Bard times
Introduce your young ones to the work of William Shakespeare in an informal setting. The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival’s education program, Young Shakespeare, presents an interactive, hour-long adaptation of the festival’s mainstage production, created with the young audience member in mind. A cast of professional actors and local high school theater students will perform a shortened version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Follow the adventures of four young lovers, a hapless group of amateur actors and a band of mischievous fairies as they navigate the enchanting depths of a magical forest. Performances are scheduled to take place through Aug. 3 at various theater and library locations across the Reno-Tahoe region. The shows are free, but donations are welcome. Visit laketahoeshakespeare.com/young_shakespeare for a complete list of upcoming performances.
A long, strange trip
The memory and legacy of Jerry Garcia endures almost 30 years since the passing of the Grateful Dead singer, songwriter and guitarist. Longtime Deadheads and casual fans are invited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first time the Grateful Dead played a show in Reno. An Artown event, A Carny Vibe will feature local musicians Roger Scimé and Rick Winfield with guests; they will perform Grateful Dead originals, covers and other music inspired by The Dead and their contemporaries. The show starts at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 25, at the Alturas Bar, 1044 E. Fourth St. Admission is free, but, as it is a bar, only those age 21 and older can enter. Visit artown.org.
Carmen get it
Hear some of opera’s greatest hits at Hot Opera Nights. The Artown program, presented by the Tahoe Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, will feature famous arias, duets and overtures from operas by composers Puccini, Verdi and Mozart. Audiences will also hear various selections from Bizet’s Carmen. Maestro James Rawie, founder and artistic director of Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, will conduct. The concert starts at 7 p.m., Sunday, July 28, at the Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater at Bartley Ranch Regional Park, 6000 Bartley Ranch Road. Ticket prices for seats range from $25 to $75. General seating admission is free for youth under age 23. Lawn seating is $10. Go to tahoesymphony.com for tickets.
Art burn
Get a sneak peek at some of the amazing creations that are headed to Burning Man at the second annual Playa Art Preview. See big art and art cars, as well as past and present art projects. Meet the artists and learn how they create these monumental sculptures and art installations. And if that’s not enough, there’s the Jambalaya Versus Paella Cookoff, a raffle-driven silent auction, live entertainment and more. The fundraising event kicks off with an early-access VIP hour at 5 p.m., Saturday, July 27, followed by the main event at 6 p.m., at The Generator Community Makerspace, 2450 Oddie Blvd., in Sparks. Tickets are $50 for general admission and $100 for the VIP hour. Call 775-527-0633 or go to eventbrite.com/e/888591429887.
Growth process
We have just one more week before July—and, therefore, another Artown—wraps up. So get out and catch a few more free Artown events, including the closing night concert featuring indie folk pop band Y La Bamba, led by vocalist, songwriter and producer Luz Elena Mendoza Ramos. The group’s music combines post-punk, Latin, indie and electronic elements with Mendoza Ramos’ captivating vocals and lyrics sung in English and Spanish. Y La Bamba’s latest album, Lucha (Spanish for “fight”), explores multiplicity—love, queerness, Chicanx identity, family, intimacy, yearning, loneliness—and chronicles a period of struggle and growth for Mendoza Ramos as a person and artist. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 31, at Wingfield Park, 2 S. Arlington Ave. Admission is free. Call 775-322-1538, or visit artown.org.
Start your engines
Not long after Artown winds down, Hot August Nights rolls into town. The 38th annual celebration of classic cars and rock ’n’ roll warms up with a kick-off event featuring free live music, cruises and a show ’n’ shine on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 2-3, along C Street in Virginia City. The festivities move to Reno-Sparks for the main event beginning on Sunday, Aug. 4. There will be classic car displays, nightly cruises, drag races, show ’n’ shine competitions, a swap meet, the MAG Auctions car auction, live music and more at various locations in Reno and Sparks. The weeklong nostalgia trip concludes with the Hot August Nights Grand Finale awards starting at 10 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 11, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S. Virginia St. Admission is free to most events. Call 775-356-1956, or visit hotaugustnights.net.
Dapper gents, flapper gals
Travel back in time to the Prohibition era during the Great Gatsby Festival. The 37th annual living history event starts off with the Vatican Speakeasy, featuring 1920s-inspired drinks, a raffle and live music by the Jared Blum Band. The soirée starts at 6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 2, at the Pope Estate Courtyard at the Tallac Historic Site. Admission is free, but table reservations are $20. The festival continues through the weekend with living history tours of the Pope House, live jazz music, a vintage and artisan market, a silent auction and lawn games, like sack races and croquet. The fun takes place from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 3 and 4, at the Tallac Historic Site, 1 Heritage Way, South Lake Tahoe. Festival admission is free, with the exception of the Gatsby Tea & Fashion Show. The tea and show start at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 4. Tickets are $80. Call 530-541-5227, or visit taylortallac.org/great-gatsby-festival.
Ay, there’s the dub
Experience positive vibes and grooves next weekend when the Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival gets under way at Palisades Tahoe. The seventh annual music festival offers a variety of reggae and cross-genre artists, starting on Saturday, Aug. 3, with performances by Shaggy, Atmosphere, Collie Buddz, Protoje, Jesse Royal, Eli-Mac and Arden Park Roots. The music continues on Sunday, Aug. 4, when Rebelution (pictured), Cypress Hill, Tribal Seeds, Mike Love, aurorawave and Lizano hit the stage. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. at Palisades Tahoe, 1960 Olympic Valley Road, in Olympic Valley. General admission passes are $136-$259. Kids passes for ages 4-10 are $93-$179. Visit www.laketahoereggaefest.com.
11 Days a Week is written 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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