Casino, 345 N. Virginia St., and Circus Circus Reno Hotel & Casino, 500 N. Sierra St. The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m., Friday, May 2; and 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday, May 3, inside The Row in downtown Reno. Visit www.caesars.com/reno/events/cinco-de-mayo. Sparks Cinco de Mayo Fest offers games, Mexican food and live music by Banda Zeta, Nueva Imagen, Banda Salvaje and La Internacional Sonora Dinamita. The celebration takes place from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4, at Victorian Square in downtown Sparks. Admission is free. Visit https://cincodemayosparks.com/ or https://www.instagram.com/cincodemayosparks/ for more information.
Break it down
Hip-hop dance group F-Rock Crew returns to the area for a series of performances presented by Pioneer Center Youth Programs. Founded more than 20 years ago by Marcus “Fidget” Sharpe, Tim “Chipz” Uomoto and Remi “Remz” Street, F-Rock Crew shares the history of hip-hop culture and the origins of each hip-hop dance style. Audiences will have an opportunity to learn breakdancing moves, and learn about the pioneers who invented each move and inspired generations of dancers. The Seattle-based dance company will perform as part of the Free Family Series starting at 4 p.m., Saturday, May 3, at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 S. Virginia St. Admission is free; seating is first come, first served. The dancers will also appear at area libraries. The free programs start at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 3, at the Northwest Reno Library, 2325 Robb Drive; 10:30 a.m., Sunday, May 4, at the Sparks Library, 1125 12th St., Sparks; and 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 7, at Incline Village Library, 845 Alder Ave, Incline Village. Check events.washoecountylibrary.us for more information.
Do it for science
See the work of up-and-coming inventors and scientists at the SciVenture Science Fair. Coordinated by the University of Nevada, Reno, Aerospace and Defense Academy and AHA Projects, the inaugural event will showcase innovative projects by young talent in Northern Nevada and revives Reno’s longstanding tradition of an annual science fair, which was put on indefinite hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. The science competition takes place from 1:30 to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 3, at the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum (The Discovery), 490 S. Center St. Fair entry is free, but you must pre-register to attend. Museum admission is not included. Go to aha-projects.org/sciventure for more details.
The storyteller
The Artown Encore Series closes with a performance by French-American composer, singer and visual artist Cécile McLorin Salvant. The eclectic performer blends vaudeville, blues, theater, jazz, baroque, and folkloric traditions into a narrative journey. She’s a three-time Grammy Award winner for Best Jazz Vocal Album and a recipient of the prestigious MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. Her 2022 album Ghost Song earned two Grammy nominations and widespread acclaim, while 2023’s Mélusine—sung in French, Occitan, English and Haitian kreyòl—solidifies her reputation as a curator of cross-cultural narratives. Salvant will perform at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 6, at the Harlan O. & Barbara R. Hall Recital Hall in the University Arts Building, 1338 N. Virginia St., at the University of Nevada, Reno. Tickets are $50. Call 775-322-1538, or go to artown.org/Cecile-McLorin-Salvant.
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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