Tahoe Rim Trail Offers Free Guided Summer Hikes

With Summer in full swing, the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA) is taking advantage of the sunny weather by introducing hikers to some of the Lake Tahoe's most beautiful trails. Join TRTA as they explore the Tahoe Rim Trail on one of their many themed hikes. The hikes are great for all ages (shorter hikes being most appropriate for kids) and are an excellent way to exercise, socialize, and learn about the great outdoors in the Tahoe Basin.

The next free hike, themed "Birds, Views, and Falls," is August 3 and allows hikers to search for birds and spectacular scenery, and makes a stop at Galena Falls. Possible bird sightings include Green-tailed Towhee, Clark's Nutcracker, Mountain Bluebird (Nevada's state bird), and MacGillvray's Warbler. The 6.5-mile hike is moderately difficult and participants are asked to bring a lunch as it will be eaten on the trail.

On August 14, the "Deuter and Tahoe Mountain Sports Pack Testing Trek" allows attendees to test the latest gear. Participants can test packs of all shapes and sizes including light hydration haulers, dependable daypacks, and expedition size packs, and can test multiple packs throughout the hike. The 6-mile hike includes a pack fitting discussion and photo opportunities of Galena Falls.

August 18, families can explore the outdoors during the "Van Sickle Bi-State Hike." The 3-mile hike provides a fantastic view of Lake Tahoe and even passes by a waterfall. On the return trip, attendees can stop by Explore Tahoe to enjoy a light lunch and browse the gift shop.

To sign up for a free guided hike or to learn more about TRTA, visit tahoerimtrail.org

Summer Hike Schedule:

August 3: Birds, Views, and Falls Hike
August 14: Deuter and Tahoe Mountain Sports Pack Testing Trek
August 18: Van Sickle Bi-State Park Hike
August 20: Peak of the Rim Full Moon Hike (TRTA Members Only)
August 24 & 25: Backpacking 101 - Gray Lake
September 7: Tahoe Meadows to Lake Tahoe/Diamond Peak Vista Point
September 19: Full Moon Hike (TRTA Members Only)
September 20: Peak of the Rim Full Moon Hike (TRTA Members Only)
September 21: Mark Twain Hike

Belmont Courthouse Labor Day Celebration

 

On Saturday, August 31, the Friends of the Belmont Courthouse is having its Labor Day celebration in the central Nevada town, Belmont. The celebration allows attendees to enjoy a barbecue, live music, art shows, games, and tours of the historic Belmont Courthouse. The event aims to raise funds to aid the protection, restoration, and preservation of the courthouse, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The Friends of the Belmont Courthouse—a non-profit organization that aims to save the building—is making strides restoring the courthouse, recently installing several new windows. The new windows are built according to state historic preservation standards and greatly enhance the aesthetic qualities of the courthouse. According to Donna Motis, president of the Friends of the Belmont Courthouse, more improvements are on the way. "We have commitments from private donors for four more windows," Motis says. "And our group has raised enough funds at this time to replace an additional three more."

You can learn more about Friends of the Belmont Courthouse in the July/August issue of Nevada Magazine, or by visiting belmontcourthouse.org.

Friends of the Belmont Courthouse 
P.O. Box 985 Tonopah, NV 89049
belmontcourthouse.org 
775-482-3968

Las Vegas Restaurant Week

Veal T-bone at Silverado Steakhouse

Friday, August 23 kicks off the seventh annual fall Las Vegas Restaurant Week, which runs through August 30. The event provides connoisseurs of culinary creations with a unique selection of multi-course local cuisines, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Three Square Food Bank.

Diners have the chance to visit any participating restaurant during the specified dates to enjoy a meal created specifically for the week-long event.

Beginning Thursday, August 8, diners can visit www.helpoutdineoutlv.org for an updated list of fall Las Vegas Restaurant Week participants and menu details. The site allows diners to search by type of cuisine, restaurant location, or donation amount.

Some restaurants that have participated in the past include: Andre’s Restaurant and Lounge, Bagatelle, Don Vito’s, LAVO Italian Restaurant, Mesa Grill, Primarily Prime Rib, Silverado Steakhouse, Table 34, and TAO Asian Bistro.

