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October 2023 Events and Activities in the Reno Region

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	Learn about recreation activities in Reno and Sparks.

October is Disability Awareness Month. Learn more from "City of Reno Inclusion and Adaptive Programs." It is also the continuation of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15, 2023).

Big events during October, 2023 include...

• Halloween
• Fall Break Camps
• Great Italian Festival
• Wolf Pack Football
• Nevada Day

Banned Books Week - Sunday through Saturday, October 1 - 7, 2023. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas. Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship and the benefits of unrestricted reading. Celebrated by the Washoe County Library System.

34th World Championship Outhouse Races in Virginia City - Saturday and Sunday, October 7 - 8, 2023. The Races pit teams of costumed outhouse racers against each other. One person rides and the remaining team members push, pull or drag the decorated outhouses down the racetrack, which is C Street in Virginia City. This event is free to the public and is quite the spectacle. Races begin each day at noon. To participate, get a 3 person team together and register online.

Fall Break at Washoe County Schools - Monday through Friday, October 2 - 6, 2023. Fall break activities for children and families around Reno and Sparks include camps and other things to do from several area organizations.

Offbeat Music Festival - Thursday through Saturday, October 5 - 7, 2023. It's a multi-venue festival that's all about discovering the amazing things being created right here in Reno – music, food, art and more. Discover new music from a choice of 60+ performances over 3 days at different locations around the core of Reno. Tickets are available online.

Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk and Shop - Saturday, October 7, 2023, 12 noon to 4 p.m. Join us for this iconic fall event in beautiful downtown Truckee. Attendees will receive a commemorative wine glass to sample wine at 30+ venues as well as delicious bite-sized snacks at a variety of downtown restaurants and merchants. This year's beneficiary is Friends of the Truckee Library and LibraryUP. Tickets are $25 and $65, available online.

"Dracula - The Ballet" at the Pioneer Center - Saturday, October 7, 2023, 7:30 p.m. This Halloween, be seduced by DRACULA with this original full-length ballet directed and choreographed by award-winning artist Ananda Bena-Weber. Fans of horror and tango alike will love this classic story set to the thrilling and passionate music of Astor Piazzolla. Parental guidance suggested, not for small children. Tickets available online. This show will also play on Friday, October 6, 2023, at the Carson City Community Center.

41st Great Italian Festival - Saturday and Sunday, October 7 - 8, 2023. t's free to attend the Great Italian Festival, when downtown Reno becomes Little Italy. This is a fun, family-friendly festival, with street performers, free music from two stages, plenty of good food and drink, and lots more. Hours on Saturday are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Legion Sports Festival - Saturday and Sunday, October 7 - 8, 2023. This is the largest consumer fitness expo on the West Coast. Athletes will be competing in bodybuilding, functional fitness, weightlifting, armored compat, muay Thai, arm wrestling and other sports. Tickets available online. At the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on S. Virginia Street.

Sacred Waters, Secular Waters: A History of the Reclamation Act (1902), Pyramid Lake, and the Truckee River - Sunday, October 8, 2023, 12 noon. This talk will focus briefly on the Reclamation Act of 1902 which set in motion the "Newlands Project." It will then describe the ways the Northern Paiute Tribe fought, using the legal system, to reclaim and protect its sacred waters. Presented by Matthew Makley. At the Downtown Reno Library, 301 S. Center Street.

Movies in the Plaza - Thursday, October 12, 2023, 6 p.m. Free outdoor movie night at Locomotion Plaza in downtown Reno. Join us under the starry skies every Thursday in October at Locomotion Plaza for an unforgettable evening of family fun and frosty delights. The movie tonight is "Frozen." Bring your own blanket or comfy chair for a cozy movie-watching experience. Movie starts around 7:15 p.m. There will be food trucks and outdoor games for the family. Movies will be every Thursday evening in October.

Lake Tahoe Marathon - October 13 - 15, 2023. Welcome to 3 days of running and fun that includes much more than just a marathon. There is something for your whole family, club or group of friends at one of the most beautiful vacation destinations in the world. Competitors range from toddlers to octogenarians, and the venues are breathtakingly beautiful. Visit the website for all the details and online registration.

Wolf Pack Football - Saturday, October 14, 2023, kickoff 2 p.m. The Pack takes on the UNLV Rebels in the Battle for the Fremont Cannon. It's a home game at Mackay Stadium. Go Pack!

Fall Bulb Festival at the May Arboretum - Saturday, October 14, 2023, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join us at the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and enjoy the change of seasons, while getting a jump-start on your spring blooming gardens. Over 100 varieties of Dutch grown bulbs will be available to purchase. Experienced gardeners will also be on hand to provide growing tips for our area. Local artisans will be on-site offering their crafts and other products. There will also be musical entertainment and food trucks. The May Arboretum is in Rancho San Rafael Regional Park in Reno.

Hands ON! Second Saturdays - Saturday, October 14, 2023. Come to the Nevada Museum of Art for a day of fun family activities and free admission for all, sponsored by the Estelle J. Kelsey Foundation. This Saturday, celebrate el Día de los Muertos. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Library Book Sale - October 14 - 22, 2023. Library book sales are in the mall space next door to the Sierra View Library in the Reno Town Mall. Preview day for Friends of Washoe County Library members is on the Friday before each sale period, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. If you aren't a member, you can join Friends at the door. The sale is open to all every day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 - Saturday and Sunday, October 14 - 15, 2023, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday. The Reno Phil celebrates its 55th anniversary season with a blazing crescendo, featuring Beethoven’s immortal Fifth Symphony and two other features. At the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. You can get tickets online.

Fall Fish Festival - Canceled for 2023.

