Events & activities
Looking for activities in Reno usually starts with the calendar: what’s on tonight, this weekend, and the signature annual weeks that define the city’s year — plus everything else as the venue and district feeds come online.
Signature events
Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival
Shakespeare on the sand at Sand Harbor, 45 minutes from Reno — the lake behind the stage and the light going down over the Sierra during the first act.
Burning Man
Black Rock City, about two hours north of Reno. Not a Reno event — but the reason Reno's hotels, hardware stores and airport are full for two weeks either side.
Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off
Six days of competition barbecue on Victorian Square in Sparks, ending on Labor Day.
The Great Reno Balloon Race
Free, and the best morning of the Reno year — up to a hundred balloons launching from Rancho San Rafael before dawn.
International Camel & Ostrich Races
The 67th running, in Virginia City. Camels, ostriches and zebras, raced by people who mostly should not be racing them.
Street Vibrations Fall Rally
Motorcycles in downtown Reno and Virginia City over one weekend, with live music on the street.
Reno Zombie Crawl
Downtown Reno's largest bar crawl, and the one where everyone is in makeup. Starts at Circus Circus.
Reno Rodeo
One of the richest rodeos on the PRCA tour, run over about ten days in June at the Nevada State Fairgrounds.
Artown
Reno's month-long July arts festival — around 350 events at about 100 venues across the city.
Hot August Nights
The largest classic-car event in the country takes over downtown Reno and Sparks for ten days — cruises, show-and-shines, and several thousand pre-1979 cars.
Next 60 days
Let's Talk
Tuesday, September 8 · Great Basin Hall (GBH)
Reno Aces vs Albuquerque Isotopes
Tuesday, September 8 · Greater Nevada Field
A Few of Our Favorite Things: 65 Years of Special Collections and University Archives
September 8–11 · Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center
Open Door Café
McKinley Arts and Culture Center
2026 MFA Review Show: Load Bearing
September 8–10 · Student Galleries South
92 Events: A Fluxus Show
September 8–11 · Front Door Gallery
Earth's Winding Sheet
September 8–11 · John & Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art
Gather-Carry-Keep: Basketry from the Great Basin
September 8–11 · Front Door Gallery
Without Mountains and Rivers Without End: Speculative Geographics on an Interior Northwest
September 8–10 · Sheppard Contemporary Gallery
Darkroom Printing 101 w/ Rachel
The Holland Project
Brushfire Poetry Night
The Holland Project
Alex Ramon "Magic"
Lake Tahoe
2026 Nevada Radon Poster Contest
September 8–11
Everyday SEL and YOU
Wednesday, September 9 · Smithridge Elementary School
Reno Aces vs Albuquerque Isotopes
Wednesday, September 9 · Greater Nevada Field
College of Engineering's Annual Welcome Back BBQ!
Harry Reid Engineering Laboratory (HREL)
College of Liberal Arts Hydration Station - FREE FOR STUDENTS
Nazir Ansari Building (AB)
Beyond the Paper: Digital Projects for Student Learning
Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center
Dance With Me
Ballroom of Reno
Master Gardener Talk
Carson City Community Garden
Guest Artist: nonesuch.reedquintet
Harlan O. & Barbara R. Hall Recital Hall
Mad Caddies, Diesel Boy, Drunkn Assumtion, Beercan!
Reno
Sunfish, Charity Kiss, Evening Spirits
Reno
Alex Ramon "Magic"
Lake Tahoe
Let's Talk
September 10–11 · Great Basin Hall (GBH)
Reno Aces vs Albuquerque Isotopes
Thursday, September 10 · Greater Nevada Field
The Great Reno Balloon Race
September 10–13 · Rancho San Rafael Regional Park
Radon Education for Realtors
Sierra Nevada Realtors
Therapy Dogs
Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center
Designing for Engagement: Interactive Teaching with Top Hat
Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center