Roast Prime Rib from Primarily Prime Rib

As Southern Nevada's only food bank, Three Square provides more than more than 24 million pounds of food and grocery products (approximately 18 million meals) per year to nearly 600 partners including non-profit and faith-based organizations, schools, and feeding sites throughout Southern Nevada.

CANFEST

On August 24, celebrate all that is canned beer during the fifth annual CANFEST. As the worlds first international canned beer festival, CANFEST is held in the Peppermill Resort Hotel's 62,000-square-foot Tuscany Ballroom, and features dozens of breweries from around the world, a live band, DJ, and a revamped VIP area. Attendees enjoy unlimited tasting of canned beer from breweries including Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Sun King Brewing Company, Oskar Blues, and more.

Truly an ode to canned beer, CANFEST celebrates the ever-growing trend of canning beer and its benefits, such as protecting taste, lightening travel loads, and convenient packaging.

General admission tickets are $35 in advance, or $40 at the door, and allow event access from 7-10 p.m. VIP tickets, which include a dinner buffet and private beer booths, are also available for $60, and allow attendees to enjoy the event from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at CRAFT Wine and Beer, 775 Gastropub Restaurant, and the Peppermill Resort Hotel Box Office in Reno.

A portion of the proceeds benefit the Reno Bike Project, a non-profit bicycle shop that promotes and educates the community on the importance of bicycle use. CANFEST offers beer lovers a chance to attend the festival for free by donating a new or used bicycle to the Reno Bike Project through August 2.

CANFEST VIP tickets are also awarded to those who purchase a Reno Bike Project Commuter Membership. The CANFEST VIP Membership package is a $160 value offered at $100 during the CANFEST Bike Drive campaign.

Arts In Bloom

On Saturday, July 20, the 11th annual Arts In Bloom art-and-wine festival returns to Victorian Square in Sparks. From 11 a.m.–7 p.m., art and wine lovers can spend the day sipping fine wine and shopping for art and jewelry. The free event showcases the work of more than 30 of the region’s most renowned artists. Paintings, woodwork, glasswork, pottery, jewelry, and unique handcrafted gifts are just a few of the items that are available for purchase.

Attendees 21 and older who wish to sample from more than 30 varieties of wine will be able to purchase a wrist band and commemorative glass for $20. The tasting, which runs from 3-7 p.m, offers wines ranging from a light pinot grigio to a hearty red zinfandel. The event also features a fashion show, hosted by Outlets at Legends in Sparks.

Arts In Bloom is a featured event of Artown, the Reno-Sparks area’s month-long celebration of art, theater, and music.

Grow Your Own, Nevada!

This summer, the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is teaching Nevadans how to grow safe, fresh, organic produce at home and in school and community gardens without spending a lot of money. The "Grow Your Own, Nevada!" classes are scheduled every Monday through August 26, and focus on "back-to-basics" techniques for producing plentiful harvests. Designed to get Nevadans of all ages active outdoors, "Grow Your Own, Nevada!" welcomes all students, even ones who may not have considered learning to garden before.

"Many communities in Nevada are considered "food deserts," because they have limited access to fresh, healthy foods," said Heidi Kratsch, Cooperative Extension horticulture specialist. "We’re trying to change that by offering these courses to help Nevadans turn their backyards, schoolyards, and community spaces into sustainable, edible gardens."

Classes run from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., and can be attended live in Reno, or via video conference at extension offices throughout the state. Classes in Reno are $15 per person, or $50 to attend all eight. Local K-12 teachers may attend classes for free with proper identification. All other locations, where classes will be available via video conference, fees vary from free to $15 per course. When registering for classes, click here to fill out the online form, or call the cooperative extension office directly (listed below).

Classes include:
July 8: A Community of Gardeners Film & Panel Discussion

July 15: Composting in Small Places

July 22: Reducing Food Safety Risks in Home, School, and Community Gardens

July 29: Kids in the Garden

Aug. 5: What’s Wrong with My Plant?

