Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open – June 21-27

For the second consecutive year, bowling is breaking new ground at Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open, the industry’s pre-eminent professional women’s tournament. Following a landmark television finals event in 2011 that was played at the 50 yard-line in Cowboys Stadium, the Open finals will now – for the first-time ever – be played outdoors on legendary Virginia Street in Reno, Nev. History will be broken twice, as the event will also feature the introduction of the first-ever Bowling’s Senior U.S. Women’s Open, for participants over 50 years old.

The 2012 Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open and Senior Open will take place simultaneously, beginning June 21 at the National Bowling Stadium, and will culminate with the top five bowlers earning a spot in the finals on June 27 at 7:00 p.m. For a second consecutive year, the Open finals, in addition to the newly-added Senior Open finals, will be broadcast on ESPN’s family of networks.

This event is open to the public for viewing.

www.bowlingsuswomensopen.com.

Free fishing, free fishing pole, free hot dogs, and free ice cream at Kids Free Fishing Day at Sparks Marina, from 7am – 11am, June 9!

If you happened to read that list aloud, we can imagine there are little hands tugging on your arm, and little eyes lighting up with fish and ice cream, and you’re already thinking about where you stashed those water pants last winter…

The event is designed to teach children how to successfully participate in the art of angling. Over 1,800 fishing poles have been strung by volunteers for the event – everyone should have the opportunity to feel the rush of excitement when there’s a keeper on the line. Be sure to arrive early before they run out!

Free Fishing Day is statewide. The public is allowed to fish in any public fishing water in the state of Nevada without needing a fishing license or trout stamp as long as they follow regulations.

Are you hooked yet?

For more details visit http://www.ndow.org/about/news/pr/2012/June/Free_Fishing_Day.shtm.

The event of a lifetime is brewing on the sacred Paiute tribal land, on the shores of Pyramid Lake.

Over 6,000 people are expected to gather at Pyramid Lake this weekend, May 17 – 21, for the five-day Symbiosis Gathering. The gathering is looking to co-create a visionary village directly in the path of the 2012 solar eclipse. The path of the eclipse will sweep directly over Pyramid Lake, making it one of the best places in the world to view this astronomical event on May 20.

The auspicious event marks the first major lakeside gathering permitted by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe in over 25 years.  To honor the alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun, Symbiosis will bring together an epic lineup of over 70 innovative artists, musicians and teachers for a gathering intended to inspire and inform personal evolution and planetary healing.  Five days of music will feature a full-ranged music festival; including, live bands, electronic, dubstep, techno, trance, house, downtemple, sacred, world, kirtan and much more. From yoga to hula, mycology to neurology, prana to permaculture, the gathering will also offer an array of speakers, workshops and presentations for mind, body and spirit.  The full lineup of artists and teachers can be found on pyramideclipse.com. Find photos of previous Symbiosis Gatherings at pyramideclipse.com./gallery. Tickets still available!

On Sunday May 20th, 2012, a solar eclipse will sweep across East Asia, over the northern Pacific Ocean, and then into the southwestern United States.

Reno and Albuquerque are the only major cities along the shadow’s narrow path – the center of the path sweeps directly through the south shore of Pyramid Lake. Yes, that’s right, one of the best places in the world to view this astronomical event will be right in our backyard!

In Reno, a free solar eclipse viewing will be offered at UNR:

When: Sunday, May 20, 2012, from 5-7 p.m. (maximum eclipse, 6:28-6:33 p.m.)

Where: MacLean Observatory on the Redfield Campus of the University of Nevada, Reno, 18600 Wedge Parkway in southwest Reno

Out-of-town visitors: The Silver Legacy Resort Casino is offering discount rates for eclipse visitors! Visit this Visitors page for more information.

As you get starry-eyed over this opportunity of a lifetime, don’t forget how dangerous looking directly into the sun can be! For maximum protection, the Planetarium will provide solar viewers for sale in the Science Store. For safe viewing tips, and how to build your own safe-viewing devices, see these resources.

NEVADA MUSEUM OF ART

Exhibitions:

Celebrate Art of the Tiffany Era – Three unique exhibitions open through May 20

The Tiffany family design legacy is celebrated in this unique mix of exhibitions featuring Louis Comfort Tiffany’s stained glass of the art nouveau era and a rare collection of Tiffany & Co.’s decorative firearms. Charles Lewis Tiffany established Tiffany & Co. in 1837; his son Louis Comfort Tiffany later founded Tiffany Studios, renowned for exquisite decorative objects.

