The last two weeks of Artown offer many workshops, concerts, and art shows-with very little investment. Parking may be the hardest part of your day, but you will find some free fun while in Reno, Nevada. The city’s month-long celebration of creative arts ends of August 1st, but you can experience a huge variety of free events before Hot August Nights dominates the area. Free family-friendly events are easy to find-even in downtown Reno.
Thursday, July 23
At the West Street Market (148 West St.), all ages can enjoy the Sierra Nevada Ballet dancers at 9:30am as the group performs and facilitates a free “feet moving project.” Not a bad way to get things moving in the morning.
After you enjoy some lunch (there are small cafes and restaurants inside the West Street Market), you can cool off in the Truckee River or soak in the sun at Wingfield Park. If you can’t find the right lunch at the market, there’s many good places to choose from within walking distance. Silver Peak is a brewery on the corner of N. Sierra and 1st St. that serves typical food found in brewery restaurants here in the west, but you can also find lunch deals at Pizza Reno (just one block northeast of Silver Peak on W. Second and Fulton St.). If pizza isn’t the lunch for you either, you can walk six blocks to 777 Vietnamese Restaurant for some pho (corner of E. Second and Center St.). Or walk seven blocks south of there to find Newman’s Deli, which has been a local favorite in Reno for a long, long time. Not you’re thing? Then walk back up towards the center of downtown and give Dreamer’s Coffeehouse and Deli a try at the Truckee River Bridge on S. Virginia St. If you walk this loop, you’ll find something worth eating before you end up where you started.
There are two other free events to check out on Thursday. One of them, Fairly Grounded’s “Picturing Culture,” is a display of photographs by Julie Douglass, an anthropologist and photographer. This art show starts at 7:00pm inside the coffee shop located at 3366 Lakeside Court. Then you can walk to Wingfield Park for “Dancing in the Park: Innerrhythms Dance Theatre.” According to the official website for Artown, this is a guerrilla dance event that is “an innovative, edgy dance and musical performance featuring Classical Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Modern styles.” You can access Wingfield Park at the corner of 1st St. and Arlington Ave.
Friday, July 24
You can start enjoying free entertainment at 12:00pm outside of Trinity Episcopal Church (200 Island Ave.) with “Pipes on the River Organ Concerts: Classical Music.” Then at the Sparks Library (1125 12th St., Sparks) you can experience Reader’s Theatre with “I’m Not Rappaport” at 1:00pm.
Starting at 5:00pm, “Rollin’ on the River” continues the Artown music series with multiple local bands at Wingfield Park. Find some shade early. But this festival-like concert will go well into the evening and lead up to a movie screening, so you should bring an extra layer for that high-dessert chill once the sun slinks behind the Sierra. Just after 9:00pm, Artown presents Mr. Holland’s Opus for the “Movies in the Park” series (also in Wingfield Park).
Saturday, July 25
If you get up early enough Saturday morning, you can catch the start of “North American Basque Organization’s 30th Anniversary Festival” at 10:00am in Wingfield Park. For more information about this festival’s dancing, sports, contests, and BBQ, go to www.renobasqueclub.org. If you’re flying in or out of Reno in the afternoon, you can see a variety of dances when “Never Enough Ballroom” performs in the Reno-Tahoe International Airport Terminal at 2:00pm.
Interested in other dance fusions? Then you should swing-or tango-by the City Plaza (corner of 1st St. and Virginia St.) at 3:00pm for “Compression! A Celebration of Fire and Performance Art.” You can learn more about this red-hot event at www.compression.controlledburnreno.com. When the fire fizzles out, walk on over to the West Street Market again to experience Artown’s All-ages Poetry Slam. The Open Mic usually starts by 4:00pm (just when shade graces the courtyard), and the Poetry Slam starts around 5:00pm. This slam is open to poets of all ages; anyone can sign up and compete for the $50 cash prize.
But if you don’t have the attention span for poetic events, there’s much more to enjoy. You could stay downtown and flit around the “Summer Arts Festival” outside the St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral on the corner of 1st St. and Arlington Ave. There will be plenty of music, dancing, games, and food for the whole family to enjoy. Or you could drive a few miles west of Reno to the River School (7777 White Fir St.) and witness a unique belly dancing collaboration of many local troupes as they celebrate this traditional art form in “Belly Dance by the River.” Get there by 4:30 if you want to easily find a parking space-and lose yourself in the great views of the Truckee River and the Sierra.