Aug. 12: Urban Organic Farming

Aug. 19: Native Plants for Garden Pollinators

Aug. 26: Garden Design & Function

Classes are available at the following Cooperative Extension offices:
815 N. Second St., Battle Mountain, 775-635-5565

2621 Northgate Lane, Ste. 15, Carson City, 775-887-2252

701 Walnut St., Elko, 775-738-7291

701 S. Main St., Eureka, 775-237-5326

111 Scheckler Road, Fallon, 775-423-5121

1325 Waterloo Lane, Gardnerville, 775-782-9960

314 Fifth St., Hawthorne, 775-945-3444

810 Sixth St., Lovelock, 775-273-2923

100 Academic Way, Owyhee, 775-385-9164

1651 E. Calvada Blvd., Pahrump, 775-727-5532

4955 Energy Way, Reno, 775-784-4848

1 Frankie St. Old Courthouse, Tonopah, 775-482-6794

1085 Fairgrounds Road, Winnemucca, 775-623-6304

504 S. Main St., Yerington, 775-463-6541

Buildings, Bites, and Brews

On July 13, Reno's newest addition to the Dine the District Food Tour gives attendees a whole new way to experience an array of different culinary creations and locally brewed beer, all while learning the history of some of downtown Reno's most unique architecture. Referred to as the event "where foodies come to feast," Buildings, Bites, and Brews brings over 15 businesses together to present different tasty options from some of Reno's finest restaurants and taverns. For beer selection, Buildings, Bites, and Brews is pairing up with the Brewers Cabinet, who is donating local beers.

Before the feast commences, for an additional $10, attendees can enjoy an informative one-hour tour with locally renowned author and historian Alicia Barber from 12-1 p.m.

The main event runs from 1-4 p.m., and tickets are $20 per person if purchased in advance, and $25 the day of the event. Tickets can be purchased online, however, they are limited. Redeem tickets by presenting a receipt at the new Reno Tahoe Visitor Center located in the Reno eNVy store.

If you still want to learn more about the area after the feast, there is a free book signing by authors at the Reno/Tahoe Visitor Center, featuring Alicia Barber, who wrote Reno's Big Gamble, and Chris and Courtney Meredith, authors of Reno's Riverwalk District Images of America.

Participating Locations:
Campo- Food only
Chocolate Bar - Food only
Fuego - Food only
Noble - Food & Beer- (vegetarian option)
Pizanos - Food only
Pizza Reno - Food & Beer
Rounds Bakery - Food only
Thai Corner - Food only- (vegetarian option)
Z Pie - Food & Beer
Wild River Grille - Food & Beer
Java Jungle - Food
Jungle Vino - Beer

Death Valley Celebrates Centennial of the Hottest Air Temperature Ever Recorded

The original Death Valley weather station.

On July 10, 1913, a scorching temperature was recorded in Death Valley National Park. A measurement of 134 degrees marked the highest air temperature ever recorded on the planet. On July 10, 2013, Death Valley National Park, in cooperation with the National Weather Service (NWS), is hosting a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the sweltering record.

The event, which takes place at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center in Death Valley National Park, features NWS meteorologists and National Park Service Rangers who will discuss why Death Valley is so hot and everyday tips to survive in the hot climate. Following the discussions, attendees can participate in a ritual that has occurred daily since 1911 by accompanying Death Valley Rangers to the weather station to observe the daily temperature.

With the current heatwave across the region, Death Valley may soon claim a new record high. A temperature of 129 degrees was recorded on Sunday, June 30, 2013, breaking the previous June record of 128 degrees, set in 1994.

Because of the extremely hot temperatures, the National Park Service cautions summertime visitors to Death Valley to take proper safety measures, including drinking plenty of water and limiting time spent outdoors.

Star Spangled Sparks

The 12th annual Star Spangled Sparks celebration returns to the Sparks Marina, Victorian Square, and John Ascuaga's Nugget July 4, for another year of family entertainment, food and drink vendors, and, of course, the region's most spectacular fireworks display.

Among this year’s attractions at the Sparks Marina are the Model Dairy milk carton boat races, free tethered hot air balloon rides, a fun run/walk, a pancake breakfast, climbing wall, and a display of army and air force vehicles that kids can explore.

A highlight of the event each year is the Sparks Idol talent competition. Sparks Idol starts at 11 a.m., and showcases the regions most talented singers, dancers, comedians, and performers in front of thousands of attendees.

The fun moves from the Sparks Marina to Victorian Square at 4 p.m., featuring the Buddy Emmer Band playing on the main stage at the Nugget from 5-9:30 p.m. At 9:45 p.m., look to the skies over the Nugget for the best fireworks display in Northern Nevada.

There is a free shuttle running between the Outlets at Legends and the Nugget from 6-11 p.m.