Special Events:

Mother’s Day Trunk Show

May 12, noon – 3 pm

Find the perfect gift this Mother’s Day from the work of ceramics artist Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk and jewelry artist, Gail Rappa – both Wild Women artists. Admission to the Trunk Show is FREE.

TALK: BRDI and BRAF Present: Candy Chang | Before I Die

May 17, at 6pm

In collaboration with the Black Rock Arts Foundation and the Black Rock Design Institute, the Museum welcomes artist, designer, urban planner, and wanderer Candy Chang as she presents her project Before I Die. Recognized as a leader in developing new strategies for the design of our cities, Chang will also discuss her installation of Before I Die in Reno. Networking and social hour with beer provided by Silver Peak Brewery at 5pm. Talk follows at 6pm.

Cost: $10 / $8 Museum members.

ART BITE: Meet the Collectors: The Bloms on Southwest Pottery

May 18, at 12 pm

Brenda and John Blom discuss the range of pottery they have collected from every era and pueblo in the Southwest.

Cost: $10 / FREE with admission and for Museum members

THE DISCOVERY

Biodegradable Art

May 12, at 11am, and May 12– 13, at 11am and 1pm

Combine art and science when you create your own piece of art made from biodegradable packing peanuts.

Cost: $3/Members Free

Eclipse Viewer

May 19, at 11am, and May 19– 20, at 11am and 1pm

Learn about solar eclipses and view the upcoming eclipse through the safety of the home made viewer you’ll create in this intriguing class.

Cost: $3/Members Free

SPARKS HERITAGE MUSEUM

May 16, at 4 – 10pm

Fiddle and Banjo Workshop, a Nevada Arts Council Folklife Education Program and a free concert to follow!

NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM

Mutant Rides: Origin of a Species

They began a spontaneously, a change in the genetic code, and evolved from the assemble line to an emerging species on the Black Rock Desert.  These rolling works of art are now deeply entrenched in the culture of Burning Man. Imagine a world of motorized vehicles where boundaries are limitless, imaginations rule and the bizarre becomes the norm.

This Sunday, April 8, brings another exciting Easter to Reno Tahoe USA, where you can enjoy traditional egg hunts with your kids, Sunday brunch or take egg hunting to the extreme with avalanche beacons and SCUBA tanks!

Sugar Bowl Resort

The annual hunt for the Golden Egg is on at Sugar Bowl Resort! Clues to the Golden Egg’s whereabouts, as well as festive Easter treats, will be hidden in colored eggs throughout the resort. Keep an eye for the Easter Bunny on slopes as he’ll be skiing around, handing out candy, taking photos and might have additional information on the location of the Golden Egg. The first guest to find the coveted Golden Egg will win a 2012-2013 Mid-week Season Pass!

Northstar California

Northstar California has a slate of Easter festivities scheduled for all ages; including, an egg hunt in the Village at Northstar starting at 10:30 am; live music from 2:30 – 5:30 pm at Baxter’s Patio, Chocolate Bar patio and the Village Stage; a special Easter parade marching through the Village at 4:45 pm; and photos with the Eater Bunny all day.

Alpine Meadows

Alpine Meadows is taking Easter egg hunting to a whole new level with the Beacon & Eggs search contest. Hunt for buried backpacks containing great prizes in a one-acre area using avalanche beacons set to “search” mode.  The event starts at 9:00 am and is free!

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe

Join Mt. Rose for the Easter Sunday Brunch & Egg Hunt where you’ll enjoy a delicious meal of fresh fruit, pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream and eggs benedict at Winters Creek Lodge from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm, and kids will have a blast hunting for Eater eggs at the main lodge starting at noon.

Reno Aces

For the biggest Easter egg hunt in downtown Reno, bring the kids to the Aces Ballpark and win awesome team prizes! Be sure to stick around after the hunt to watch the Aces take on the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. The Easter egg hunt is for fans 12 and under, and the game kicks off at 1:05 pm.

Scheels

For a fun-filled Easter Sunday, bring your kids with their baskets to Scheels for the Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt. Not only will they hunt for eggs filled with toys and candy, but also receive a free ride on the Ferris Wheel!

Easter excitement around the Lake:

Here are a few other Easter activities taking place around beautiful Lake Tahoe:

• Underwater Egg Hunt – Sierra Dive invites all you SCUBA divers out there to the annual underwater Easter Egg Hunt at Sand Harbor Lake Tahoe. Dive into the brisk Tahoe waters and collect as many eggs as you can from 11:00 am to 12:15 pm.  Prizes include diving DVDs, underwater phone protectors, defogger and more.