Reno Ukulele Festival - Wednesday through Saturday, October 18 - 21, 2023. This family friendly festival features daily sessions of workshops, evening concerts, open mics, community performances, raffle and an abundance of shopping. Includes ukulele entertainers and instructors. At the Nugget Casino and Resort in Sparks. Check out the Schedule of Events for details. Tickets available online.

2023 Great Nevada ShakeOut - Thursday, October 19, 2023. Nevada lies within one of the most seismically active regions in the United States. Along with California and Alaska, Nevada ranks in the top three states subject to the most large-scale earthquakes during the last 150 years. The Great Nevada ShakeOut is a simple, coordinated "drop, cover and hold on" exercise. Last year, more than 540,000 Nevadans participated. To register as an individual, business, school or government agency or organization, go to the official website. All Nevada residents are encouraged to register and participate.

Wicked Wetland Movie Night - Friday, October 20, 2023, 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Come out to Rosewood Nature Study Area for an evening of safe trick or treating, crafts, face painting, and food trucks along with a costume contest and scavenger hunt. We'll cap off the night with a screening of "Hotel Transylvania." Tickets available online. Sponsored by Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation.

Wolf Pack Football - Saturday, October 21, 2023, kickoff TBA. The Pack is on the road in California for a game against the San Diego State Aztecs. Go Pack!

Grand Sierra Beer & Chili Festival - Saturday, October 21, 2023, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Savor beer tastings from dozens of local, regional and national craft beer favorites. In between sips, slurp your way through delicious chili samples and other menu specialties from local restaurants – then vote for your favorite chili to take home the People's Choice prize. A portion of all ticket sales will benefit the Reno Rodeo Foundation. At the Grand Sierra Resort, 2500 E. 2nd St. in Reno.

Wicked Wine Walk - Saturday, October 21, 2023, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Riverwalk Merchants present this fun event every third Saturday of the month, with October having a Halloween theme. Visit any of the participating merchants with $30 and receive your wine glass and hand stamp (with photo ID), then make the rounds sampling wines at numerous businesses in the area. This is a 21+ event. Pets and strollers are not advised. For more information, call 775-825-WALK(9255).

October Junior Naturalist Program - Saturday, October 21, 2023, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join us for "Mad Science" at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park. Come for a dive into mad science experiments. The program is free, but you need to register online.

Bowers Mansion Living History Day - Saturday, October 21, 2023, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Various exhibits and demonstrations will be happening in and around the mansion. A mansion history talk will take place at the top of each hour and self-guided tours will be available for $8 adults and $6 children and seniors (cash only please). At Bowers Mansion Regional Park in Washoe Valley.

Movies in the Plaza - "Hocus Pocus" - Thursday, October 26, 2023, gates open 6 p.m. We're treating you to a free screening of the beloved Halloween classic, "Hocus Pocus." Don't forget to bring your own blanket or comfy chair for a cozy movie-watching experience. Add some extra magic to the evening by dressing up as your favorite witches, wizards, or spooky creatures. There will be a lineup of food trucks and outdoor games. At Locomotion Plaza in downtown Reno.

Kalin & Jinger's GHOSTS! at the Pioneer Center Underground - Thursday through Saturday, October 26 - 28, 2023. 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. "Ghosts!" is a one-of-a -kind experience, an evening of the mysterious and the impossible. Here you'll experience the chill-down-your-spine of real Victorian seance. Your thoughts foretold. Your dreams and nightmares come to life. It's a hysterical, family-friendly, "Twilight Zone" experience into the unexpected. At the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Reno.

Nevada Day Bowers Mansion Tour - Friday, October 27, 2023, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Join us for our annual guided hike and exclusive tour through Bowers Mansion. We'll learn about the history of the Comstock and how the Washoe Valley was essential in the formation of Nevada becoming a state. Sponsored by Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation. Visit the website to buy online tickets.

Galena Creek Fall Festival - Friday and Saturday, Octobver 27 - 28, 2023, 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free admission and open to all. Adult beverages, costumes, music, food, crafts, and more. At Galena Creek Visitor Center, 18250 Mount Rose Highway in Reno.

UNR Ski Swap - Friday through Sunday, October 27 - 29, 2023. The UNR Ski Swap features a huge selection of new and used equipment. Everything from boards to boots, skis to snow shoes, clothing, helmets, gloves and more. Save up to 70% on hundreds of new/used items and get out fitted for the season. Admission is free. Friday - 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Event is at the Reno - Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S. Virginia Street in Reno.

Harvest Festival at Animal Ark - Saturday and Sunday, October 28 - 29, 2023, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event is open to the public, a family friendly festival filled with sweet treats, trick or treating for kids, animal antics and more. All our animal residents will get a pumpkin filled with food, however some will be given their pumpkin on a schedule and others will have theirs to enjoy all day, with animals out on exhibit with their treat. $21 adults, $19 seniors, and $16 for children. Animal Ark is at 1265 Deerlodge Road, off of Red Rock Road in the Stead area of Reno. (775) 970-3111.

Wolf Pack Football - Saturday, October 28, 2023, kickoff 7:30 p.m. The Pack plays the University of New Mexico Lobos at Mackay Stadium in Reno. Go Pack!

Nevada Day Celebration in Carson City - Saturday, October 28, 2023. Enjoy the Nevada Day Parade down Main Street, along with numerous other events and activities to celebrate Nevada statehood. Come enjoy the single jack rock drilling contest, Nevada Day chili feed, hot air balloon launch, beard contest, free admission to the Nevada State Museum and Railroad Museum, and lots more.

Halloween - Tuesday, October 31, 2023. Haunted houses, trick-or-treating, pumpkin patches, and much more. The Reno area does Halloween in a big way and there are plenty of activities for everyone in the family, including a few for adults only.

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