Candy Dance more than candy

Thousands of people and hundreds of crafts booths turned the small town of Genoa into a major attraction Saturday during the first day of the annual Candy Dance.

Crafts, refreshments and information could be found in abundance, but anyone looking for the candy that gave the Candy Dance its name, had to look a little harder.

The Candy Dance began in 1919 to raise money to erect the town's first street lamps. The crafts fair began in the 1970s.

Genoa still relies on the funds from the Candy Dance to buy new lights and maintain roads, parks and town buildings. Now, the 240 residents have help from the masses that come from all around to browse the woodwork, metalwork, fine arts, lotions, potions, candles and much more for unique items to carry home.

More than 350 arts and crafts booths are expected this year as well as about 30 vendors.

The fair and dance provide between $70,000 and $80,000 for Genoa's annual budget, which takes care of most of the bills and leaves about $10,000 for town coffers.

Homemade fudge, divinity, peanut brittle and turtles are sold at several booths tucked among the canopies.

Teena Prary and her mother-in-law Mary Ann Prary were among the hold-outs for the candy at a booth in the back of the historic park in the middle of town.

"It's good and my husband wouldn't let me come home without it," the younger Prary said of the reason they were waiting in line for the candy.

"We come every year," Mary Ann Prary said. "It's a fun day and we do it every year."

Those wanting candy should seek out those booths early. For the last several years, the delectable treats have run out, said Lynne Bowersock, a seven-year Genoa resident who has been volunteering at the event for four years.

"We're sold out of Rocky Road already," she said about mid-day Saturday.

Patient souls willing to wait in traffic to reach Genoa can find a wealth of items to turn the day into a special event.

Visitors can avoid the traffic hassle by riding the shuttles provided free by the Statewide Transit Program, PRIDE and DART bus service.

Buses leave at scheduled times from the Kmart parking lot in Carson City.

IF YOU GO

What: Arts and Craft Faire

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today

Where: Genoa

Bus Schedule:

Departing from Super Kmart parking lot in Carson City:

9:15 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

11:15 a.m.

1:45 p.m.

3:45 p.m.

Departing Genoa:

10 a.m.

noon

2:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.