• Easter Egg Hunt at Hyatt Regency – Includes an egg hunt at 11:30 am for kids 2 to 5 years old, and another at 1:30 pm for kids 6 and up.

Also, be sure to check out Reno Tahoe’s Easter dining specials!

With everything from beef “fries,” to 2,000 year old artifacts, to shaved heads, Reno Tahoe USA is the ultimate St. Patrick’s Day celebration destination!

Rocky Mountain Oyster Festival & St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 17, Virginia City

Often referred to as “The Testicle Festival,” this fun filled cook-off is by far the most unique way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Professional and amateur cooks will gather in Virginia City to compete for the most creative and appealing way to prepare the delightful delicacies known as beef “fries” (yep – those are beef and sheep testicles). Prizes include $500 for the best tasting recipe, as well as $250 for the most creative dish, best presentation and best booth. The fun continues with marching leprechauns and dazzling floats during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicking off at noon!

Celtic Heritage Exhibit & Celebrations

February 18 – April 30, Sparks Heritage Museum

The Celtic Heritage Exhibit is a unique compilation of over 30 different people’s private collections and features artifacts dating back as far as 30-40 AD. For the next three months visitors will have the opportunity to learn about Celtic traditions and customs, not only in the Museum but through dance and music performances in the Cultural Center, including:

• March 4, 1-4 pm – The Blachette Irish Dancers, Celtic Session Musicians and others will perform at a reception for The Sons & Daughters of Erin and honor the “Irish Person of the Year”
• March 17 – Victorian Square St. Patrick’s Day Music & Festivities
• April 21 – Scottish Clans Reception & Celtic Jam

St. Patrick’s Day Beer Crawl

March 17, Club Cal Neva

Dust off your green top hats and join the shenanigans at Club Cal Neva where $10 gets you an array of drinks throughout the casino; including, Irish whiskey shot, Killian’s Red, Irish Car Bomb, Melon Bomb and much more! Don’t miss the costume contest where $100 will be awarded to the most traditional, most sexy and most outrageous costumes.  The crawling begins at 5 pm.

St. Patrick’s Day Wine Walk

March 17, Downtown Reno

Grab your friends and start your St. Patrick’s Day celebration early with an afternoon of wine tasting along the Truckee River and neighboring streets. Pick up your wine glass, map and ID bracelet for $20 at any of the 33 participating merchants. The St. Paddy’s Day fun kicks off at 2 pm!

St. Baldrick’s Day

March 17, Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center

This St. Patrick’s Day, be brave and go bald in support of kids fighting cancer. Hosted by the Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation, the 6^th annual event has raised over $675,000 and shaved more than 770 heads in northern Nevada, making it one the largest St. Baldrick’s Day celebrations in the world! Show your support from 5-8 pm.

St. Patty’s Parties

March 17, Eldorado Hotel Casino

The Eldorado Hotel Casino is going green with St. Patties Patty’s Parties. Celebrate the luck of the Irish at BuBinga Lounge where you’ll party the night away while dancing to the beats of (((xmfredie))), Roni Romance, Jessica the Ripper and VJ A-Jay  starting at 10 pm. At The Brew Brother’s St. Patrick’s Day Bash, rock out to your favorite top 40 hits performed live by Alias followed by late night sets from DJ D. Rek. The bash begins at 9 pm.

Everyone is Irish

March 12 – 18, Silver Legacy Resort Casino

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, each of the bars at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino will serve up special Irish inspired drinks; including, green beer and Irish drop kicks, from Monday, March 12 to Sunday, March 18. You’re bound to work up an appetite during all the bar hopping so stop by Sterling’s Seafood Steakhouse, Flavors the Buffet or Fresh Express for a delicious Irish cuisine on Saint Patty’s Day.

Green Party

March 17, EDGE Nightclub

EDGE Nightclub inside the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino is turning up the heat this St. Patrick’s Day with the Green Party. Enjoy Jameson, Guinness and Car Bomb specials all night, and receive complementary cover when you show up in your best green attire.

A Metal Madness St. Patrick Celebration

March 17, The Underground

If you’re looking for a head banging, face melting St. Patrick’s Day celebration, The Underground has the perfect party for you. Rock out to the hard hitting sounds of As They Sleep, Nightshade, It Lies Within, Cranium and Nevermute while enjoying $5 PBJs, $3 Guinness and $2 whiskey shots, plus receive a FREE green beer when you wear green! The show kicks off at 8 pm.