Sunday, July 26
“The North American Basque Organization’s 30th Anniversary Festival” continues Sunday at Wingfield Park, starting at 10:00am. Then at 2:00pm, Hula Hoops/On is at the Celtic Forest on the corner of Sierra St. and Island Ave. You can find out more about the Celtic Forest art installation at www.blackrockarts.org/projects/braf-reno.
The next free thing to enjoy in Reno this weekend starts at 4:00pm inside Zagol Ethiopian Cuisine (855 E. 4th St.). Barbara Baxter and Peter Supersano will perform jazz numbers all evening. But if you’d rather be informed and entertained with a documentary about The Funk Brothers and Motown music, you can grab a cab to the African American Cultural Center (220 Bell St.). Standing in the Shadows of Motown will start at 4:00pm. Also, if you’re flying in or out this evening, you can check out the “Home School’n Musical Youth Club” as they sing an array of songs inside the Reno-Tahoe International Airport at 4:00pm.
Now that you’ve fallen in love with Wingfield Park, you can return to the park to enjoy something very unique and unexpected. The Holland Project presents “Fortified Artistry” at 6:00pm, followed by the screening of the film Towncraft. More information can be found at www.hollandreno.org.
Sunday Jazz at The Sands (345 N. Arlington Ave.) kicks off at 6:00pm. If you can find the pool, you’ll find the music of DG Kicks Octet and One Foot in the Grave Band. This small concert is free, but I’m sure they’ll have food and drink specials.
Monday, July 27
There’s not much going on for Artown this Monday, but it is all free. At 9:30am you can “Discover Traditional Mexican and Spanish Dance” with the International Folkloric Ballet at the McKinley Arts & Culture Center (925 Riverside Dr.) Reservations are required; call (775) 322-1538. The next event doesn’t start until 7:00pm, but it is a highly diverse dance event you don’t want to miss. “Family Series: Dance of Cultures” celebrates traditional dances from Mexico, Spain, and China.
If you’re tired of the afternoon sun, cruise up to the University of Nevada Reno (UNR) for “Summer Chamber Music Series” at 7:00pm in the Nightingale Concert Hall (inside the Church Fine Arts Building). This musical event includes instrumentation and singing from many faculty and friends of UNR’s Department of Music and Dance.
You could also experience the south-west part of Reno by driving over to the Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater (6000 Bartley Ranch Rd.) for “Monday Night Music Series: Reno Jazz Orchestra.” This concert starts at 7:30. This is a great, family-friendly, outdoor venue that is tucked away in a quiet and uniquely rural part of the city.
Tuesday, July 28
Kids will love this next free drama event. Starting at 9:30am in the McKinley Arts & Culture Center (925 Riverside Dr.), the Wild Horse Theater performs A Year with Frog & Toad. After the performance, families can enjoy improv acting activities and other hands-on entertainment with this energetic theater troupe.
The afternoon doesn’t offer many events, but you can catch The Grups playing modern rock, jazz, and blues in the Reno-Tahoe International Airport at 3:00pm before you catch your plane. If you’re not planning on being at the airport, you can stay downtown and enjoy the Reno Municipal Band play at the City Plaza (corner of 1st St. and Virginia St.), starting at 4:30 pm.
At 6:00pm, you can experience The Celtic Forest at the River Walk (Sierra St. and Island Ave). This exhibit and performance will cure any boredom you may be experiencing. Unveiled at Burning Man, this interactive art installation will amaze and intrigue anyone.
If you missed any previous concerts at UNR, you can still make it to the “Summer Chamber Music Series.” Pianist Jiyang Chen will start at 7:30pm in the Nightingale Concert Hall (inside the Church Fine Arts Building). This will be a great way to unwind from your day.
Wednesday, July 29
There are two free events for the whole family to enjoy today. First, you can join the Reno Pops Orchestra at the McKinley Arts & Culture Center (925 Riverside Dr.) at 9:30am. According to the Artown website, this event encourages people to “participate in interactive activities and travel through the eras of music.” Then, later, you can “Discover Babar” at the UNR campus. This performance starts at 1:30pm in the Nightingale Concert Hall.