We’ve all heard it… Pray For Snow, Pray for Snow, Pray For Snow. And we’ll be the first ones to admit some snow would be nice (hence our Snow Dance Competition where we’re giving away a 2-Night Ski Vacation to the best snow dance in order to increase the frequency of snow… Mother Nature, are you watching?), but we must share the numerous upsides for a delayed ski season that have been compelling visitors to come before snow coats our mountains for the remainder of winter. 

Last weekend a visitor told us they skied, mountain biked and golfed in the same day – that’s pretty awesome. 

1.       Learn to ski. Let’s face it, if you’re a first-timer, you aren’t going to be dropping 10-foot lips that require a snow pillow for landing, and you aren’t skiing in waist deep powder through the trees. The freshly groomed runs paired with endless blue skies create the perfect atmosphere for a relaxing day on the slopes.  Plus, January is National Learn to Ski Month so resorts are offering massive discounts to first-timers!

2.       Golf. Our courses pride themselves on being open all year long, so hit them up! We have 50 within 90 minutes of downtown Reno, most of which are inside 15 minutes.

3.       Hike. It’s a rare occasion that our trails are hikeable this time of year without strapping on snowshoes.  See what’s usually hiding underneath all that snow!

4.       Rock climb. Climbers know their grips are easier to hold when it’s cold out. So what are you waiting for?

5.       Mountain bike. The trail conditions are excellent right now, so grab a friend and escape into the towering pines in the Sierra Mountains. 

6.       Ice skate. Enjoy this chilly wintertime activity, without the chill.

7.       Perfect road conditions. No moisture, no snow, no ice, no sliding. It’s faster and easier than ever to get here!

By Guest Blogger,
Logan Baker

Lake Tahoe is one of the most picturesque places in America. In the summer, the sun rises over the calm lake and creates the perfect setting for a dip in the cool water or an exciting Jet Ski adventure. In the winter however, the lake and the Tahoe National Forest take on a serene and peaceful quality that you must see to believe. Whether you’re traveling by car or air charter, once you get to Reno, Tahoe or one of the surrounding areas, you need to stop by the lake. To really get the full Tahoe experience, you should consider taking a trip through the forest and around the lake on a horse-drawn sleigh or a sled led by a team of Huskies.

Dottie Dennis has been carving trails though the Hope Valley, about half an hour south of the lake, for more than 30 years. She and her team of dogs are familiar with every twist and turn of the valley has remained largely untouched over the last 160 years. If you’ve ever wanted to vacation in the Alaskan wilderness but weren’t willing to travel so far, the Hope Valley is probably the most Alaskan landscape south of the Canadian border. Dennis’ Husky Express is $240 for a 375 lb. weight limit and box lunches can be provided for an extra $10 per person.

Borges Family Sleigh Rides offer excursions around the lake and through the forest on a variety of old-fashioned sleighs. The sleighs are entirely handmade by the Borges family and are pulled by two blonde Belgian draft horses. The trip takes travelers all over the beautiful snow-covered landscape and will conclude at the top of a scenic lookout over Lake Tahoe. Whether you’re bringing the whole family or just that special someone, a Borges Family sleigh trip might be the perfect thing to spice up your vacation. The trip costs $20 for adults and $10 for kids under 11.

If you’re vacationing in Reno or one of the surrounding areas, make it a point to head to Lake Tahoe. The lake takes on a spectral kind of beauty in the winter that is simply unparalleled.

Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is offering series of special discounts, in exchange for charitable donations during this year’s Holly Jolly Days!

Contributions will be donated to a number of deserving local charities, spanning the entire community. Charities include: The Salvation Army, Food Bank of Northern Nevada, Evelyn Mount Community Outreach Food Drive, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada and Toys for Tots!

Holly Jolly Days runs until Friday, December 23^rd.

Bring in two non-perishable food items (per person) to receive:

Café Alfresco

o   2-4-1 Wood Fired Brick Oven Pizza or Made-to-order Pasta

Manhattan Deli for Two for $20

o   Enjoy Two Select Menu Items, Two Drinks and a Dessert to Share

Purple Parrot $6.99 (midnight-6am)

o   Choice of: NY Steak and Eggs, Ham & Cheese Omelet, Gyro Sandwich or BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

Toucan Charlie’s Buffet & Grille (excludes Sunday Brunch)

o   2-4-1 Breakfast or Lunch or $5-off Dinner Buffet Nightly

Gift Shop

o   20% Discount

Club Paradise Desk

o   Free Slot Tournament Bonus Entry

Bring in a new winter coat to receive:

Spa Atlantis

o   $10 Spa or Salon Gift Certificate

Bring in a new and unwrapped toy or two non-perishable food items to receive:

Fun Center

o   $5 Game Card with a minimum $5 purchase