Thursday, July 30
Today is full of free events. Start you day at the McKinley Arts & Culture Center (925 Riverside Dr.) and “Discover Coyote Puppet Theater.” This storytelling, puppet performance begins at 9:30am.
In the afternoon, “Flowers to Form Exhibition” will inspire anyone interested in printmaking and floral designs. Carol Brown starts the exhibition at 3:00pm at the Southside Cultural Center (190 E. Liberty St.). You can call 334-6264 for more information.
Four stellar events compete for your attention this evening. You can catch the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown if you missed last Sunday. This film takes a look at the Funk Brothers and Motown music, starting at 6:30pm in the African American Cultural Center (220 Bell St.). Already saw it? Motown isn’t your type of music? Then you can mosey over to La Bussola & Center Gallery (254 W. 1st St.) for “The Play Dough Art Project.” This is a group art show highlighting many small sculptures, which are all available for purchase (but there is no cover charge or donation suggested).
Can’t get enough of classical music? Then get back up to the UNR campus for “Summer Chamber Music Series” at 7:30pm. This evening will feature musicians from the Telluride Chamber Music Festival playing pieces from Brahms, Mozart, and Beethoven. Another opportunity to relax. Get more information at www.unr.edu/arts.
But if relaxation isn’t what you’re looking for, then you can head back to Wingfield Park for “Dancing in the Park: Black Rock Dance.” This eclectic dance performance will start at 8:00pm. You can find more information about his dance performance at www.inmotionstudioofdance.com. (Don’t forget about that extra layer to ward off the high desert chill once the sun sets.) You can also walk across the foot bridge to the Sierra Tap House after 8:00pm to a free art show, featuring Peter Zikos who experiments with acrylics, pen & ink, and aerosols.
Friday, July 31
There aren’t any free events until noon today, but I suggest you throw together a little picnic lunch and head down to the Trinity Episcopal Church (200 Island Ave.) for “Pipes on the River Organ Concerts: Classical Music.” This is a great way for families to enjoy a lunch outside in downtown Reno. If classical music played with a pipe organ isn’t your thing, then learn more about Cowboy Poetry at 1:30pm down at Miguel Ribera Park (3905 Neil Rd.). This park is too far from downtown to walk, but if you are interested in poetry or the “western way of life,” then this free gathering is worth the drive or cab fair.
“Rollin on the River” kicks off their last concert of the series at 5:00pm in Wingfield Park. This event is free, but you aren’t allowed to bring in outside food or drink, so you’ll be spending some money to fuel up for the evening. When the music winds down and the sun sets, stick around for a screening of the Disney classic, Mary Poppins. This movie should get started by 9:00pm.
Saturday, August 1
Although Artown has always been a month-long festival during July, this year it will seep into the first day of August. But there’s not many events to enjoy on this last day of Artown. You can experience the all-ages Open Mic and Poetry Slam again at the West Street Market (148 West St.). The Open Mic starts at 4:00pm, and the Poetry Slam starts at 5:00pm. Anyone can sign up for either event, so dust off that guitar or find those poems you tucked away somewhere.
Again, there are many food options within an eight-block radius of the West Street Market-including Earthly Delights, Brickhouse Bakery, and Niko’s Greek Kitchen inside the market. Whatever you do for dinner, make sure to get back to Wingfield Park for a concert featuring The Funk Brothers at 7:30pm. This is the last free event to enjoy before Artown ends and Hot August Nights begin, so don’t miss it!
Some General Tips
I must warn you that the Reno Police Department does not tolerate jaywalking or parking violations. Just pay attention and be civil, and you’ll be fine. Please carry plenty of water and sunscreen with you wherever you go, whenever you go. The sun will warm up the area to 90 degrees before noon, so just be prepared. You can always enjoy a free cool-down in the Truckee River at the Whitewater Park (between Wingfield Park and 1st St.). Also, there are many businesses and art galleries hosting free art shows during the last two weeks of Artown. If you’re interested in these art shows or in finding out about other concerts and events, please visit www.renoisartown.com for further details.
Reno is Artown 2009. “Featured Events.”
